Image Source: NATO International Security Assistance Force
General Security Situation
Afghanistan has remained chaotic and been the focus of a renewed international effort to spotlight the challenges facing the country. The Taliban, along with insurgents, have been stepping up operations against power stations, bridges and other large-scale targets. Humanitarian convoys and workers have increasingly been a target of insurgents. In one instance a U.N. World Food Programme convoy was hit, denying meals for some 300,000 Afghan schoolchildren in the southern provinces.
The head of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, and several of his lieutenants reportedly met with Taliban leaders in Afghanistan. While U.S. intelligence described rumors that al-Qaida is funneling resources from Iraq to a more hospitable environment in Afghanistan as unsubstantiated, some military commanders took a different view. Brig. Gen. Brian Keller, the senior intelligence chief for Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of Multi-National Forces in Iraq stated, “We do believe al-Qaida is doing some measure of reassessment regarding the continued viability of its fight in Iraq and whether Iraq should remain the focus of its efforts.” The reports came in tandem with information that a powerful Taliban leader, Maulana Jalaluddin Haqqani, may openly fight Mullah Omar for leadership of the group. Haqqani has openly ridiculed Omar in the past.
Tensions between Afghanistan, India and Pakistan have grown more heated with attacks on an Indian embassy and a Pakistani consulate. India has accused Pakistan’s Inter- Services Intelligence (ISI) of planning the attack on its embassy. U.S. intelligence later backed the claim. Pakistan responded in kind after a bicycle bomb exploded outside its consulate, lashing out at Afghanistan for abrogating its responsibility in protecting the Pakistani mission.
The political will of NATO’s mission in Iraq continues to be tested. Countries heavily invested in the Afghanistan operations remain harshly critical of those believed not to be pulling their weight. Much of the charges are being leveled by the Canadians, who are largely responsible for the southern regional command and have faced the highest level of casualties. Australia’s Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has also been critical, though neither country would specifically name those countries they feel are not contributing enough.
Regional Command Capital
July 7, 2008: Indian Embassy Bombed
While two diplomatic vehicles pulled into the Indian embassy, they were targeted by a suicide bomber. Forty-one people were killed and 141 were wounded. The Indian foreign ministry stated, “The government of India strongly condemns this cowardly terrorist attack on its diplomatic mission in Afghanistan. Such acts of terror will not deter us from fulfilling our commitments to the government and people of Afghanistan.” After the bombing, U.S. troops shot and killed the driver and wounded a passenger in another car suspected of being a suicide bomber.
July 22, 2008: Suicide Bomber Explodes at Checkpoint
A suicide bomber who was stopped by police at a checkpoint in Kabul killed himself and wounded five civilians. The Taliban claimed responsibly for the attack. No other deaths were reported
July 22, 2008: Dual Protests Over Land
In both Kabul and Bamiyan, the capital of Bamiyan province, simultaneous protests by ethnic Hazaras occurred. The Hazaras were protesting against Kuchi nomads, who had allegedly forced their way into the region killing several people. The protest in Kabul was some 3,000-4,000 strong according to the Kabul police, but an Agence France-Presse reporter claimed the crowds were likely three to four times larger. The Bamiyan protest reached approximately 1,000 people.
July 24, 2008: Karzai Accused of Protecting Drug Smugglers
A senior anti-drug official with the State Department, Thomas Schweich, accused President Hamid Karzai of protecting drug smugglers. Schweich noted that the fired attorney general had a list of 20 drug smugglers that Karzai did not allow him to prosecute. The former attorney general, Abdul Jabar Sabet, was reportedly fired by Karzai for having presidential ambitions.
July 31, 2008: Al-Qaida Commander Killed
Al-Qaida released a statement claiming that one of its commanders, Abu Abdullah al-Shami, was killed by a U.S. air strike. Al-Shami had previously been in custody and escaped from a U.S. prison at Bagram Airfield. The statement did not release any details as to the location or who he was with when killed.
