2. Regional description of the security situation in Afghanistan
2.4 South-East
2.4.3 Khost Province
Violence targeting individuals 15 Armed confrontations and airstrikes 189
Explosions 139
Security enforcement 266
Non-conflict related incidents 1
Total security incidents 610
Table 17: Security incidents by type, Khost (Jan - Aug 2015)
The map in figure 19 presents the number of security incidents per district in Khost province. (871)
Figure 19: Khost, security incidents (Jan - Aug 2015)
According to Thomas Ruttig, remoter areas of Khost are underreported. (872) Most incidents reported in the press in this period happened in Khost city. According to a source in Kabul, Haqqani targets the city in order to send a message to the inhabitants of who is ruling the area. (873) Because of the high number of incidents, only those with the biggest impact on civilians are mentioned here.
A woman was killed in a civilian vehicle struck by a roadside bomb in Bak district in November 2014; 13 others were injured. (874) A blast on the market in Khost city in November 2014 wounded six civilians before the ANSF was able to defuse the explosives. (875) A complex attack on the police academy injured two civilians and three policemen in January 2015. (876) A few days later, a bomb targeted and killed an education officer of the police headquarters in Khost city. (877) An IED in the city of Khost killed a watchman and, according to eye-witnesses, also a child, while seriously injuring another child. (878) In a particularly deadly attack, early in April 2015, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives amid a protest rally in Khost city. At least 19 people died and 61 people were injured. (879) One week later, an IED on a bicycle exploded in front of a hospital and injured 16 people. (880) At the end of April 2015, a bomb exploded in front of the provincial council building in Khost city, injuring several policemen. A bomb targeting a police patrol killed two policemen and a child, while wounding five others, included three children, in Musakhel
(871) For more information on the source and the methodology of the maps, see introduction.
(872) Ruttig, T., The Second Fall of Musa Qala: How the Taleban are expanding territorial control, 3 September 2015.
(873) Anonymous source specialised in security in Afghanistan, emails and briefing, July - October 2015.
(874) Tolonews, Woman killed, 13 injurd in Khost IED blast, 18 November 2014.
(875) Khaama Press, Explosion reported in Khost city, casualties feared, 23 November 2014.
(876) Tolonews, Attack on Khost police academy leaves 5 injured, 7 January 2015.
(877) Khaama Press, Khost police HQs education officer killed, 12 January 2015.
(878) Pajhwok Afghan News, 2 killed, 7 injured in Herat, Khost blast, 22 March 2015; Khaama Press, 2 civilians killed in Khost explosion, 22 March 2015.
(879) UNAMA, Afghanistan. Midyear Report 2015. Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, August 2015, p. 40.
(880) Pajhwok Afghan News, Khost blast leaves 16 civilians wounded, 9 April 2015.
district. (881) On 1 May, another explosion targeted traffic police in Khost city, while a second bomb exploded when security services rushed to the scene. Two policemen and a civilian were wounded in the incident. (882) One week later, another bomb exploded during an annual poetry gathering in Khost city, injuring six policemen and three civilians. (883) Later in May, a bomb exploded in front of the grand mosque, wounding between four and five people, including two or three children. (884) Another bomb explosion near a mosque in Khost city in June 2015 killed one civilian and injured three others. (885) In July 2015, a VBIED exploded at a checkpoint near FOB Chapman, killing 27 civilians and six security personnel, wounding another 11 civilians and 12 security personnel. (886) In July 2015, a suicide bomber who tried to enter a mosque killed a policeman in Jajimaidan and a civilian and a bomb targeting the funeral of policeman killed another civilian and injured four more, including a child, in Alisher. (887) Later that month, a magnetic IED attached to the taxi of a former government official killed the target and wounded another civilian in Khost city. (888) In August 2015, five persons, including two shopkeepers and a women and a child, were injured when a bomb went off in front of a shop in Khost. (889)
In 2014, Khost saw 317 civilians casualties - 93 killed and 224 injured. Of these casualties, 82 were children and 19 were killed with 63 injured. (890)
Instances of civilian victims of ground confrontations include an insurgent attack on a village whose residents helped ANSF in a clearing operation in December 2014. This led to three civilian deaths. Additionally, two people were killed and four others detained in a night raid. (891)
Victims of targeted killings in this reporting period include a cleric who spoke out against suicide bombings and in support of ANSF, targeted by explosives inside his loudspeaker in a mosque in January 2015; (892) a border police official abducted from his home and later murdered in May 2015; (893) a former jihadi commander shot in his car, together with his son and nephew in July 2015. (894)
In a case of cross-border shelling in March 2015, 15 artillery shells landed on a village, destroying houses and killing five civilians and injuring several more. (895)
Displacement
Despite its volatile character, UNHCR rarely reports about IDPs in or from Khost province. UNHCR profiled between 501 and 1,500 IDPs in the province between January and July 2015. (896) In May 2015, it profiled 154 families or 859 individuals: (897)
Some of the families had been displaced since 2014 and had not yet been assessed. The main reasons reported for their displacement were armed conflict between AGEs and ANSF, inter-tribal disputes over ownership of land, general insecurity as well as intimidation and harassment by AGEs. Almost all the profiled families were living in rented houses and had largely access to potable clean water for drinking and washing purposes. No
(881) Khaama Press, Three policemen wounded in Khost terrorist action, 27 April 2015; Pajhwok Afghan News, 7 injured in twin blasts near Khost PC office, 27 April 2015; Pajhwok Afghan News, 3 killed, 5 wounded in Khost explosion, 28 April 2015.
