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Tougher Taliban in western Uruzgan
by RNW Security and Defence Editor Hans de Vreij reporting from Uruzgan
26-09-2007
Heavy fighting has been reported in the Afghan province of Uruzgan. On Tuesday, 65 Taliban fighters were reportedly killed near the community of Deh Rawod in Dihrawud District. Last week, a Dutch soldier was killed in a similar clash in the same region of western Uruzgan. NATO is now looking at ways to reinforce the Dutch NATO contingent there. A small Dutch base in Deh Rawod doesn't have enough troops to stop the Taliban.
Dihrawud district is of key importance. It controls vital North-South and East-West routes in Uruzgan. And it borders on Helmand, the province where Taliban fighters find themselves under increased pressure from mainly British NATO troops. The district also has a strong symbolic value. It was here that Hamid Karzai (pictured) began his march on Kandahar city in late 2001, his first steps on the path to the presidency. It's also here that the supreme leader of the Taliban, Mullah Omar, had strong family ties before most of his relatives had to leave.
Fire fight
On Tuesday, Dihrawud district was the scene of a violent clash between Taliban fighters and the Afghan National Army (ANA), supported by US troops that are part of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and by close air support. In the past few weeks, Dutch soldiers and ANA troops have also been involved in fierce fighting with the Taliban in this particular district. Last Thursday, a Dutch soldier, 20-year old Tim Hoogland, was shot and later died of his wounds - the first Dutchman killed in a direct fire fight in Afghanistan. The Dutch Chief of Defence, General Dick Berlijn (pictured below) explains:
"In Deh Rawod we've seen a worsening situation. We are in contact with NATO to see if the NATO chain of command is of the opinion that the region should be reinforced."
One of the problems the Afghan, Dutch and American troops in Dihrawud district are facing is an enemy which is well-organised, well-trained and heavily armed. Quite a difference from the 'amateur' Taliban militias Dutch and other NATO troops also encounter. General Berlijn:
"We have seen an improvement of their tactics and procedures. A year ago, 'amateur soldiers' was maybe a good way to describe them. We now see they are much better [trained]. (...) We know there are foreign fighters there and we think that these fighters train the Taliban. It's something that we take very seriously."
Foreign fighters
General Berlijn declined to reveal the nationality of the foreign fighters in Western Uruzgan. But last week, Radio Netherlands found out in Uruzgan itself that the presence of fighters from Pakistan and Bosnia is known beyond any doubt - in fact, prisoners have been taken from their ranks and handed over to the Afghan authorities. It is assumed that Chechen fighters are also active in Dihrawud district.
But how strong are the Taliban in Uruzgan? Kamp Holland, just south of the provincial capital Tarin Kowt, is the main Dutch base in Uruzgan. Colonel Nico Geerts is the commander of the Dutch-Australian 'Task Force Uruzgan' . The Colonel told Radio Netherlands it's virtually impossible to gauge the strength of the opponents:
"That is very difficult to say. That would suggest that we know everything that is happening in this province. That's not true. The Taliban are also part of the population, so you can't count them. (...) We have different levels of Taliban fighters; local fighters that are pressed to be part of the Taliban for one operation. Each estimate is wrong." According to the Dutch Chief of Defence, NATO is now looking at ways to reinforce the small Dutch contingent in Western Uruzgan. If need be, reinforcements could be sent from the Netherlands itself, but it's primarily an issue NATO should deal with, says General Dick Berlijn.
Tags:
Berlijn,
contingent,
Deh Rawod,
Geerts,
Karzai,
NATO,
tactics,
Tarin Kowt,
Uruzgan
Thomas Larsen,
29-09-2007
- Denmark
The reports about so-called "Chechens" fighting in Afghanistan is one of the most completely undocumented "cardards" in even normally serious and objective Western Medias. There is NO hard proof whatsoever to these allegations, which also Radio Netherlands now seems to distribute. You should be doing better than spreading such "sensations".
I enclose for the readers of Radio Netherlands a very new and wise commentary from an high-ranking expert regarding these issues, see below. I say like him: Either one deliver proof for such allegations - or one regrets bringing such rubbish...!
Regards,
Thomas Larsen
Denmark
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No Chechen fighters are in Afghanistan
National Post - Canada
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Re: Foreign Troops Tougher Enemy, Matthew Fisher, Sept. 24.
Since 2001, the National Post has reported that Chechens formed, first, the "hard core" of al-Qaeda troops in Afghanistan, and, now, the "hard core" of Taliban fighters in combat against Canadian troops. In doing so, the Post has bought into one of the most bizarre and preposterous myths of the post-9/11 world -- the idea that a tiny Chechen resistance movement locked in a life or death struggle with the vast Russian military routinely sends large expeditionary corps of fanatical and highly trained mujahadeen to every conflict in the world involving Muslims.
Even the Russian-backed President of Chechnya declared last month that there were no Chechen militant groups capable of mounting large-scale attacks in Chechnya or beyond. Whatever one may think of the Chechen insurgency, it remains a simple fact that the number of Chechens killed or captured in Afghanistan since 2001 remains zero. Most disappointing are the assertions from within the Canadian military that they are at war with Chechens. Our troops deserve better intelligence work than this.
It is a serious matter to continually allege that the people of another nation are at war with Canada without proof; it is mischief at best and provocation at worst. To my knowledge, no Chechen leader, insurgent or loyalist, has ever even expressed an opinion on Canada, much less engaged us in battle.
If the National Post or the Canadian Forces have any hard evidence that Chechen fighters are engaged against NATO troops in Afghanistan, they should present it. Otherwise it is time to find a new bogeyman and let this myth die its long overdue death.
Andrew McGregor, Aberfoyle International Security, Toronto.
ANDREW McGREGOR is a graduate of the Near Eastern Studies Department of the University of Toronto. He is currently Director of Aberfoyle International Security, a Toronto-based agency specializing in strategic and political issues of the Islamic world. He is the author of a history of Darfur, has published many articles on historical and security issues, and frequently provides commentary for television, radio and print media outlets.
