2. Regional description of the security situation in Afghanistan
2.8 West
2.8.3 Farah
Actors in the conflict
More than 20 insurgent groups are reported to be active in Badghis, including foreign fighters (Uzbeks, Pakistani).
They appeared to be able to gather forces of about 1,000 fighters and also infiltrate neighbouring provinces. It was reported that the district of Bala Murghab became a safe haven for Taliban fighters. (1685)
RFE/RL reported that Taliban and IMU fighters from North Waziristan in Pakistan enter Badghis via the easternmost part of Herat province. (1686)
The Taliban’s local commanders are Nam Haq and Mullah Bismillah. In the province, arbaki, or local militias, also play a significant role. For example, Haji Akhtar was an arbaki commander in Qadis before he was killed at a checkpoint under his command. (1687) The arrest of another local Taliban commander, Mawlawi Salam, was reported by the Afghan interior ministry. (1688) During the summer of 2015, it was reported that insurgents from the neighbouring province of Faryab moved into Badghis. (1689) Mullah Abdulhakim, aka Abdulqayum, was named Taliban shadow governor for Badghis province. (1690)
According to the Taliban, Zaki is a key ANA commander in Badghis who was wounded in clashes with the Taliban. (1691)
Farah is situated in the western part of Afghanistan and is bordered by Helmand, Nimroz, Herat, Ghor and Iran.
Approximately half of the territory is semi-mountainous and the other half is flat. (1692) A main river, Farah River, runs through the province. (1693) Farah consists of the following districts: Anar Dara, Bakwa, Bala Buluk, Farah, Gulistan, Khaki Safed, Lash Wa Juwayn, Pur Chaman, Pushtrod, Qala Kah, Shib Koh. (1694)
UNOCHA estimated Farah’s population at 507,405 for 2015. (1695) The population consists of Pashtun, Baluchi and Dari-speaking communities. There is also a Kuchi population in Farah, which consists of about 45,000 individuals in summer and up to 166,000 in winter. (1696)
The economic activities in the province are agriculture, minerals, construction stones, opium, cotton, tobacco, honey, silk and handicraft. There is an overall literacy rate of 15%. There is a university in Farah city. (1697)
Description of the violence
From 1 January to 31 August 2015, Farah province counted 428 security incidents. (1698) Table 33 provides an overview of the nature of the security incidents: (1699)
Violence targeting individuals 99
Armed confrontations 171
Explosions 76
Security enforcement 72
Non-conflict related incidents 5
Other incidents 5
Total security incidents 428
Table 33: Security incidents by type, Farah (Jan - Aug 2015)
The map in figure 36 presents the number of security incidents per district in Farah province. (1700)
Figure 36: Farah, security incidents (Jan - Aug 2015)
(1692) MRRD, Farah Provincial Profile, n.d.
(1693) Pajhwok Afghan News, A view of Farah River in western Farah province, 26 April 2014.
(1694) UNOCHA, AFGHANISTAN: Admin Level 3 Boundaries, 25 September 2012.
(1695) UNOCHA, Afghanistan population estimate for 2015, 26 August 2015.
(1696) MRRD, Farah Provincial Profile, n.d.
(1697) Pajhwok Afghan News, A view entrance to Farah University in western Farah province [photo], 29 May 2014; MRRD, Farah Provincial Profile, n.d.
(1698) The district of Ghormach is not included in the total numbers of different kinds of incidents for the province (total 159), because different sources consider it to be resorting under either the province of Faryab or under Badghis.
(1699) For more information on the source of the data and the methodology, see introduction.
(1700) For more information on the source and the methodology of the maps, see introduction.
In March 2015, Tolo News reported that six Hazaras travelling through Farah were abducted by unknown gunmen.