(882) Pajhwok Afghan News, 3 wounded in twin blasts rock Khost city, 1 May 2015.
(883) Khaama Press, Explosion heard in Khost city, 7 May 2015; Pajhwok Afghan News, Policemen among 9 injured in Khost blast, 7 May 2015.
(884) Khaama Press, Two soldiers martyred, three suicide bombers killed in Maidan Wardak attack, 26 May 2015; Pajhwok Afghan News, Scores of rebels dead, wounded in Helmand fighting, 26 May 2015.
(885) Pajhwok Afghan News, 1 dead, 9 injured in Khost, Paktia blasts, 15 June 2015.
(886) Pajhwok Afghan News, Condemnations rise as 33 killed in Khost bombing, 13 July 2015.
(887) Pajhwok Afghan News, 2 killed in Khost suicide attack bomb blast, 17 July 2015.
(888) Khaama Press, Explosion kills former government official in Khost, 27 July 2015.
(889) Pajhwok Afghan News, 6 civilians wounded in Khost explosion, 9 August 2015.
(890) Anonymous source specialised in security in Afghanistan, emails and briefing, July - October 2015.
(891) Pajhwok Afghan News, 3 civilians killed in new violence, 17 December 2014; Pakjhwok Afghan News, 4 civilians dead, 5 abducted in latest bout of violence, 16 April 2015.
(892) UNAMA, Afghanistan. Midyear Report 2015. Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, July 2015, p. 57.
(893) Pajhwok Afghan News, ANA airstrikes leave several Taliban fighters dead, 30 May 2015.
(894) Khaama Press, Former jihadi commander among three gunned down in Khost, 23 June 2015.
(895) Tolonews, 5 killed as rockets hit civilians homes in Khost, 26 March 2015; Khaama Press, Rockets hit civilian homes in Khost leaving 5 killed, 2 injured, 26 March 2015; Pajhwok Afghan News, 5 killed, 10 wounded in cross border shelling, 26 March 2015.
(896) UNOCHA, Afghanistan : Conflict-Induced Displacement (January to July 2015), 16 September 2015.
(897) UNHCR, Conflict-induced Internal Displacement Monthly Update, May 2015.
specific barriers were highlighted on access to education and health services or to local markets. Nonetheless, scarce resources and the eroding support of the hosting families remained a concern for the IDPs.
In June 2015, UNHCR profiled another 128 families or 860 individuals displaced in Khost. (898) Access to certain districts is very limited, which may also explain the low number of profiled IDPs in this province. (899)
Apart from internal displacement, Khost is a destination province for displaced groups originating from Pakistan.
Following military operations in mid-June 2014 in Pakistan’s North Waziristan, families of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Pakistani nationals alike began crossing into southeastern Afghanistan. Within the first 10 days, an estimated 10,000 families arrived in Khost and Paktika provinces. Families had left suddenly, with few belongings and settled spontaneously in Gulan Camp in Gurboz district of Khost province, or in host communities. As of December 2014, the number of displaced families crossing into Afghanistan in search of protection had almost increased fourfold, from approximately 10,000 families to more than 38,900 (291,800 individuals).
