Showing posts with label Ghazni. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ghazni. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Battle for Ajrestan District, Ghazni Province

The Ajrestan district of Ghazni province is at risk of falling to the Taliban. Only the reinforcement of Afghan Commandos and the threat of US close air support is keeping the district center in government hands. Recently villages of Ghazni hung four Taliban fighters. Read more in "Afghan villagers hang Taliban fighters as battle for district rages", Reuters, September 27, 2014.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Taliban Behead 12 in Ghazni Province

The Taliban have been busy in Ghazni province - reportedly overrunning one of the districts in the western area of the province. In addition, the Taliban beheaded at least twelve family members of Afghan police. See "Taliban beheads 12 in Afghan clash", Los Angeles Times, September 26, 2014.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

"Robber Barons Rising" - COIN in Ghazni

Stability Journal: The International Journal of Security & Development has published a new report about Ghazni, Afghanistan. The authors, Matthew P. Dearing and Cynthia Braden have wrote "Robber Barons Rising: The Potential for Resource Conflict in Ghazni, Afghanistan" dated February 18, 2014. The publication is available at this link "Robber Barons Rising". An abstract of the report is below in quotes:


"Security and governance in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan are threatened by resource conflict dynamics: groups focus on exploiting lootable resources in the short term while weak institutions and conflict persists. Elements within the Afghan government and insurgent organizations alike expand their power and influence in this manner. Understanding how criminal organizations operate within the regional political economy is essential to reducing the leverage these networks, associated criminal syndicates, and corrupt government officials have on the community. We proffer three hypothesis for development and stability practitioners to monitor as transition approaches in 2014, as well as recommendations for mitigating the onset of resource conflict in Ghazni as the province experiences a downgrade in foreign security forces. Adopting effective, anti-insurgency policies will be fundamental to mitigating the malicious effects on the population and providing incentives for peace, rather than continuing conflict".

Monday, February 7, 2011

The Taliban Shadow Government in Ghazni, Afghanistan

A lengthy news article provides a glimpse of how the Taliban set up and run its shadow government in Afghanistan's rural areas where the central government of Karzai does not exert influence.  Read "In Eastern Afghanistan, at War With the Taliban's Shadowy Rule", The New York Times, February 6, 2011.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Taliban Weapons in Ghazni Province

A blogger provides insight on the types of weapons that the Taliban are using in Ghazni Province.  Read his interesting article on the small arms used by the insurgents in "Taliban Gun Lockers: The Rifles of Rural Ghazni Province", At War Blog, The New York Times, January 31, 2011.

Monday, December 27, 2010

The Fight for Andar District, Ghazni Province

While the fight in the south (Helmand and Kandahar Provinces) appears to be showing coalition gains the same cannot be said of areas of eastern Afghanistan.  Resources, enablers, and manpower has been shifted south to Kandahar and the east has seen less attention from the military leaders planning the overall campaign in Afghanistan.  This lack of attention is having results with the Taliban controlling many areas.  One such area is Andar District in Ghazni.  Read about the fight for Andar District in "Taliban Challenge U.S. in Eastern Afghanistan", The New York Times, December 25, 2010.