Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KABUL265
2009-02-05 12:51:00
SECRET
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:  

AIHRC, UNAMA FIND MIX OF CIVILIAN AND INSURGENT

Tags:  PREL PHUM PGOV AF 
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VZCZCXRO3751
OO RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0265/01 0361251
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 051251Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7139
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000265 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS, DRL, INL
NSC FOR JWOOD
OSD FOR MCGRAW
CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV AF
SUBJECT: AIHRC, UNAMA FIND MIX OF CIVILIAN AND INSURGENT
CASUALTIES RESULTING FROM 1/24 LAGHMAN OPERATION

Classified By: DCM Christopher Dell for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000265

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS, DRL, INL
NSC FOR JWOOD
OSD FOR MCGRAW
CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV AF
SUBJECT: AIHRC, UNAMA FIND MIX OF CIVILIAN AND INSURGENT
CASUALTIES RESULTING FROM 1/24 LAGHMAN OPERATION

Classified By: DCM Christopher Dell for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (S/REL ISAF NATO) There are conflicting assessments of the
casualties resulting from a January 24 U.S. military
operation in Qader Groch village, Laghman Province. The U.S.
military said its ground troops and air support killed 15
insurgents. The Afghan government claimed that 16 civilians
including many women and children were killed. The generally
respected Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission's
(AIHRC) preliminary investigation concludes there were 14
casualties: 11 insurgents and three civilians. AIHRC is
still investigating and does not expect to publicly release
its findings for at least a month. UNAMA is also
investigating the incident; its initial findings are 10
insurgent and six civilian casualties. A joint U.S.
military-Afghan government investigation into the incident is
underway. This investigation was initially thwarted by a
series of demonstrations by local residents whose rock
throwing injured one U.S. servicemember and one Afghan police
officer.


2. (C) In its January 25-26 investigation, AIHRC interviewed
government officials, local residents, and hospital staff,
and also collected physical evidence such as bullet casings.
Laghman officials told the AIHRC team the individuals killed
had engaged in hostile activities only after they observed
U.S. forces kill two civilians. AIHRC investigators
characterized this evidence as "highly questionable," and
will not support it without exceptionally well-documented
confirmation. The National Directorate of Security (NDS)
provincial chief confirmed to AIHRC the presence of Taliban
and foreign Arab fighters in the area. Community members
told the team the majority of those killed were armed and
engaged in fighting but echoed the officials' claim that
these people started fighting only after observing civilian
deaths.


3. (C) The Laghman deputy governor asked AIHRC not to send
investigators to the actual site due to a hostile community
reaction to the incident and Taliban presence in the area.
Thus, AIHRC staff conducted the majority of its interviews in
the proximity of the village. However, AIHRC did send one
staffer to the site and will share his findings with us soon.


4. (C) UNAMA is also conducting an investigation: preliminary
results are 10 insurgent and six civilian casualties.
Extracting credible information from locals is difficult as
the fighting took place in an insurgent controlled area,
UNAMA staff said. UNAMA staff claimed that in these
situations, locals routinely tell investigators what they
think the insurgents would want them to say. In one example
of inconsistencies in reports from Qader Groch residents,
witnesses told UNAMA investigators that 23 residents were
injured in the operation. UNAMA, however, was unable to
corroborate the reports and no one from the village had been
treated at the district hospital up to several days after the
operation. UNAMA's investigation is ongoing, and there is no
immediate plan to release its findings publicly.


5. (S/REL ISAF NATO) Insurgents routinely coerce Afghan
civilians to corroborate accusations of civilian casualties
following successful coalition operations. Insurgents also
use national and international media outlets to perpetuate
false accusations of civilian deaths. In addition, Taliban
commanders often plan to report civilian casualties prior to
undertaking operations against coalition elements. Some
parties have also claimed that insurgents killed in fighting
were civilians, in order to discredit the government and to
collect the Salatia payments.


6. (C) Media outlets reported Laghman residents vigorously
protested the casualties, chanting anti-U.S. slogans and
throwing stones at the Laghman governor as he attempted to
placate the crowd by inviting protest leaders to a discussion
with U.S. military officials. U.S. military officials
estimated 300 residents participated in the protest.


7. (C) Comment. Given the difficulties inherent in
distinguishing combatants from non-combatants in an
insurgency it is unlikely that it will ever prove possible to
resolve the discrepancies in these reports to everyone's
satisfaction. It is clear, however, that the Taliban have
developed a successful strategy for exploiting these
incidents against us. In this they are abetted by President
Karzai, whose increasingly vocal and emotional public
complaints fuel growing Afghan dissatisfaction with coalition
forces operations and undermine support for our presence.

KABUL 00000265 002 OF 002



WOOD