Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Posts tagged: ANSF

ANSF

Elections 2014 (6): Two types of security in the Shomali

Fabrizio Foschini

The Shomali plain is the plateau spanning north of Kabul to the Salang. A fertile and comparatively rich area of the country, it also features strong political-armed networks dating back to the mujaheddin time. Fabrizio Foschini came back from observing the election in the Shomali with mixed feelings. The success achieved by Afghan security forces […]

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What to Watch in the Elections (2): Polling station lists

Martine van Bijlert

Elections in Afghanistan can be overwhelming, surreal and utterly confusing, even for those who have followed the politics of the country for a long time. To bring those who were not here during previous elections up to speed, and to remind those who may have forgotten the details of what it was like, AAN’s Martine […]

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Can the Taleban outwrestle the government? An assessment of the insurgency’s military capability

Borhan Osman

The Taleban are poised to bounce back and threaten the Afghan state once foreign troops withdraw – this is the kind of doomsday scenario one hears these days as foreign troops prepare to depart. Recent statistics have shown that 2013 was at least as violent as 2011, the previous record year for attacks and casualties. However, […]

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Changing of the Guards: Is the APPF program coming to an end?

Fabrizio Foschini

In 2014, the performance of the Afghan National Army (ANA) will be under intense scrutiny. However, it is also high time for another key element of the Afghan security set up to be evaluated: the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF). The 20,000 men strong, state run security program in the past two years has – with […]

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“Ohne US-Truppen ist Afghanistan pleite”

admin

SRF4 (Swiss Radio), 27 February 2014 The US are increasing their pressure on Afghanistan: President Obama, when calling his Afghan colleague Karzai, threatened to withdraw all troops if Kabul does not sign the BSA. Listen to the audio (in German) of an interview with AAN's Thomas Ruttig explaining that a 'zero option' could mean the loss of significant […]

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Continuing Conflict Is Not Victory: What the 2013 UNAMA civilian casualties report tells us about the war

Kate Clark

The conflict in Afghanistan is now overwhelmingly Afghan versus Afghan – this is one of the conclusions to be drawn from UNAMA’s 2013 Protection of Civilians report. 8,615 civilians were killed or wounded during 2013 and only three per cent of those by the international military forces. Counting deaths and injuries together, 2013 was more […]

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Afghan Forces Accused of Helmand Civilian Casualties

AAN

IWPR, 10 February 2014 Now the ANSF are running into a major problem that dogged the interrnational forces and undermined their support in Afghanistan: civilian casualties. IWPR has cases from Helmand, involving the national army, police and the notorious Afghan Local Police.

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To Salvage What we can From Afghanistan, Our Leaders Must Admit that the War has Failed

AAN Team

The Daily Beast, 24 January 2013 “As America ploughs through its 13th year of war in Afghanistan and negotiates with Kabul to keeps troops there for another ten years, we must take a sober look at the military and diplomatic actions that have thus far characterized our involvement” write Lt Col. Daniel L. Davis, and concludes […]

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Kann Afghanistan nach dem Truppenabzug selbst für seine Sicherheit sorgen?

Thomas Ruttig

MDR Info (German radio), 20 January 2014 After the terrorist attack on Kabul’s Taverna du Liban restaurant, AAN’s Thomas Ruttig answers question on the security situation, role of the ANSF and the Taleban (in German). Go to indicated link, chose MO 20.01., and then 6-9 Uhr, look for the headline nd activate the audio (also podcast […]

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Optimism at Security Transition in [Zabul]

AAN

IWPR, 8 January 2014 A rare report from the southern province of Zabul, presenting some optimism, mainly expressed by government officials of provincial council members. The local population apparently was more concerned about US night raids then about the Taleban, and everyone seems to be happy to have national forces in the lead now. The […]

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Armed, disarmed, rearmed: How Nahr-e Seraj in Helmand became one of the deadliest districts in Afghanistan

Deedee Derksen

On a visit to Helmand in mid-December, UK Prime Minister David Cameron stated that when British troops withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of next year, they will have accomplished their main aim – leaving behind a basic level of security. But a new report by the Pentagon (1) tells a different story. On its […]

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Some Things Got Better – How Much Got Good? A review of 12 years of international intervention in Afghanistan

Thomas Ruttig

2013 marked the year in which the international community started to wrap up many of the initiatives to re-build Afghanistan – arguably the biggest international effort since the post-Word-War-II Marshal Plan. But where did this effort leave the country? For AAN’s year-end piece, co-director Thomas Ruttig has summarised what has happened, what has been achieved – […]

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