Regional Command North
July 21, 2008: Six Mine Workers Killed in Attack
Six mine workers were killed and two were wounded in Badakhstan province. The workers were illegally mining from a ruby mine when they were attacked. The motive behind the attack was unknown.
July 27, 2008: Taliban Commander Killed
After leading a raid on a police checkpoint in Takhar province, Afghan police tracked down and killed a Taliban commander. Mullah Osman was a district commander in northern Takhar province.
Regional Command South
July 2, 2008: Suicide Attack Claims Four
A convoy carrying the governor of Nimruz province was targeted by a suicide bomber. The blast killed three police and a civilian. The governor was not harmed.
July 3, 2008: Attack on Police Checkpoint
A grenade attack and gunfire killed eight police officers in Kandahar province. The police were manning a checkpoint when they came under attack. One officer was wounded and two were missing after the attack.
July 4, 2008: Gunmen Kill Provincial Lawmaker
A member of Kandahar’s provincial council, Habibullah Jan, was killed while he was visiting an army installation. Jan had also served as a military commander and key tribal leader.
July 5, 2008: Explosion Kills 10 Taliban
Ten Taliban were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded prematurely in Helmand. The explosion illustrated the increasing amounts of explosives used in bomb attacks.
July 12, 2008: Roadside Bomb Kills Four Police
A blast from a roadside bomb claimed the lives of four Afghan policemen near Qalat, the capital of Zabul province.
July 12, 2008: Suicide Attack in Helmand
In Helmand province, a suicide attack killed two Afghan soldiers and a civilian. The soldiers were part of a security patrol.
July 13, 2008: Police Convoy Attacked
A suicide bomber hit a police convoy in Uruzgan province. The blast killed 24 people and injured 30. The blast claimed the lives of five police officers.
July 13, 2008: Forty Militants Killed in Helmand Province
A joint Afghan-ISAF operation in Helmand province has killed at least 40 Taliban insurgents. The incident occurred after militants attacked a convoy. No coalition or Afghan casualties were reported.
July 18, 2008: Two French Aid Workers Kidnapped
Two French aid workers with the nongovernmental organization Action Against Hunger (Action Contre la Faim - ACF) were kidnapped in Daykundi province. The Taliban were suspected in the kidnapping. ACF suspended all of its activities in Afghanistan.
July 19, 2008: Afghan Army Kills Nine Taliban
Afghan National Army (ANA) forces killed nine Taliban militants who attempted to attack a convoy in Zabul province.
July 22, 2008: Senior Taliban Leaders Captured, Killed
Mullah Rahim, the most senior Taliban leader in Helmand, gave himself up to Pakistani officials. Meanwhile, another leader, Abdul Rasaq, was killed in a British air strike.
July 23, 2008: British Soldier Wounded in Ambush Dies
A British soldier who was wounded by a roadside bomb in Helmand province died.
July 23, 2008: Police Kill Three Militants
Police in Uruzgan province killed three militants after they fired on a police checkpoint.
July 23, 2008: Afghan Troops Kill Five Insurgents
Afghan troops killed five insurgents in a joint military-police operation. During the encounter two ANA soldiers and a police officer were wounded.
July 25, 2008: Danish Soldier Killed by IED
A Danish soldier was killed after his vehicle hit an IED in Helmand province. Three others were wounded in the incident.
July 25, 2008: British Soldier and Dog Killed
A British soldier with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and his bomb-sniffing dog were killed in Helmand province. Six other British soldiers were wounded, all from the Parachute Regiment.
July 26, 2008: Four Afghans Killed at Checkpoint
Four Afghan civilians were killed after their car failed to stop at a checkpoint in Helmand province. NATO troops reportedly fired warning shots at the car first before targeting its occupants. Three other civilians were wounded in the attack.
