2/16/2010 5:51:00 PM
Taliban, Al-Qaeda-free zone
U.S. and Afghan soldiers continue to work together in Panjshir Province
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| Col. Zardat was 19 when he held off 30 Russians in a battle. He now leads a local force of Afghan National Police. |
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In October, when I applied for my recent embed in Afghanistan, I requested assignment to a PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team). I was accepted by Task Force Cyclone and traveled to Panjshir, a province located in the Hindu Kush mountain range, 95 miles north of Kabul.
It consists of seven districts and extends 77 miles northwest and is 30 miles at its widest point.
The Panjshir River flows the length of a valley that bisects the mountains. I traveled to the base Jan. 11, 2010, by convoy with visiting Brigadier General Culver, his staff, and the future base command. The purpose of the general's visit was to review current PRT projects, inspect the base, and acquaint the future command traveling with him that would be relieving the unit now on duty. That current PRT would soon be cycled back to the states having completed their twelve month deployment.
At the Panjshir Province entry checkpoint, the armored vehicles we were in stopped and the gunners removed the 50-caliber machine guns from their turrets that would not be necessary in the province. We continued on and upon arrival at FOB (forward operating base), Lion, we were given a short briefing regarding security.
The body armor I had become accustomed to wearing during this and other embeds would not be worn in or outside the FOB. Travel to missions would be in SUVs, not military vehicles. I should point out that many were armored, but it was not evident to the locals. This policy was adopted long before it was suggested by General McChrystal as a means to garner the confidence of the Afghan citizenry in the US military's ability to provide security and not be seen as an occupying force.
The situation in Panjshir is unique as the PRT team was invited in to the province in 2005 by its Governor Haji Bahlol who also guaranteed the team's safety. Mr. Bahlol was a commander fighting beside the legendary Ahmed Shah Massoud, the leader of the Mujahideen. Under the direction of Massoud, his warriors defeated the Russian army in eight major encounters which hastened their retreat from Afghanistan and had far reaching consequences in Russia's collapse. Remains of their mutilated tanks still dot the countryside.
The Mujahideen also stopped the progress of the Taliban at Anaba, the southern most district of Panjshir. Bahlol, tired of war during the hostilities with the Taliban, relocated to Iran. Massoud continued his military opposition with the aid of U.S. resources, but unfortunately was assassinated by Al Qaeda operatives two days before the 9-11 attacks on the United States.
Nevertheless, his army leadership, a coalition of various warlords and tribal leaders now called the Northern Alliance, freed the capital of Kabul from the Taliban in November, 2001. When Hamid Karzai became President, he convinced Mr. Bahlol to return to Panjshir as its Governor.
The FOB is guarded by the ANA (Afghan National Army). These Afghan soldiers are stationed there and share all of the base's amenities with the U.S. soldiers. They maintain and man outposts high atop the adjacent mountain range as well as providing perimeter and entrance security of the base. When a convoy leaves on a mission, each vehicle has an ANA guard armed with an AK-47 as a passenger.
Within the PRT is a U.S. military police presence, led by Staff Sgt. Johnson, from the 410th. Assisting them are two advisors contracted by the US. These advisors are former police investigators; one from Connecticut the other from North Carolina. They have great credentials and are well equipped to fulfill the mission of training the ANP (Afghan National Police).
Early on it was learned that 90 percent of the current ANP officers were illiterate. This makes record keeping and documentation almost impossible. Classes have been set up to teach Dari, the local language, in the hopes of eliminating this problem. Charges of drug use and corruption are common among the ANP and are just a few of the obstacles facing the instructors.
There are many police stations in Panjsir and I visited two. The district of Anaba has a colorful fellow leading the force, Col. Zardat. He was a Mujahideen warrior shot 8 times in various battles with the Russians. Only 19 at the time, he, by himself, held off 30 Russians killing 10 and sending the rest retreating. He fought the Taliban for many years and stopped them at the Anaba, the southern most district preventing them from entering the province.
Now 45 years old and the father of seven, he spends his time off watching satellite TV from the U.S. and never misses an episode of "24." His district is well run and 25 of his officers received diplomas on Feb. 4, having graduated from the classes taught by the U.S. military police and the civilian contractors. The other district visited was Rokha and its chief was not available as is often the case. The instructors left in frustration, but will return in the hopes of duplicating the good works in other districts.
A few days later a surprise drill was conducted. The civilians of FOB Lion acted as casualties in a mock disaster situation. Colonel Zardat's officers responded quickly and efficiently. A perimeter of officers was set up and others rendered first aid or evacuated the mock casualties. The only problem was the perimeter guards faced the victim, not away towards approaching troublemakers.
The combination of ANA, ANP and U.S. military forces have made Panjshir a Taliban and Al-Qaeda free zone allowing the PRT team to do its work.
This is the second in a series of stories about Art Ricker's trip to Afghanistan. He took with him questions submitted by Gazette readers, and will soon offer the answers he received.
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Posted: Friday, February 19, 2010
Article comment by:
Wase
I wish that the Americans had provided resources to the Great Masoud. Had they helped him with his struggle against the evils and didn't ignore his warning about the rise of Alqaeda and their threats, the world would have been a lot safer today and the life of hundreds of Nato soldiers and thousands of Afghans would have been spared
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