Villagers in Panjwai District Form Uprising Against Taliban

Villagers in the district of Panjwai located in Kandahar province have staged a local uprising or revolt against the Taliban. This is a significant event as Panjwai is in the heartland of the Taliban movement and has long been a thorn in the side of ISAF. Brutal fighting has taken place in this district (and surrounding districts) over the past several years. The catalyst for the formation of the uprising was the resentment the local villagers had against the bullying and harassment by the Taliban. Scores of civilians have been killed by the Taliban either directly or as a result of the many mines and IEDs planted by the Taliban. Although there are other documented instances of local uprisings in Afghanistan this is the first time that an uprising of this magnitude has happened in Kandahar. The uprising coincides with several other factors to include a strong District Chief of Police (DCoP), more capable Afghan police and army units, and a diminished capacity of the Taliban to exert influence in the area due to shortages of recruits and money. Read more on the Panjwai uprising in "Villagers Take on Taliban in Their Heartland", The New York Times, March 20, 2013.