July 27, 2008: Two Children Killed at Canadian Checkpoint
Canadian forces opened fire on a car at a checkpoint in Kandahar after it failed to stop. The victims of the incident were a four-year-old girl and a two-year-old boy. Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay stated the incident would be investigated.
July 30, 2008: British Soldier Dies of Wounds
A British soldier died of the wounds he received after a roadside bomb exploded in Helmand province.
July 30, 2008: Helmand Schools in Chaos
Helmand’s provincial governor, Gulab Mangal, stated that 169 of the 227 schools operating in the province have closed, and most of the others are not operating normally. Mangal stated he will re-open the schools at any cost. He credited the lack of educational opportunities as a major source of the rising violence.
Regional Command East
July 2, 2008: Crew Survives Helicopter Takedown
In Logar province a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was brought down by small-arms fire. The crew landed the helicopter and exited safely before the aircraft caught fire.
July 4, 2008: Airstrike Draws Ire
The provincial governor of Nuristan refuted claims that an airstrike by a U.S. helicopter had targeted insurgents. A spokesman for the coalition claimed that the helicopter had followed insurgents who had attacked a coalition base with mortars, and then fired on the two escaping vehicles. Gov. Tamim Nuristani claimed that 22 civilians were killed, including a woman and a child. The area was too remote for the validity of either claim to be independently verified.
July 4, 2008: Roadside Bomb Kills Officers
Two Afghan police officers were killed in a roadside bomb attack in Ghazni province. Five others were wounded. The officers were near a police vehicle that was targeted by insurgents.
July 6, 2008: Afghans Claim U.S. Forces Attacked Civilians
Local officials in Nagarhar province claimed a wedding party was hit by a U.S. air
strike and that 27 civilians were killed. The officials claimed most of the victims were women and children and that the bride was among the victims. A U.S. military spokesman disputed the attack claiming that only those firing upon coalition forces were targeted, and that they had no reports of civilian casualties.
July 13, 2008: Nine U.S. Soldiers Killed in Battle
In Kunar province, nine U.S. soldiers were killed during a fire fight with insurgents. A joint Afghan-American outpost was attacked by machine gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). Nineteen Afghan and NATO soldiers were wounded in the engagement.
July 20, 2008: Six Civilians Killed
Six civilians were killed when a fuel tanker exploded. The incident occurred in Laghman province. A militant fired on the tanker with the rocket-propelled grenade, causing the explosion. The two civilians driving the truck were killed, as well as four people in another vehicle in close proximity to the tanker.
July 20, 2008: Twenty Taliban Killed in Air Strike
Twenty Taliban fighters were killed in a coalition air strike in Khost province. The Taliban insurgents ambushed the convoy killing one NATO soldier. The soldier’s nationality was not revealed.
July 21, 2008: Family of Five Police Officers Attacked
A family of police officers was targeted by insurgents in Ghazni province. A father and his four sons, all police officers were attacked by the Taliban. The four sons were killed and the father was kidnapped.
July 22, 2008: Coalition Forces Kill “Several” Militants
In Wardak province a raid by coalition troops killed “several” militants according to a coalition spokesman. The troops were searching for a leader who was responsible for a previous attack which killed three American soldiers and their interpreter. After being attacked by small-arms fire and grenades, the troops returned fire and called in an air strike.
July 27, 2008: Attack on Government Center Repelled
An attack by 100 insurgents on a government center was repelled in Khost province. Afghan forces, backed by U.S. troops and aircraft killed over two dozen attackers near the Pakistan border. Two Afghan police died in the attack.
July 30, 2008: Taliban Ambush Police
Three policemen were killed in a Taliban ambush. The Taliban halted the vehicle and killed the officers in Logar province before seizing the vehicle and escaping.
July 30, 2008: Twelve Militants Killed
In Paktika province 12 militants were killed. The insurgents were attacking Afghan government targets before an air strike targeted their position.
