Taliban defiant following Marjah operation
By Hewad
KABUL - Recent operations by foreign and Afghan government forces in Helmand
province had little impact on Taliban capabilities ahead of the summer fighting
season, an insurgent commander has claimed.
Despite February's assault by 15,000 troops on the Taliban stronghold of
Marjah, its ranks are unhurt, uncowed and poised to retaliate, Abu Hamza, who
claims to command 300 rebel fighters operating in southern Afghanistan, told
the Institute for War and Peace Reporting in a telephone interview.
"We will inflict heavy casualties on the foreigners this year," Abu Hamza, who
is well known in the region, said. "We have not been defeated in Helmand ...
The foreigners are now surrounded in
Marjah. We have only withdrawn tactically from some areas."
Marjah was a key focus of Operation Moshtarak (Dari for "Together"), which
began in February as an assault on insurgent strongholds with the declared aim
of re-establishing Afghan government control of the area.
Western forces say vehicle traffic, an indication of the extent to which free
movement is established, has been growing in Marjah and Nad Ali.
Marjah itself had been a major center of opium poppy growing and refining. A
scheme to distribute wheat seed to persuade farmers to move away from poppy is
due to begin in Marjah - the registration process began on April 4.
Abu Hamza's remarks reflected Western media reports quoting United States
military officials as saying the Taliban are again encroaching on Marjah from
all sides, so far mainly scaring local people from participating in development
projects.
Abu Hamza said Taliban casualties during the fighting were ten killed. The
International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, put the number of confirmed
enemy dead at six, compared to 21 troops killed mainly by improvised explosive
devices, IEDs.
A total of 29 civilians were listed as killed during the Marjah fighting,
although local people say the number was around 40.
According to Abu Hamza, the low insurgent death tally resulted from avoidance
of direct engagements with troops and widespread use of IEDs, which to April 4
this year accounted for 79 of 134 combat deaths of foreign soldiers across
Afghanistan.
"We have inflicted heavy casualties with these weapons," claimed Abu Hamza, who
gave his age as 35 and said he'd fought for the Taliban in various provinces
since the Islamic militia was toppled from power by US-led forces in 2001.
He said senior Taliban commanders ordered units to intensify use of roadside
bombs and also attacks on specific targets in cities, like the February assault
by gunmen and suicide bombers on guest houses and businesses frequented by
foreigners in the capital.
"I believe that instead of face-to-face fighting, attacks like this one are a
more successful tactic," Abu Hamza said.
Asked whether civilian casualties inflicted by such actions constituted
terrorism, he replied, "Is it not terrorism when the Americans bombard and fire
rockets at people's houses, funeral and other traditional ceremonies, and kill
innocents under the pretext of fighting the Taliban or al-Qaeda?
"We have warned all Muslim people to avoid areas where foreigners congregate,
therefore responsibility lies with the people, not the Taliban."
Concerning the location of insurgent forces after the seizure of Marjah, Hamza
said, "You should put that question to the Americans because they have modern
equipment and say that they can see everything from the air, so they should be
able to say where we are.
"I will say only that the Taliban have tactically withdrawn and are active in
their areas. We never flee."
Reports from Marjah indicate that insurgent fighters have largely blended in
with the local population, and in many cases are locals themselves, also
benefiting from US cash payments for human and property damage incurred in the
fighting.
Their supply of arms and ammunition here and elsewhere is steady and comes in
part from countries that also oppose the US, the commander claimed, while
noting that weaponry alone is no guarantee of victory.
"The Americans have very modern weapons ... We have the weapon of belief [in
Islam] while they do not," he said.
Lack of cultural awareness, he went on, would also disastrously undermine
foreign forces deployed in the country.
"They have no information about the Afghans' history, culture and traditions.
Our strength is [boosted] by their actions, such as breaking into people's
homes, bombarding them, disrespecting Islamic values, and so on, things which
weaken them and strengthen us."
On the ultimate goal of the resistance, Abu Hamza reiterated the line of the
Taliban leadership that all foreign forces must be withdrawn from Afghanistan
and sharia law established.
"The Afghan government has no authority in the presence of the foreigners, who
control of everything. We will hold no negotiations with the government unless
the foreigners leave," he said.
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