More
talks are taking place between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The governments of both states long viewed the other with suspicion, but lately they have been getting pushed towards talks just as the Afghan government is pushing talks with the Pakistani-sponsored Afghan insurgent groups.
Afghanistan:
As Afghan President Hamid Karzai tries to draw his fellow-Pashtuns in the insurgency into a hug, smaller ethnic groups throughout Afghanistan are
looking for their weapons.
In Kandahar province, there may be movement from the "clear" phase to "hold and build". However, some reports indicate that the NATO/Afghan apparent success in rural Kandahar has pushed militants into Kandahar City, where they are still waging a campaign of intimidation.
In eastern Afghanistan, militants once again tried to attack a NATO outpost. The attack in Nangahar province is just one of many such attacks to have taken place this year, all of which were failures that did not lead to a single ISAF casualty or the over-running of a single outpost. The insurgents launched other attacks across Afghanistan to mark the anniversary of their government's fall.
While visiting Afghanistan, Senator Lindsey Graham was "stunned" by Afghan President Hamid Karzai's objection to nightraids. I guess he wasn't paying attention to the news lately about our Afghan "partner". Most of the suspected-insurgents being captured and killed, including almost all of the low-level leaders, are being taken down by nightraids. Speaking of which;
(sourcing at the very end)
11/1-11/7
61 K, 97 C, 21 S. 23 Low Level Leaders Killed/Captured/Surrendered. 8 Low K, 14 Low C, 1 Low S.
Kandahar/Helmand, Taliban heartland: 33 K, 20 C. 2 Low C, 2 Low K.
Khost/Paktia/Paktika, Haqqani heartland: 12 K, 31 C. 5 Low C, 6 Low K.
17 ISAF casualties. 11 ISAF casualties in the south, 5 in the east, 1 in the north.
11/8-11/14
82 K, 97 C, 7 S. 20 Low-Level Leaders Killed/Captured/Surrendered. 1 Low-Mid K, 1 Low-Mid C, 16 Low C, 1 Low K, 1 Low S.
Kandahar/Helmand: 59 K, 54 C. 6 Low C
Khost/Paktia/Paktika: 1 K, 17 C. 1 Low K, 3 Low C
13 ISAF casualties. 7 ISAF casualties in the east, 6 in the south
Surprises this week:
Farah province in the west has seen a sudden increase in raids(4 over 7 days). 8 C, 1 Low-Mid, 1 Low.
Fewer ISAF operations in Haqqani country in the south-east.
Drop of ISAF casualties in the south despite rise in captured/killed suspected-insurgents in the Kandahar/Helmand region. Part of that rise due to clearing operations launched in both Helmand and southern-Kandahar.
Federally-Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan:
In southern-FATA, another drone struck in North Waziristan. Some reports indicate that foreign militants were amongst the dead, some that local militants were amongst the dead, and some that civilians were amongt the dead.
A private media channel in Pakistan claims militants tried attacking security forces in the central-FATA agency of Orakzai, injuring several troops. Eight militants were reportedly killed. Pakistani security forces have been trying to secure the agency since March.
In the northern-most FATA agency of Bajaur, Pakistani security forces have once again claimed victory. Amongt the claims is that Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, an infamous militant commander, has agreed to remain peaceful. Other militants have recently surrendered, according to reports. Other militants from the area are known to be sheltering across the hardly-recognized border in Afghanistan's Kunar and Nuristan provinces. NATO and Afghan security forces are currently conducting an operation in part of the troubled province of Kunar.
Pakistan:
A report in the Pakistani media says al Qaeda will try to cause havoc in Pakistan's main cities to divert the army away from North Waziristan, which some suspect could become a training-ground for Pakistan's brand new F-16's. Karachi was recently the site of a coordinated assault by militants targeting a detention facility.
