... The portrait of a confident, still intact Taliban insurgency was compiled for Nato commanders from material gathered during 27,000 interrogation sessions with more than 4,000 insurgent prisoners held during 2011, as Barack Obama's surge of troops was at its height. It was drawn up by American military officers at Bagram airfield.
The report, called "State of the Taliban", found there had been growing interest over the past 12 months from members of Mr Karzai's government in cooperating with, or even joining their opponents.
It also found increasing reports of "outright coordination, equipment transfers, intelligence sharing or occasionally even the incorporation of Afghan security forces in Taliban operations".
Afghan police and soldiers had in some places formed informal ceasefires or non-aggression pacts with their local insurgent enemies as they prepared for a future after Nato forces. These deals often included pledges from the security forces that they would support the Taliban in the long term, according to the report.
"The Taliban are absolutely confident in their ability to subdue Afghan security forces," it said.
Training the Afghan police and army to take charge of security in Afghanistan is the foundation of Nato's strategy to withdraw combat troops by the end of 2014.
However the report said detainees had claimed the Afghan security forces were selling or giving away the weapons which the West has donated.
A bazaar in Miranshah, capital of North Waziristan in Pakistan's tribal region, was "increasingly inundated with rifles, pistols and heavy weapons which have been sold by Afghan security forces."
"The vehicles and weapons were once only acquired on the battlefield. They are now regularly sold or donated by the Afghan security forces," the report concluded.
Pictures of Taliban fighters driving in Afghan army vehicles or posing with their weapons had become common trophies in the conflict...
-bth: one wonders who leaked this report.
0 comments:
Post a Comment