Anti-Taliban Uprising in Panjwai District (Kandahar)

A recent news report by Fox News provides details on an anti-Taliban local uprising of villagers in Panjwai district, Kandahar province. The district of Panjwai, along with other adjacent districts, has been a refuge and staging area for the Taliban insurgents for a number of years. This district is also the area where the Panjwai massacre of 17 civilians took place by a U.S. Army Soldier in the spring of 2012. In recent years there have been a number of local uprisings by villages against the Taliban but not as many as had been hoped for by ISAF. Some of these uprisings are supported by the Afghan government while others are not. Many observers feel that the local uprisings should be quickly supported by the Afghan government and ISAF with the formation of Afghan Local Police, and supplies of weapons, uniforms, and money. However some local uprisings are not necessarily favorably inclined toward the corrupt Afghan government. In addition, the Afghan government is more interested in the political landscape of a district rather than in its security. The Afghan government (that would be Karzai and his political appointees found in the provincial and district leadership) are more concerned with the interwoven issues of political patronage, criminal activity, corruption, and warlords being taken into account; and give secondary consideration to the security, governance, and development needs of the local population.