5/15/18
HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Taliban fighters with heavy weapons and night-vision equipment fought their way close to the center of the western city of Farah on Tuesday, as Afghan government forces backed by U.S. air strikes battled to keep control, officials and residents said. Residents of the city, capital of Farah province on the border with Iran, have warned for months the city was vulnerable and the attack threatened a repeat of the Taliban’s capture of the northern city of Kunduz, which fell briefly in 2015. “The Taliban are moving very fast, if the government does not take serious and speedy action, the province is going to collapse to Taliban,” said Hamidullah, a resident of the city reached by telephone. Residents said Taliban forces began their attack at around 2.00 a.m. (2130 GMT Monday) from several directions. The fighting adds to the growing number of crisis points around Afghanistan since the Taliban began their annual spring offensive last month, including a series of deadly suicide attacks in the capital, Kabul. Although the insurgents have been unable to take and hold any provincial center, they are active across Afghanistan and the government has firm control over no more than 56 percent of the country, according to U.S. estimates.
Farah, a remote and sparsely populated province on the border with Iran, has seen months of heavy fighting, with hundreds of police and soldiers killed and severe losses inflicted even on elite special forces units. Farah residents have said Taliban forces were being supported by Iran. The governor of the province stepped down in January, denouncing worsening security and what he said was political interference and corruption. The province, which also borders the opium-rich Taliban heartland of Helmand province, has key smuggling routes into Iran. Hundreds of fighters have moved there as U.S. and Afghan forces have stepped up operations in Helmand. As the fighting raged on Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi warned civilians to remain in their houses. “Mujahideen have nothing to do with civilians, only military positions are the target,” he said in a statement, referring to Taliban fighters. Residents said shops, schools and government offices were closed and the Taliban had set up posts around the city and were checking identity cards and preventing people from fleeing.
on the Sunni pustuns?Taliban battle into west Afghan city in new crisis for government
Could be one of the regional consequences of Trump tearing up the Iran nuclear deal. Iranian influence in Farah has always been strong.
Could be one of the regional consequences of Trump tearing up the Iran nuclear deal. Iranian influence in Farah has always been strong.
Taliban battle into west Afghan city in new crisis for government
Could be one of the regional consequences of Trump tearing up the Iran nuclear deal. Iranian influence in Farah has always been strong.
I doubt iran is in any way backing them as the taliban are sunni fundamentalists and harbored al quaeda which is a direct enemy of iran. I do not think it has anything to do with the iran deal, but rather the lack of discipline if the afghan army, us forces having much less involvement, and the biggest factor the taliban is formed from the rebels we trained to fight the soviets, unlike the afghan army they seem to stick to that training.
The taliban differs from other mideast militias in the fact they use squad tactics, like to charge aggressively, and pin down their targets. Their tactics did not yeild them any victory against those that taught them the tactics, but it sure created hell for the ana and anp, which is often corrupt and unmotivated, vs the taliban that is corrupt and motivated. When I was over in that country the best of the afghan army came from uzbekistan and other countries, northern afghanistan was the last to fall to the taliban and the northern alliance that backed the last afghan govt before complete taliban rule continued to fight them.
To stop the taliban we would need more than military intervention, as the taliban would rise again as soon as we wind it down, what is needed there is a temporary surge in troops followed by a complete re evaluation of how we train the afghan army plus the revival of the northern alliance to ensure neighboring countries stay active in keeping the taliban from resurging.
Taliban battle into west Afghan city in new crisis for government
Could be one of the regional consequences of Trump tearing up the Iran nuclear deal. Iranian influence in Farah has always been strong.
Gotta admire those Talibans. They never give up.
Didn't the Donald say he was going by get our troops out of there?
5/16/18
Afghan government forces have pushed back the Taliban from Farah city, the capital of Farah Province in western Afghanistan, close to the Iranian border, Afghan officials say. The attack, the first major assault targeting a provincial capital since the Taliban announced its annual spring offensive, began early on May 15 when several security checkpoints were overrun after midnight, with the militants capturing one urban district and parts of another. Special police forces from Kandahar and commandos from Herat were also deployed in Farah, Afghan officials said, as heavy fighting continued through May 15. Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack. Afghan and NATO warplanes bombed Taliban positions after the insurgents' assault on the city. Farah Province has been a key battleground for the Taliban for months. It borders Helmand Province, where the militants control several districts.
Yes. One of his many broken campaign promises.
Afghan Forces 'Push Back Taliban' From Western City Of Farah
Residents look at a military vehicle that was destroyed during fighting between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters in Farah Province on May 16.
The whack-a-mole battle for Farah will undoubtedly continue through spring and summer.
Maybe like the Vietnamese, eh?
Funny how humans object when their country is invaded by foreigners.
Afgans have been at this for thousands of years, we accomplished our mission, time to leave.
Maybe like the Vietnamese, eh?
Funny how humans object when their country is invaded by foreigners.
Afgans have been at this for thousands of years, we accomplished our mission, time to leave.
That's why we should find and destroy every Taliban stronghold we can until the Taliban ceases to exist.
Never happen...
That's why we should find and destroy every Taliban stronghold we can until the Taliban ceases to exist.
the soviet union tried to rule afghanistan and failed.
every great empire broke its teeth on the mountains of Afghanistan.
The Soviets failed because The United States taught the Mujahadeen how to defeat them. The Soviets were winning, until we got involved.
That's the problem.
and now the ghosts of that conflict haunt us to this day.
Not really, we went in to get rid of the terrorists and their camps, mission accomplished, there is no way to get rid if the Taliban or save Afgasnistan. They now know if they allow more attacks to be run from there we would be back, that's enough. Afganistan not worth one more American life, Period.
We never armed the Taliban. I know that's what you're getting at, but it isn't true. We supported the Northern Alliance; the enemy of the Taliban.
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