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Afghans Protest After U.S. Forces Carry Out Raid on Strongman Afghans Protest After U.S. Forces Carry Out Raid on Strongman
(about 3 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — Protesters in the northern Afghan province of Parwan blocked the main highway there on Monday after American forces raided the village of a local strongman and blew up a weapons depot belonging to him, officials and residents said.KABUL, Afghanistan — Protesters in the northern Afghan province of Parwan blocked the main highway there on Monday after American forces raided the village of a local strongman and blew up a weapons depot belonging to him, officials and residents said.
The raid on Monday morning demonstrated that American troops in Afghanistan, even months after President Obama declared their regular combat mission over, are engaged beyond their publicly stated role of advising the Afghan forces and carrying out targeted counterterrorism operations. It also highlighted how, despite a lengthy campaign to disarm illegal militias, costing hundreds of millions of dollars, armed groups that have no apparent ties to Al Qaeda or even the Taliban are considered by the United States mission as much a threat as the insurgency, which is waging a sustained offensive across the country. The raid on Monday morning demonstrated that American troops in Afghanistan, months after President Obama declared their regular combat mission over, are engaged beyond their publicly stated role of advising the Afghan forces and carrying out targeted counterterrorism operations.
It also highlighted how, despite a lengthy campaign to disarm illegal militias, costing hundreds of millions of dollars, armed groups that have no apparent ties to Al Qaeda or even the Taliban are still considered by American forces to be a significant threat.
The target of Monday’s raid was Jan Ahmad, a local commander who fought the Soviets and then the Taliban. Hours after the raid, shops in Charikar, the capital of Parwan Province, just north of Kabul, remained closed as Mr. Ahmad’s supporters shouted “Death to America” and “Death to the enemies of Islam.” They expressed outrage at the manner of the raid, saying it was a matter that should have been dealt with by the Afghan authorities, not by foreign forces.The target of Monday’s raid was Jan Ahmad, a local commander who fought the Soviets and then the Taliban. Hours after the raid, shops in Charikar, the capital of Parwan Province, just north of Kabul, remained closed as Mr. Ahmad’s supporters shouted “Death to America” and “Death to the enemies of Islam.” They expressed outrage at the manner of the raid, saying it was a matter that should have been dealt with by the Afghan authorities, not by foreign forces.
“The protesters burned a lot of tires to show their rage,” said Mahmood Hamidy, 20, who runs a private school in Charikar, “and that, if the issue is not taken seriously, they are ready for violence.”“The protesters burned a lot of tires to show their rage,” said Mahmood Hamidy, 20, who runs a private school in Charikar, “and that, if the issue is not taken seriously, they are ready for violence.”
Abdullah Abdullah, the chief executive of the Afghan government, called on the protesters to remain calm as he appointed a fact-finding mission and asked Gen. John F. Campbell, the commander of United States forces in Afghanistan, to provide further information on the raid. While the American military described the raid as force protection, former commanders and local elders in the north leveled accusations that the raid had been politically motivated and possibly a settling of scores from last year’s election crisis.
The Afghan government will “not allow anyone to plot against the mujahedeen,” Mr. Abdullah said, in reference to the old commanders who fought the Soviets and the Taliban. Mr. Ahmad has supported Abdullah Abdullah, who was President Ashraf Ghani’s rival in the bitterly contested presidential runoff. At the height of the crisis, Mr. Ahmad was among a group of commanders who threatened to use force to support a breakaway government led by Mr. Abdullah.
The American military justified the mission as force protection. Col. Brian Tribus, a spokesman for General Campbell, said it was “to destroy a cache of munitions that could be used to conduct attacks against Afghans and coalition forces.” Echoing his calls for restraint during the election crisis, Mr. Abdullah, who is now the chief executive in power-sharing government with Mr. Ghani, on Monday called on the protesters to remain calm as he appointed a fact-finding mission and asked Gen. John F. Campbell, the commander of United States forces in Afghanistan, to provide further information on the raid.
The raid on Mr. Ahmad’s home, roughly three miles from Parwan’s provincial center, was carried out around 4:30 a.m. on Monday and involved United States forces descending from helicopters, an aide to Mr. Ahmad said on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak to the news media. After carrying out a search of his home, the soldiers blew up the depot. But in a show of support for Mr. Ahmad, Mr. Abdullah said the Afghan government would “not allow anyone to plot against the mujahedeen,” a reference to the commanders who fought the Soviets and the Taliban.
Col. Brian Tribus, a spokesman for General Campbell, said the raid had been conducted “to destroy a cache of munitions that could be used to conduct attacks against Afghans and coalition forces.”
