Though most of the official reports on the war in Afghanistan focus around the fighting in the Helmand and Kandahar Provinces in the nation’s southwest, the war is not restricted to this area. A growing number of reports are coming out detailing increasingly fierce combat across the nation, even in northern provinces.
Though of course fighting in those regions isn’t unheard of, it is something of a surprise to hear how common it is becoming, particularly as the Taliban had only the most tenuous presence in northern Afghanistan even before the US occupation began in 2001.
But nine years later, Gen. David Petraeus has been forced to admit that the Taliban are actually making inroads in northern Afghanistan, and it seems like the NATO allies that stationed themselves in these provinces in hopes of avoiding combat are finding the combat coming to them.
2010 has already been the deadliest year in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion, and with over three months left it seems likely to soundly top the previous recordholder. US officials insist the war will continue, however, and that the strategy will not change.
What surprise? Anyone who follows Asia Times Online saw the reports by Afghan government and many locals in the north of the raids that Taliban were doing into their areas. However, those raids were all done by UNMARKED helicopters. Raids usually targeted some officials. In one instance, locals fought back and chased them, just to see them scooped up by helicopters and whisked off. There is no shortage of Taliban for hire. How can all those bases be justified in the north, if there is peace? So, little Taliban showing is easily arranged. There was no Taliban there before NATO entry. Northern Alliance controlled that territory. And there would be none, save for NATO helicopters — as Taliban have none.
"Taliban had only the most tenuous presence in northern Afghanistan" – See, nation building is working. Keep it up and all the -istans will be one unified Taliban nation.