By 30 May 2015 there were 32,576 families with more than 205,000 individuals, with 23,006 families in Khost including 10,000 families in Gulan camp. (900) The border and population remains fluid with refugees crossing in and out of Afghanistan on a regular basis. As of 7 September 2015, UNHCR verified 36,206 families (224,087 individuals) with 24,670 families (164,796 individuals) in Khost. Approximately 10,500 families, or 29% of the total, are accommodated in Gulan camp, while 31% are living with host families straining the already limited resources of under-served communities. (901) Khost district hosts 3,136 families; Spera: 3,055; Gurbuz, outside Gulan camp, 3,081 families; Tani 1,868; Terezayi: 1,500; Mandozayi: 944; Shamul: 321; Nadirshahkot: 223. (902)
Actors in the conflict
According to UNAMA, there was no ALP program active in Khost in 2014. (903)
The US Special Forces still run a Forward Operating Base (FOB) ‘Chapman’ just outside Khost city, from which they train and support the Khost Protection Force, a local force of between 4,500 and 5,500 people. (904) According to the New York Times, the Khost Protection Force is set up and trained by the CIA, but was recently handed over to the responsibility of the National Directorate for Security, NDS. (905)
IMF regularly targets insurgents with UAV. (906) In one drone strike in June 2015, the burial of an insurgent commander was targeted and more than 30 people were killed. (907) Local officials claimed 15 civilians were also victim of this airstrike. (908)
For more than a generation, the secluded highlands of Khost and Paktia have been Haqqani territory. (909) Hezb-e Islami also enjoys some influence in some parts of the province. (910) The provincial shadow governor of Khost is Mawlawi Ahmad Jan, affiliated to the Haqqani network. (911) In a statement in August 2015, the Taliban said Mawlawi Ahmad Ali was in charge of the province. (912) In January 2015, ANSF claimed to have killed a senior member of the Haqqani Network, Syed Amin, responsible for training suicide bombers. (913)
(898) UNHCR, Conflict-induced Internal Displacement Monthly Update, June 2015.
(899) Anonymous source specialised in security in Afghanistan, emails and briefing, July - October 2015.
(900) UNHCR, Khost & Paktika: 1 Year On Achievements & Gaps, August 2015.
(901) UNOCHA, Afghanistan: Cross-border Movement from Pakistan (as of 7 September 2015), 15 September 2015.
(902) UNOCHA, Afghanistan: Cross-border Movement from Pakistan (as of 7 September 2015), 15 September 2015.
(903) UNAMA, Afghanistan. Annual Report 2014. Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, February 2015, p. 79.
(904) Anonymous source specialised in security in Afghanistan, emails and briefing, July - October 2015.
(905) NY Times, 25 Killed in Suicide Bombing Outside U.S. Base in Afghanistan, 12 July 2015.
(906) Khaama Press, Drome strike kills 7 Haqqani fighters, 4 January 2015; Pajhwok Afghan News, TTP commander among 17 dead in drone strikes, 4 January 2015;
Pajhwok Afghan News, ANA airstrikes leave several Taliban fighters dead, 30 May 2015.
(907) Khaama Press, Over 30 Taliban militants killed in US drone strike in Khost, 5 June 2015; Pajhwok Afghan News, Drone hits Taliban leaders burial ceremony, 34 killed, 5 June 2015; Tolonews, 34 Taliban insurgents killed in US drone strike in Khost, 6 June 2015.
(908) Pajhwok Afghan News, 15 civilians killed in yesterday drone strike in Khost, 6 June 2015.
(909) NY Times, Afghan Militant Group Faces Unusual Discontent, 5 November 2013.
(910) Anonymous source specialised in security in Afghanistan, emails and briefing, July - October 2015.
(911) UN Security Council, Letter dated 18 August 2015 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) addressed to the President of the Security Council, 26 August 2015, p. 20.
(912) Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Pledges of allegiance to the new Amir take place throughout Afghanistan, 9 August 2015.
(913) Pajhwok Afghan News, Key Haqqani network member killed in Khost, 5 January 2015.
Another actor in Khost is the Pakistani military, which regularly fires artillery shells over the border. In one case, in December 2014, three helicopters from the Pakistani army conducted an aerial operation in Afghan territory, and dropped ordnance on three civilian homes in Gurbuz district. Although the operation did not kill or injure civilians, the bombing damaged three homes, three vehicles and killed two cows. Local sources reported to UNAMA that the homes targeted belonged to Pakistani refugees who had recently left the North Waziristan area of Pakistan due to Pakistan’s military offensive in those areas. (914)