PRT KANDAHAR: MID-MAY SECURITY ROUNDUP

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 KABUL 001691 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, SA/PB, S/CT, EUR/RPM STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG NSC PASS TO AHARRIMAN OSD FOR SHIVERS CENTCOM FOR CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC MARR AF SUBJECT: PRT KANDAHAR: MID-MAY SECURITY ROUNDUP Classified By: A/DCM Carol Rodley for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: A dramatic week was launched in Kandahar on May 12 with the killing of senior Taliban Commander Mullah Dadullah (in Helmand Province) and of Mullah Manan (in Zharey District) on May 13. Many Kandaharis were jubilant and hundreds lined up to see his body on display at Governor Asadullah Khalid's palace. In what may have been a calculated Taliban counterstrike, three explosions shook Kandahar on May 17, including ONE apparently targetting Governor Khalid but instead injuring Minister of Culture and Youth, Abdul Karim Khoram. On May 15, Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (KPRT) and the Afghan Independent Human Right Commission (AIHRC) hosted a first -- a meeting on human rights with Kandahar's Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and other security sector leadership. ONE issue that surfaced in this meeting and in a subsequent security meeting was growing concern by the provincial leadership over civilian casualties in ISAF operations. Several recent examples were cited, including allegations that an ISAF convoy or convoys on May 15 in two city districts shot at least seven civilians of whom three died. Governor Khalid and ANSF leaders also pressed for greater cooperation from ISAF and coalition forces on compound search techniques. Lastly, estimates are that up to 200 Taliban are now operating in Zharey District, including Chechens and Uzbeks. END SUMMARY. Trading Blows -------------- ¶2. (C/NF) Kandaharis were ecstatic over the deaths of Mullah Dadullah on May 12 and Mullah Manan on May 13. Hundreds of citizens filed by Dadullah's body on display to see with their own eyes that Dadullah was really dead. Taliban command and control will clearly be affected in Kandahar and throughout the south. However, on May 17 three bombs went off in the city in what may have been an effort to conduct a heavy Taliban counterblow. The first explosion, a Remote-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED),took place at approximately 09:15 in the exact same spot where a UN Office of Project Services (UNOPS) vehicle was destroyed one month earlier. This time a thin-skinned Afghan National Directorate for Security (NDS) vehicle was targeted and all five of its passengers were killed. A secondary explosion, also an RCIED, was triggered 45 minutes later targeting the response team and media. Two personnel were killed in the secondary attack and at least two wounded -- including the Kandahar ANP Chief of Security and a journalist. This attack appears to have been more professional than most. A third bomb, a Suicide Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SVBIED) attack on a convoy of the Governor's armored vehicles, occurred near his palace at 18:45. The Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs, Abdul Karim Khoram, was in the convoy but Governor Khalid was not. Three vehicles were badly damaged and three bystanders and the attacker were all killed. The Minister suffered light wounds. Another member of his staff and two bodyguards were also wounded. KPRT was able to arrange for the Minister and most of his staff to return to Kabul early on May 18 via milair. ¶3. (S/NF) On the evening of May 16, Governor Khalid told KPRT that he was not sure what was going to happen to Dadullah's body. Mullahs had been brought in and all appropriate muslim rites had been given. In order to maintain the muslim tradition for quick burial, the body was secretly interred in the main graveyard in Kandahar. The Governor explained that the ICRC was in direct contact with the Taliban and not with Dadullah's family and that it was certain that the Government of Afghanistan did not want to release the body to the Taliban. He said that Dadullah's family had not made contact to collect the body. He complained that the ultimate disposition of the body was a decision that had to be taken by President Karzai but that everyone was looking to him. He KABUL 00001691 002 OF 004 laughed that he had been forced to turn his phone off to avoid further press inquiries. (NOTE: Governor Khalid maintains multiple mobile phones and most are still operating. END NOTE). Sharper Focus on Human Rights -------------- ¶4. (S/NF) On May 15, KPRT and the Afghan Independent Human Right Commission (AIHRC) hosted a meeting on human rights with Kandahar's Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and other security sector leadership. The workshop was a constructive first step in what appears will be on-going dialogue among such actors and the AIHRC. At the conclusion of the meeting, participants signed a short declaration outlining their commitment to human rights and the rule of law, with a particular focus on individuals in custody, under investigation and undergoing