2. Regional description of the security situation in Afghanistan
2.3 South
2.3.5 Zabul
Generally, the insecurity and the clashes between AGEs and ANSF were repeatedly cited as the main reason for displacement. (754)
Actors in the conflict
Intense clashes between the Taliban and security forces were ongoing between November and August 2015. (755) In mid-May the Taliban intensified their attacks in Uruzgan. (756) This led to a fall of a dozen checkpoints to the Taliban in June 2015, (757) and several attacks on a number of others in May 2015. (758) In some instances Taliban fighters were killed and injured, (759) in other cases members of the ANSF, (760) governmental staff or civilians were injured or killed. (761) In December 2014, Taliban insurgents blocked a main road in the province of Uruzgan as a response to security forces cutting of smuggling routes. (762)
In January 2015, women of Uruzgan for the first time showed their support for the ANSF. In a gathering in the provincial capital the women, along with a greater number of men, paid their respects to the ANSF and their efforts in maintaining security. Several women offered flowers to the security personnel. (763)
The province of Zabul, also known as Zabalistan, is the native region of the Pashtun tribe. The provincial capital is Qalat. (764) The province is made up of the following districts: Afghar, Arghandab, Daychopan, Kakar, Mizan, Nawbahar, Qalat, Shahjoy, Shinkay, Shomulzay and Tarnak Wa Jaldak. (765) UNOCHA estimated Zabul’s population for 2015 at 304,126. (766) The main income source in the province is agriculture. The people of Zabul are primarily associated with raising livestock and agriculture such as wheat and barley. Additionally, melon, watermelon, grapes, figs, almond and raspberries are the most produced products in the province. (767)
Description of the violence
From 1 January to 31 August 2015, Zabul province counted 303 security incidents. Table 14 provides an overview of their nature: (768)
Violence targeting individuals 19 Armed confrontations and airstrikes 155
Explosions 82
Security enforcement 43
Non-conflict related incidents 2
Other incidents 2
Total security incidents 303
Table 14: Security incidents by type, Zabul (Jan - Aug 2015)
The map in figure 16 presents the number of security incidents per district in Zabul province. (769)
Figure 16: Zabul, security incidents (Jan - Aug 2015)
The violent incidents and trends in the province of Zabul included the following examples:
In February 2015, insurgents abducted a group of 30 Hazaras travelling from Iran, via Herat to Kabul. In March 2015, ANSF launched a military operation aimed at releasing them, in the districts of Arghandab and Kakar. By May 2015,
(764) Pajhwok Afghan News, Background profile of Zabul, n.d.
(765) UNOCHA, AFGHANISTAN: Admin Level 3 Boundaries, 25 September 2012.
(766) UNOCHA, Afghanistan: Population estimate for 2015, 26 August 2015.
(767) Pajhwok Afghan News, Background profile of Zabul, n.d..
(768) For more information on the source of the data and the methodology, see introduction.
(769) For more information on the source and the methodology of the maps, see introduction.
most of them were released in exchange for prisoners and three were executed (UNAMA received reliable but unconfirmed information on the executions). (770)
On 25 May 2015, a suicide vehicle-borne attack against the provincial council in Qalat injured 79 civilians, including 30 women and two children. (771) In June 2015, the district of Kakar fell under Taliban control. This was confirmed by the Afghan Ministry of Defence. (772) UNAMA reported: ‘On 1 June, an RC-IED targeting an ANP vehicle detonated late and killed four civilians traveling in another vehicle, in Qalat district of Zabul province.’ (773) Also in June, clashes were reported between ANSF and insurgents in the districts of Shahjoy and Atghar. (774)
In July 2015, an armed clash between insurgents and ANSF took place on the outskirts of Qalat, killing four insurgents. (775) In July 2015, one civilian was killed and two injured when a rickshaw hit an IED. (776) Also in July, a vehicle of demining personnel struck a landmine near a military base close to the city of Qalat. One deminer was killed and eight other staff wounded. (777) On 12 July, a group of 25 Taliban fighters, including suicide bombers, raided an ANSF checkpoint. In the clash, according to the provincial police spokesman, 16 insurgents, two ANA soldiers, and two ANP were killed and three others injured. The Taliban claimed it killed 10 ANSF and lost three mujahideen in the assault. An Afghan security official wishing to remain anonymous confirmed the 10 casualties among ANSF. (778) Afghan security forces launched large-scale operations in the Day Chopan district. (779) Local inhabitants of the Mezana district interfered with a Taliban commander building a house for himself. The Taliban attacked the people, killing one and injuring four. (780)
In August 2015, the Zabul provincial council chief warned that 4 districts (Daichopan, Naw Bahar, Shamulzai and Atghar ) could fall into Taliban hands if no additional security forces were deployed. It was explained that the districts centres were surrounded and the ANSF were outnumbered by the insurgents. (781)
Displacement
In March 2015, UNHCR reported displacement due to an ANSF military operation, in the districts of Arghandab and Kakar. (782) Otherwise, Zabul was not named in the UNHCR monthly IDP updates between November 2014 and August 2015. (783)
Actors in the conflict
Col. Ghulam Jilani Farahi was named provincial police chief of Zabul. (784)
In July 2015, heavy fighting was reported between IS and the Taliban in the district of Arghandab in Zabul with casualties on both sides. (785)
(770) UNAMA, Afghanistan Midyear Report 2015, Protection of civilians in armed conflict, August 2015; UNHCR, Afghanistan conflict-induced internal displacement monthly update, February 2015, p. 4.