According to the governor of Farah, it were ANSF soldiers who went missing and it could not be confirmed whether they were Hazaras. (1701)
In early April 2015, tense fighting between insurgents and ALP was reported in the district of Pusht Rod. (1702) On 4 April 2015, the Taliban attacked ANSF checkpoints in civilian-populated areas of Pusht Rod using mortars, rockets and heavy machine guns. Four civilians were killed, including two women and one girl; two girls and one woman were also injured. According to local sources, the Taliban executed a mullah accused of supporting the government. In reaction to this attack, an ANSF helicopter opened fire in a civilian-populated area and injured five civilians including one women and one girl. (1703) On 10 April 2015, the Taliban organised a Sharia court in the district of Bakwa and executed three men accused of murder. (1704)
On 4 May 2015, the Taliban stopped public buses in Khak-e-Safed district, abducted 15 civilians on suspicion of working for the government and beheaded two of them. (1705) Since May 2015, the district of Gulistan is contested by the Taliban. (1706) On 28 June 2015, insurgents abducted the 17-year-old son of an ANP officer in Farah city and killed him. (1707)
In the summer of 2015, the Taliban attacked the district administrative centres of Qala-i Kah, Khaki Safed, Bala Buluk and Pur Chaman. (1708)
On 30 September 2015, the Taliban claimed to have taken control of the district of Khaki Safed. This might be seen in the context of the larger offensive they launched in the north of the country. (1709)
Displacement
Between November 2014 and August 2015, UNHCR documented 1,518 families (approximately 9,300 individuals) displaced by conflict to Farah city or its surroundings. They originated from Bala Buluk, Khaki Safid, Pusht Rod, Bakwa, Qala-e-Kah, Anar Dara or the surroundings of Qala-i Naw. Armed clashes between ANSF and insurgents and generalised violence were reported as the main reasons for the displacement. (1710)
It was reported that in April 2015 an additional 250 families were displaced within the district of Pusht Rod, due to tense fighting between insurgents and ALP. According to UNHCR, a large part of them were families of ALP members. (1711)
Actors in the conflict
The situation in Farah has developed in recent years into a fierce fight between the government institutions and insurgent groups. For example, in 2012, Zmaray Farahi, an NDS chief, was ambushed and killed on a main road. A previous provincial chief of police, Abdul Samad-e Shamsuddin, has also been under attack. (1712)
In 2013, the Taliban named Mulla Aminullah Akhunzada ‘Jihadi leader’ in the province of Farah. (1713) In 2015, Mullah Mohammad Ibrahim was identified as Taliban deputy ‘shadow’ governor for the province. He was reportedly killed in October 2015. His predecessor, Mullah Sultan, was killed in a US drone attack on the Farah-Herat highway. (1714)
(1701) Suroush, Q., Hazaras in the Crosshairs? A scrutiny of recent incidents, Afghanistan Analysts Network, 24 April 2015.
(1702) UNHCR, Afghanistan: Conflict-Induced Internal Displacement Monthly Update, June 2015.
(1703) UNAMA, Afghanistan Midyear Report 2015, Protection of civilians in armed conflict, August 2015, pp. 33, 57 and 79.
(1704) UNAMA, Afghanistan Midyear Report 2015, Protection of civilians in armed conflict, August 2015, p. 58.
(1705) UNAMA, Afghanistan Midyear Report 2015, Protection of civilians in armed conflict, August 2015, p. 59.
(1706) LWJ, Taliban controls or contests scores of districts in Afghanistan, 5 October 2015.
(1707) UNAMA, Afghanistan Midyear Report 2015, Protection of civilians in armed conflict, August 2015, p. 63.
(1708) Anonymous source specialised in security in Afghanistan, emails and briefing, July - October 2015.
(1709) Roggio, B., District in western Afghanistan falls to Taliban, group claims, 30 September 2015.
(1710) UNHCR, Afghanistan conflict-induced internal displacement monthly update, August 2015, p. 4; UNHCR, Afghanistan conflict-induced internal displacement monthly update, July 2015, p. 5; UNHCR, Afghanistan: Induced Internal Displacement Monthly Update, June 2015, p. 5; UNHCR, Afghanistan - Conflict-Induced Internal Displacement Monthly Update, May 2015; UNHCR, Afghanistan - Conflict-Conflict-Induced Internal Displacement Monthly Update, April 2015, p.
4; UNHCR, Afghanistan - Conflict-Induced Internal Displacement Monthly Update, 31 December 2014, pp. 2-3.
(1711) UNHCR, Afghanistan: Conflict-Induced Internal Displacement Monthly Update, June 2015, p. 5.
(1712) Foschini, F., A War of Attrition in Farah Province, 13 March 2013.
(1713) Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, The area of Mujahidin’s influence has expanded, 24 March 2013.
(1714) Pajhwok Afghan News, Taliban’s deputy shadow governor for Farah killed, 11 October 2015.
In August 2015, Mawlavi Baz Mohammad was named as Taliban provincial shadow governor for Farah. The Taliban is said to have a ‘quick reaction force’ operational in Farah, Herat and Nimroz with a strength between 200 and 500 fighters. A former Taliban commander, Abdul Rauf Khadem, was said to have travelled to Iraq in October 2014 and has become loyal to IS. Upon his return he reportedly collected followers from the Taliban in Farah province by paying them large sums of money. (1715)
The UN reported that clashes between Taliban and IS groups occurred in Farah, but on a lower scale than Nangarhar. (1716)