Turmoil in Chaman. A protest broke out in the Pakistani town right on the border with Afghanistan's Kandahar province after the asassination of a Pashtun political leader. He had reportedly received threats from the Afghan Taliban, based primarily out of the nearby city of Quetta. Perhaps because of proximity or lack of ownership, three NATO fuel tankers were destroyed while the highway was blocked by protesters.
NATO receives some official-love for their part in delivering relief in the wake of massive flooding which devestated Pakistan in the late-summer.
Maps:
When considering the situation in Pashtunistan, consider these maps of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is in the Pashtun areas where the U.S. and NATO have the most problems. It's important to note that while Pashtuns make up a much larger proportion of the population of Afghanistan than they do in Pakistan, there are still more Pashtuns in Pakistan than in Afghanistan. Here is a good map and rundown of the areas that make up the main warzone.
ISAF/Media Sources Regarding Insurgent Killed/Captured Numbers:
11/8
10 K, 2 C, Helmand Clearing Op
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
19 K, 14 C, southern Kandahar Clearing Op
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 C, Farah. 1 Low.
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
7 S, Kunduz, 1 Low
http://news.xinhuanet.com/...
2 ISAF casualties, the east
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
11/9
3 C, Zabul, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
10 C, 4 K, Helmand. 1 Low C
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
4 C, 1 Low, Kabul Airport(Haqqani)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Farah, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 C, Paktika(looking for 1 Low)
2 C, Khost(looking for 1 Low)
1 C, Logar(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Kandahar, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 C, Kandahar, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 ISAF casualty, the south
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
33 K, 42 C, 7 S. 6 Low C, 1 Low S
Kandahar/Helmand: 33 K, 29 C, 3 Low C
Khost/Paktia/Paktika: 3 C
2 ISAF casualties in the east, 1 in the south
11/10
1 K, Ghazni, Low-Mid
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 C, Ghazni, Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Helmand(looking for 1 Low)
2 C, Helmand(looking for 1 Low)
2 C, Kandahar(looking for 1 Low)
1 C, Paktika(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 C, Farah, 1 Low-Mid
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 C, Kabul, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 K, Nangahar, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Logar
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 ISAF casualty, the east
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 ISAF casualty, the south
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
36 K, 56 C, 7 S. 1 Low-Mid K, 1 Low-Mid C, 8 Low C, 1 Low S.
Kandahar/Helmand: 33 K, 35 C, 3 Low C
Khost/Paktia/Paktika: 4 C
3 ISAF casualties in the east, 2 in the south
11/11(Veteran's Day)
1 K, Paktia, 1 Low
2 C, Kandahar(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
4 K, Logar
http://tolonews.com/...
2 C, Kandahar, 2 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
11/12
4 K, Kunduz
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 K, Helmand(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
7 K, Helmand(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
15 K, Helmand, failed Taliban assault
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
5 C, Kandahar(looking for 1 Low)
5 C, Helmand(looking for 1 Low)
5 C, Khost, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 ISAF casualty, the east
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
70 K, 75 C, 7 S. 1 Low-Mid K, 1 Low-Mid C, 11 Low C, 1 Low K, 1 Low S.
Kandahar/Helmand: 58 K, 49 C. 5 Low C
Khost/Paktia/Paktika: 1 K, 9 C. 1 Low K, 1 Low C
4 ISAF casualties in the east, 2 in the south
11/13
6 K, Nangahar, failed Taliban assault
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 C, Nangahar, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 K, Kunar, Pech River Valley Op
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 K, Baghlan(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 C, Khost, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 C, Khost, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
2 C, Kabul, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 C, Helmand, 1 Low
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 C, Kabul(looking for 1 Low)
2 C, Paktika
2 C, Kunduz(looking for 1 Low-Mid)
2 C, Farah(looking for 1 Low)
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 K, 2 C, Helmand
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 ISAF casualties, the south
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
11/14
1 C, Nimroz
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
1 ISAF casualty, the south
http://www.dvidshub.net/...
3 ISAF casualties, the east
http://www.dvidshub.net/...