(771) UNAMA, Afghanistan Midyear Report 2015, Protection of civilians in armed conflict, August 2015, pp. 16, 50; Bakhtar News Agency, 3 Killed, 43 Wounded In Zabul Suicide Attack, 26 May 2015.
(772) NY Times (The), Taliban Attack Police Base in Afghanistan, Killing 17, 13 June 2015; Pajhwok Afghan News, More districts to be purged of militants: MoD, 30 July 2015.
(773) UNAMA, Afghanistan Midyear Report 2015, Protection of civilians in armed conflict, August 2015, p. 64.
(774) Bakhtar News Agency, Eight Armed Oppositions Kills, Wounded in Zabul, 2 June 2015.
(775) Pajhwok Afghan News, Civilian among 5 dead in Zabul gunbattle, blast, 25 July 2015.
(776) Pajhwok Afghan News, Civilian among 5 dead in Zabul gunbattle, blast, 25 July 2015.
(777) Tolonews, Demining Worker Killed, 8 Wounded in Zabul Blast, 13 July 2015.
(778) Pajhwok Afghan News, 16 rebels, 4 security forces killed in Zabul, 12 July 2015.
(779) Pajhwok Afghan News, Afghan forces launch big anti-rebels offensive in Zabul, 11 July 2015.
(780) Ariana News, Armed insurgents killed 1 civilian, injured 4 others in Zabul, 5 July 2015.
(781) Pajhwok Afghan News, Zabul districts in danger of falling to Taliban, 29 August 2015.
(782) UNHCR, Afghanistan conflict-induced internal displacement monthly update, February 2015, p. 4.
(783) UNHCR, Afghanistan conflict-induced internal displacement monthly update, August 2015; UNHCR, Afghanistan conflict-induced internal displacement monthly update, July 2015; UNHCR, Afghanistan conflict-induced internal displacement monthly update, June 2015; UNHCR, Afghanistan conflict-induced internal displacement monthly update, May 2015; UNHCR, Afghanistan conflict-induced internal displacement monthly update, April 2015; UNHCR, Afghanistan conflict-induced internal displacement monthly update, December 2014.
(784) Pajhwok Afghan News, 2 women stabbed to death, 3 injured in Zabul attack, 28 July 2015.
(785) Pajhwok Afghan News, 7 dead, 8 hurt in groups’ infighting in Zabul, 26 July 2015; Pajhwok Afghan News, At least 2 dead as Daesh, Taliban rebels clash in Zabul, 25 July 2015.
According to an NDS statement, Mawlawi Faizullah was arrested in July 2015 in Zabul. He was member of the Taliban’s military shura and accused of being in charge of suicide attacks, ambushes, offensive attacks, kidnapping and financial collections for Taliban militants in Zabul, Kandahar and Ghazni provinces. (786)
In July 2015, ANSF encountered reportedly large numbers of ‘foreign fighters’ during an operation in the district of Day Chopan. A local tribal elder said that they were mostly Uzbek fighters who had fled from North Waziristan in Pakistan. (787)
In Zabul, infighting between Taliban factions took place in August 2015. Mullah Mansour Dadullah, a Taliban commander from the Kakar tribe, who enjoys support in the districts of Kakar and Daychopan, has publicly refused to pledge allegiance to the new leader Mansoor. Dadullah’s fighters are reportedly linked with IS individuals. Dadullah’s network is called Fidayi Mahaz, or previously Da Fidayano Mahaz and Dadullah Front. Taliban leader Mansoor, who had fighters stationed in the district of Arghandab, sent some 600 fighters to Kakar district to battle Dadullah’s forces which resulted in several fighters killed on both sides. The Taliban’s shadow governor for Zabul is Mullah Nasrullah Matiullah. (788)
(786) Ariana News, NDS arrested key military member of Quetta Shura in Zabul, 12 July 2015.
(787) Pajhwok Afghan News, Afghan forces launch big anti-rebels offensive in Zabul, 11 July 2015.
(788) Khaama Press, Taliban infighting left five killed in Zabul, 30 August 2015; NY Times, Taliban’s New Leader in Afghanistan Moves to Quash Dissent, 6 September 2015; 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, pp. 8, 21; Express Tribune (The), Succession row: Clerics set deadline for Taliban chief, 1 September 2015; Fars News Agency, 600 Fighters Arrive in Afghan Zabul Province to Fight Opponents of Taliban, 31 August 2015.