The raid on Mr. Ahmad’s home, roughly three miles from Parwan’s provincial center, was carried out around 4:30 a.m. on Monday and involved United States forces descending from helicopters, an aide to Mr. Ahmad said on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak to the news media. After carrying out a search of the home, the soldiers blew up the depot.
Mr. Ahmad’s aide said the depot dated from the fight against the Soviets in the 1980s and did not have new weapons, but American and Afghan officials disagreed.Mr. Ahmad’s aide said the depot dated from the fight against the Soviets in the 1980s and did not have new weapons, but American and Afghan officials disagreed.
The largest United States base in Afghanistan, Bagram Air Base, is in Parwan Province and has come under frequent rocket fire in recent months. While those rocket attacks have been attributed to the Taliban, and not commanders such as Mr. Ahmad, the presence of a weapons cache so close to an American base was seen as a threat.The largest United States base in Afghanistan, Bagram Air Base, is in Parwan Province and has come under frequent rocket fire in recent months. While those rocket attacks have been attributed to the Taliban, and not commanders such as Mr. Ahmad, the presence of a weapons cache so close to an American base was seen as a threat.
“It was a lot of weapons — it must have been a lot to make the foreigners fearful and force them to take action,” said Haji Khalil Fazly, a member of the Parwan provincial council who was involved in the negotiations between the government authorities and Mr. Ahmad to calm the protests. Protesters were cleared, and the highway reopened by noon, he said. “It was a lot of weapons — it must have been a lot to make the foreigners fearful and force them to take action,” said Hajji Khalil Fazly, a member of the Parwan provincial council who was involved in the negotiations between the government authorities and Mr. Ahmad to calm the protests. Protesters were cleared, and the highway reopened by noon, he said.
It was not the first time in recent months that American troops have gone after local strongmen not linked to the Taliban. In March, Afghan officials said a night raid on the outskirts of Charikar carried out by Afghan and United States forces and involving American drones targeted Hashmatullah, leader of a small armed group said to be associated with Mr. Ahmad. The attack left three people dead and four wounded, but Hashmatullah, known as Commander Hasho, survived with minor wounds. It was not the first time in recent months that American troops had gone after a local strongman not linked to the Taliban. In March, Afghan officials said a night raid on the outskirts of Charikar, carried out by Afghan and United States forces and involving American drones, had targeted Hashmatullah, leader of a small armed group said to be associated with Mr. Ahmad. The attack left three people dead and four wounded, but Hashmatullah, known as Commander Hasho, survived with minor wounds.
Elders in Parwan say the Afghan government has also increased scrutiny of strongmen in recent months on charges of hiding caches of weapons. Government spokesmen have often expressed concern about “irresponsible militias” who have evaded multiple disarmament campaigns. That fear has only increased in recent months with reports of old anti-Taliban commanders rearming on the pretext of self-defense as the threat from the resurgent militants heightens across the country.Elders in Parwan say the Afghan government has also increased scrutiny of strongmen in recent months on charges of hiding caches of weapons. Government spokesmen have often expressed concern about “irresponsible militias” who have evaded multiple disarmament campaigns. That fear has only increased in recent months with reports of old anti-Taliban commanders rearming on the pretext of self-defense as the threat from the resurgent militants heightens across the country.
Special forces of the Afghan intelligence service have carried out several raids across Parwan in recent weeks, particularly in the district of Sayed Khel, said Mir Hamdullah Munib, a member of the provincial council whose home has also been searched. The forces have not found any other weapons, Mr. Munib said, but the manner of the searches has left the locals angry.Special forces of the Afghan intelligence service have carried out several raids across Parwan in recent weeks, particularly in the district of Sayed Khel, said Mir Hamdullah Munib, a member of the provincial council whose home has also been searched. The forces have not found any other weapons, Mr. Munib said, but the manner of the searches has left the locals angry.
“We are obedient to the government, they can send us one letter or one phone call, and we will go to them for questioning,” Mr. Munib said. “They don’t need to cause terror by descending on us in the middle of the night.”“We are obedient to the government, they can send us one letter or one phone call, and we will go to them for questioning,” Mr. Munib said. “They don’t need to cause terror by descending on us in the middle of the night.”
On Sunday, in western Herat Province, the Taliban attacked an Afghan Army convoy, leaving 11 soldiers dead and several wounded, Afghan officials said on Monday.On Sunday, in western Herat Province, the Taliban attacked an Afghan Army convoy, leaving 11 soldiers dead and several wounded, Afghan officials said on Monday.