trial. The NDS Attorney General, Deputy Warden of the Sarpoza Prison and AIHRC representatives raised concerns about the lack of access to timely trial or criminal proceedings for individual detainees. Some detainees languish in custody for up to a year without charges. Concern was expressed about the absence of sufficient evidence from ISAF forces and why detainees were captured and subsequently transferred, resulting in a high rate of release. The Deputy Warden spoke specifically to the challenges his institution faced in fulfilling its human rights obligations, including lack of appropriate infrastructure, ability to provide regular HEALTH services, ensuring appropriate food and paying staff regularly. (NOTE: This meeting is ONE of a series of steps taken or prompted by the Government of Canada to deal with the domestic political crisis caused by press revelations of the use of torture against detainees after they were handed over to the NDS by Canadian Forces. END NOTE). Deep Concern over Civilian Casualties -------------- ¶5. (S/NF) The second theme in the May 15 AIHRC-chaired meeting was the human rights of individuals during combat operations. The ANA, ANP, AIHRC, and the Attorney General expressed deep concern over ISAF conduct in relation to the protection of civilians, the need for ISAF to be more sensitive to local customs (especially in relation to house searches),and their desire to see greater cooperation from ISAF with national security entities when conducting operations. Participants expressed a desire to have a separate discussion with ISAF representatives to review options. Consensus was strong that ISAF incidents involving civilian casualties risked undermining public support for the wider mission. The Chief of Police commented that when international forces violate human rights it undermines the training they provide to Afghan institutions and public confidence in the international presence on Afghan soil and encourages support for insurgents. The ANSF representatives view ISAF's cooperation with them as insufficient. Specific areas were cited ) house searches (which are exceptionally sensitive in the Pashtun culture),the use of explosive charges to gain entry to houses, lack of evidence provided on detainees transferred to Afghan authorities, technical assistance (the need for assistance with surveillance and finger printing technology),and a desire to see civilians given more notice to evacuate prior to operations. The ANA suggested that no operations should proceed without sufficient intelligence. ¶6. (S/NF) Both ANSF representatives and Governor Khalid are reacting to the many recent events involving civilian casualties in and around the province. The May 2 rules of engagement escalation in Maruf, which resulted in multiple civilian casualties, was followed by incidents in Helmand and additional smaller incidents in Kandahar city. Questions regarding compensation to the victims in Maruf are beginning KABUL 00001691 003 OF 004 to emerge within the Kandahar Provincial Council. However, two episodes on the evening of May 15 have given additional impetus to these concerns. ANSF officials and Governor Khalid are very worried about two allegedly military convoys that engaged civilians. The first was in District 6 of the city in the early evening in which five local nationals were wounded and ONE subsequently died. The second occurred in District 7 near the Arghandab Bridge in the late evening and resulted in the deaths of ONE taxi driver and ONE motorcyclist. ISAF Regional Command South (RC(S)) efforts to identify the convoy or operation had not yielded any success as of May 18. The AIHRC is conducting an independent investigation into the events. ¶7. (S/NF) Canada's Task Force Afghanistan (TFA) Commander Brigadier General Grant hosted a meeting of top security officials of Kandahar Province on the morning of May 16. Governor Khalid steered the agenda immediately to civilian casualties. Early accounts of the shootings of civilians by an alleged ISAF convoy had already emerged. BG Grant's staff noted that no ISAF convoys were reported in the affected areas. The Governor said we were losing trust among the people and that he feared the possible reaction to such events. If a mob were to form in the city, control would become impossible and damage could be severe. He noted that Canadian convoys are coordinating their movement through the Joint Provincial Coordination Center (JPCC) but that non-Canadian ISAF convoys are not doing so. Kandahar Chief of Police agreed that we are nearing a crisis and pressed for a meeting with RC(S). He also offered the option of ANP escorts. Governor Khalid pressed for rapid decisions regarding a city bypass road noting that there was already a plan. BG Grant agreed that it was an important issue and noted that funding would be required to move forward with a bypass road. KPRT Commanding Officer (CO) suggested that USAID had already been consulted. BG Grant said that the road would be an ideal long-term fix but that interim arrangements were also needed. ¶8. (S/NF) At the security meeting, BG Alizai also pressed on the methods used for searching civilian compounds. He noted that only prosecutors and the