"As Afghan And Foreign Troops Fought The Insurgents Around Gulistan This Week,
The Rebels Did Not Flee"
"Instead, They Gained More Ground"
November 02, 2007 Kelly Cryderman, CanWest News Service
The Taliban have briefly occupied a number of isolated district centres across
the centre and south of the country in the past two years, but usually flee the
area as soon as Afghan army and foreign troops arrive at the scene.
However, as Afghan and foreign troops fought the insurgents around Gulistan
this week, the rebels did not flee.
Instead, they gained more ground and captured the neighbouring district of
Bakwa on Wednesday.
"Gulistan district is still controlled by the Taliban," Ikramuddin Yawar, the
police chief for western Afghanistan, told Reuters. "We want assistance from
NATO to support us from the air."
MORE:
Occupation Command Tricked:
Diversionary Attack On Gulistan Leads To Loss Of Bakwa;
Resistance Main Force Of 400 Overruns District Center
November 01, 2007 Sharifuddin Sharafiyar, Reuters & By FISNIK ABRASHI (AP)
HERAT, Afghanistan -- Taliban rebels have overrun a district centre in western
Afghanistan as fighting took place in a nearby area captured earlier this week,
a provincial official said on Thursday.
The Taliban have massed in unusually large numbers in the last week in the west
and near the main southern city of Kandahar, challenging assertions by Afghan
government and foreign troops that they can rout the rebels in any direct
engagement.
Some 400 Taliban fighters took over the district centre of Gulistan in the
western province of Farah on Monday. While Afghan and NATO-led forces were
battling to take it back, the insurgents took over the neighbouring district
centre of Bakwa.
"Bakwa district centre fell into the hands of the Taliban in an attack
yesterday afternoon," said Maolavi Yahya, the district chief of neighbouring
Delaram.
"The Taliban wanted to keep Afghan and foreign troops busy (in Gulistan) as
another group of Taliban tactically overran the district centre.
"During the confrontation 14 Taliban insurgents and two Afghan police were
killed and the Taliban set the district centre building on fire," said Yahya.
Canadian forces in Kandahar said it was one of the most organised Taliban
offensives they had seen and said it appeared to be aimed at a move towards the
city.
Prominent Taliban leader Mullah Mansour Dadullah vowed the insurgents would
extend their fighting to the north of Afghanistan during the winter.
"Our operations are blazing across the southern provinces, and we shall reach
the northern provinces in the same manner," he said in a video posted on the
Internet on Wednesday.
A large number of Taliban have crossed into Farah from neighboring Helmand
province and were still in control of Gulistan district.
Police have battled militants for three days in the area, and several
guerrillas were killed, said Baryalai Khan, a spokesman for the provincial
police chief.
MORE:
The Arghandab Offensive:
"Even If The Taleban Have Now Retreated, It Has Been A Show Of Strength Which
Will Not Be Lost On The Afghan Population"
1 November 2007 BBC News & By FISNIK ABRASHI (AP) & Jon Hemming, Reuters & AP
The BBC's Alix Kroeger in Kabul says the fighting outside Kandahar city has now
largely ended. Three policemen and one Afghan soldier also died.
But even if the Taleban have now retreated, it has been a show of strength
which will not be lost on the Afghan population.
Many Taleban fighters escaped from Arghandab district, only 12 km (8 miles)
from Kandahar, city on Wednesday night.
On Wednesday, a provincial police chief said up to 250 militants were
surrounded in the area. There was no sign of militants in the village streets
Thursday.
It was closest the Taleban have come to Kandahar city since 2001.
Arghandab district lies just 12km (seven miles) north of the city and is an
area of walled-off by pomegranate orchards and deep irrigation trenches.
An American aid worker based in Arghandab described it as perfect terrain for
an insurgency, terrible for a standing army.
It was where the Mujahideen held off the Soviets in the 1980s, marking the
beginning of the defeat of the Soviet invasion.
Arghandab has been an anti-Taleban stronghold for years, but two weeks ago the
pro-government local leader, Mullah Naqib, died of a heart attack.
Earlier this year the Taleban tried to kill him with a roadside bomb.
Our correspondent says his death has left a vacuum in the command of
pro-government forces in Kandahar.
Four days ago the Taleban launched their offensive.
The Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy"
Groupe de communication Mulindwas
"avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie"
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