Rise in Afghan forces’ deaths worries Kandaharis

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): The residents of southern Kandahar province say they’re concerned about increasing casualties of Afghan forces, particularly Afghan army, during fights with militants.

The past two weeks were deadliest for the Afghan forces in Mianshin, Shah Walikot, Maiwand, Maroof, Arghistan and Noori districts of Kandahar.

Local residents and officials say militants use laser guns and night vision binoculars in attacking the Afghan forces.

Haji Suraj, a resident of Maiwand district, told Pajhwok Afghan News that they were hearing rumors for the past one year that the Taliban had obtained sniper rifles, laser guns and night vision binoculars.

“The militants have changed the fighting techniques and they launch coordinated attacks on security posts at night,” he said.

He added the Afghan forces suffered heavy casualties because they had no access to such advanced weapons.

Suraj said he had heard that the Kandahar police chief had purchased advanced weapons for some security posts at his personal expense.

Ahmad Shah Spar, a civil society activist, said there were many reasons behind the increase in Afghan forces’ casualties.

“The training the Afghan forces receive is poor, their intelligence system and weapons they use are very weak,” he said.

He added the government should improve its intelligence system in both military and civil sphere.

“It is unacceptable the defenders of this land and people are killed very easily, the government should use all resources for the safety of Afghan forces”, Spar said.

A provincial council member, Haji Niamatullah Sherdeli, said militants’ access to advanced and laser based weapons had resulted in the high mortality rate among the Afghan forces.

He said equipping security forces with advanced weapons was essential for prevention of their casualties.

“Whenever militants attack a security post, a nearby post lacks resources to help the other post and push the Taliban back,” he said.

Few days back, provincial police chief, Gen. Abdul Raziq, told a meeting that the war had been imposed on southern provinces.

He had said the conflict in Helmand was a planned one and was being expanded to its capital after losing many districts.

Similar incidents happened in Uruzgan province and attempts were being made to plunge Kandahar and Zabul into chaos, he had added.

mds/ma

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