judiciary can authorize searches under Afghan law. BG Grant said there was understanding of cultural sensitivities and that ISAF forces always have at least ONE NDS official with them prior to initiating a search. Governor Khalid reinforced BG Alizai's point but noted with a shrug that sometimes the law is broken under current circumstances. The real issue, according to Governor Khalid, is that coalition forces call the NDS or ANP to request that ONE man come with them on such operations but without identifying the reasons. He pressed that the GOA should be more involved because "we know who is who and which disputes are tribal in nature. We can bring suspects in for discussion in some cases without a disruptive compound search." Coalition forces, he said, go in at night, blow open doors with explosives, and handcuff people not just in the compound of the suspect, but in the surrounding compounds. He continued that this maked people angry and that most such searches did not generate significant results. He added that ways could be devised to ensure operational security. BG Grant stated that the real issue was with Special Operations Forces (SOF),who have operated under specific protocols since arriving in theater. He agreed to work on the issue, beginning in Kandahar and expanding later to all of RC(S). Security in Zharey -------------- ¶9. (S/NF) Based on information presented at the Security Meeting, security has been slipping in Zharey District (just west of Kandahar City). The Governor stated that Mullah Dadullah's death was disruptive to overall command and control and the subsequent death of Mullah Manan hurt the KABUL 00001691 004 OF 004 Taliban command structure in Zharey. However, he noted that more Taliban seem to be in the district than previously. Canadian Battle Group CO stated that Taliban presence had increased but noted that morale was low. The Battle Group planned to commence show-of-force operations soon. The areas of greatest concern were Nalgham, Sangsar, and Howz-i-Madad. BG Alizai noted the presence of groups of Taliban throughout the district (and intended to provide the details to the TFA intelligence team after the meeting). The largest reported concentration was a group of 60 fighters -- consisting of Uzbeks, Chechens, and Afghans -- in the village of Nalgham. Alizai's numbers totaled over 200 Taliban fighters. Alizai undertook to coordinate the distribution and command and control of the 05 Battalion ASP reinforcements in the district with the Canadian Battle Group through the district chiefs of police. (NOTE: Alizai does not command the 05 unit and additional efforts may be required to ensure coordination. END NOTE). ¶10. (S/NF) On the evening of May 16, Governor Khalid hosted a shura with elders from Zharey. While the shura was predominantly a discussion of USAID's Leahy Program to be implemented in the district by the International Organization for Migration (IOM),a smaller group discussed the security situation after. The elders complained that there were not enough police/checkpoints in the district and that many of the checkpoints were not in the right places. The elders claimed that they try to resist and keep the Taliban away but that the numbers were getting too large -- their estimates varied but suggested that between 100-200 Taliban were present in the district. They also claimed that police had been sent to Panjwayi but were not present in Zharey. They asked for at least three new checkpoints to be established. The elders did not believe that offensive ISAF operations would be effective because the Taliban could evacuate any given area before ISAF troops could close with them. ONE elder in the village of Niare Kharez said the civilians patrol the village at night and stripped the motorcycles from two Taliban but fear larger Taliban forces. The elders did not show particular enthusiasm towards a plea to send village sons to attend Afghan National Auxiliary Police (ANAP) training. A planned meeting between KPRT and the Governor to discuss the situation in Zharey in greater detail was postponed because of the May 17 SVBIED attack. COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (S/NF) The week-long period begining May 12 was extraordinarily eventful even by Kandahar's often high standards. Governor Khalid remains deeply engaged in the security sector despite KPRT efforts to shift his focus to governance, reconstruction and development. When asked how he was on the night of May 17, the Governor, as he often does these days, responded "I'm still alive." The challenges from the Taliban remain substantial, although it appears unlikely that it will attempt to control and defend territory as they did in the summer of 2006. We anticipate continued asymmetrical attacks using IEDs and other techniques. Direct Taliban military strikes will continue to focus heavily against softer targets such as ANP vehicles and checkpoints. However, we are also cognizant that corruption and lack of capacity within the provincial government and police contributes greatly to dissatisfaction and instability within the province. Post will continue to support efforts to improve mechanisms for reducing and dealing with civilian casualties. WOOD