July 30, 2008: Fighting Erupts in Ghazni
A roadside bomb that hit an ISAF convoy touched off intense fighting in Ghazni province. The bomb slightly wounded an unconfirmed number of ISAF soldiers. The district was raided by coalition troops and 20 Taliban fighters were killed.
Regional Command West
July 17, 2008: U.S. Special Forces Free Hostages
U.S. Special Forces raided an insurgent prison in Herat province freeing 15 hostages and killing 15 insurgents. An air strike was called in which destroyed three houses. Two of the insurgents were militant commanders.
July 20, 2008: Friendly Fire Incident in Farah Province
In Farah province, an apparent case of friendly fire claimed the lives of four Afghan police and five civilians. There were a number of reports of battlefield confusion with the police initially opening fire on ANA troops believing they were Taliban fighters. Locals rushed in to assist the police upon hearing gunfire. A coalition air strike then hit the police and civilians.
July 21, 2008: Abducted Turks Freed
Two Turks who had been abducted while working on road construction on July 14 were freed. They were captured outside the city of Herat in Herat province. A regional police spokesman said a ransom was paid to secure their release, but Gulsan, their employer, denied paying any ransom.
July 22, 2008: Clash in Farah Province
A joint operation between ANA and ISAF forces netted 30 Taliban casualties in Farah province. The battle occurred after a U.S. convoy was attacked by small-arms fire and RPGs.
July 31, 2008: Bicycle Bomb Hits Pakistani Consulate
A bicycle exploded outside the Pakistani consulate in the city of Herat. Two people were wounded but no deaths were reported.
Pakistan
July 13, 2008: India Accuses Pakistan of Embassy Bombing
India’s National Security Adviser, M.K. Narayanan, accused Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of plotting the deadly July 7 Indian Embassy bombing that killed 41 people. “We have no doubt that the ISI is behind this,” Narayanan said. Pakistan denied the claims.
July 31, 2008: American Intelligence Agencies Blame Pakistan
American intelligence agencies have concluded that Pakistan’s ISI assisted in planning the July 7 attack on the Indian Embassy based on intercepted communications. The conclusion comes amid concerns about Pakistan allotting anti-terrorism funds from the U.S. to modernize its air force. India had previously blamed Pakistan, and Indian forces have skirmished with Pakistani troops in the contested territory of Kashmir since the bombing.
Other News
July 2, 2008: Admiral Mullen Calls for More Troops
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen, called for an increase in the number of troops to Afghanistan. Mullen stated, “We're going to increase troops by 2009,” but did not elaborate. Mullen has called for an addition of at least three brigades. (U.S. brigades typically consist of 1,500 to 4,000 troops each.)
July 4, 2008: Twenty-Fourth Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Tour Extended
After repeatedly rejecting the idea that the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s tour in Afghanistan would be extended, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced a reversal. In May, Secretary Gates stated in regards to extending the tour that he would, “Be loath to do that.” He added that, “No one has suggested even the possibility of extending that rotation.” The 2,200 Marines will have their tour extended 30 days, into November.
July 6, 2008: U.S. Claims Taliban of Falsifying Civilian Deaths
After two incidents where the United States. has denied civilian casualties, Gen. David McKiernan, Commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan stated that the Taliban is working to make false allegations of civilian casualties in an effort to spread anti-American propaganda.
July 22, 2008: Germans Warn Obama Against Calling for More Troops
After Germany recently stepped up its troop contributions to Afghanistan, some lawmakers are warning Barack Obama against calling for more troops to the country. Germany had agreed to send an additional 1,000 troops to Afghanistan, making their total contribution 4,500. “It makes no sense to make demands that partners cannot fulfill,” said Rainer Arnold, a parliamentary defense spokesman for the Social Democratic Party.
July 26, 2008: Obama Visits Afghanistan
Senator and U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama visited Afghanistan on a fact- finding mission with Sens. Chuck Hagel and Jack Reed.
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