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KANDAHAR PROVINCE OVERVIEW

KANDAHAR PROVINCE OVERVIEW. THE MAUREEN AND MIKE MANSFIELD CENTER UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA. OVERVIEW. This module introduces you to Kandahar Province Emphasis is placed on: Geography & topography Human terrain Recent history Economics Politics Security situation

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KANDAHAR PROVINCE OVERVIEW

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  1. KANDAHARPROVINCE OVERVIEW • THE MAUREEN AND MIKE MANSFIELD CENTER • UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA

  2. OVERVIEW • This module introduces you to Kandahar Province • Emphasis is placed on: • Geography & topography • Human terrain • Recent history • Economics • Politics • Security situation • Kandahar is examined at provincial & district level

  3. BLOCK 1: GEOGRAPHY

  4. GEOGRAPHY • Location: southern Afghanistan • Area: 54,022 square kilometers • South: Registan desert • West & north: hills, mountains • Tarnak, Arghandab, Dowrey Rivers • 90% plains; 2% mountainous • Transportation hub • Ring road: Kabul-Kandahar-Herat • Kandahar to Quetta • Kandahar to TirinKot • Capital: Kandahar

  5. Uruzgan Arghandab River Shah Maqsud Range Zabol Tarnak River Arghastan River Khada Hills Helmand Chaman Pass Registan Desert Pakistan Baluchistan

  6. BLOCK 2: HUMAN TERRAIN

  7. POPULATION DATA • Population: 900,000 • 65% rural • 2,847 villages (official) • Pashtun (98%) • Tajik, Hazara, Baluch & others • Sunni Muslim • Language: Pashto • Some Dari, Baluch • Literacy rate: 13 - 18%

  8. Barakzai Baluch Barechi Eshaqzai Nurzai Achekzai Popolzai Alizai Ghilzai Other, Mixed Alokozai

  9. NOTE OF CAUTION • Tribal map in broad terms! • Picture on ground very complicated • Kandahar ‘patchwork quilt’ of tribes • Many areas have no ‘dominant’ tribe • Kandahar City itself divided by tribe • This map does not cover clans… • …which are very important as well

  10. POPULATION DENSITY Most Dense Least Dense

  11. TRIBAL POLITICS • Kandahar is 98% Pashtun • Kandahar Pashtun from: • Durrani Confederation • Ghilzai Confederation • Durrani historically dominate Kandahar • Ghilzai disgruntled, ‘upstart’ cousins • Each tribe has own shura (elders council) • Conflicts between tribes • Conflicts within tribes

  12. DURRANI CONFEDERATION

  13. DURRANI RIFTS • Durrani divided into two branches: • Zirak • Panjpai • Zirak = Popolzai, Barakzai, Alokazai, Achekzai • Zirak generally support GIRoA • Zirak dominate provincial administration • Panjpai = Alizai, Eshaqzai, Nurzai • Sense of disenfranchisement • Provide recruits for Taliban

  14. ACHEKZAI TRIBE • Traditional nomads, smugglers • Found in Afghanistan, Pakistan • Tough reputation • Mainly in Spin Boldak • Given control of tolls • Animosity toward Nurzai • Some fought for Communists • Allied with Sherzai after 9/11 • Provided bulk of his militia • But some favor Taliban

  15. ALKOZAI TRIBE • Dominate Arghandab District • Keepers of tribal balance of power • Prominent leader: Mullah Naqib • Died in 2007 • Rivalry with Barakzai • Warrior reputation • Powerful tribal militia • Once dominated Kandahar police… • …until Barakzai/Popolzai power plays • Support GIRoA weakening

  16. TRIBAL POWER POLITICS • Mullah Naqib • Key Alokozai tribal elder • Made key compromises with Taliban • Died 2007 • Karzai meddles • Appoints Naqib’s son as chief • Without sanction of tribe • Consequence: Alokozai split

  17. ALKOZAI TRIBE

  18. ALIZAI TRIBE • Alizai tribe • Durrani - Panjpai • Concentrated in: • Maywand • Zhari

  19. BARAKZAI TRIBE • Largest tribe by population • Divided in two political factions • GulAghaSherzai • Nur al-HaqOlomi • Concentrated in: • Arghistan • Maruf • Daman • Reasonably quiet districts

  20. ESHAQZAI TRIBE • DurraniPanjpais • Poorer, sense of marginalization • Occasionally hostile relations with Taliban • Fought Taliban, 1994-1995 • But Taliban strongholds in Eshaqzai areas • Maywand & Panjwai • Taliban Shura: Akhthar Mohamed Osmani • Murdered, some believe betrayed by Taliban • Lacks powerful leadership

  21. NURZAI TRIBE • DurraniPanjpai • Overall numbers: around 1 million • Poorer, disenfranchised • Sense persecution, marginalization • Especially anti-poppy effort • Involved in trading, smuggling • Drugs, arms, etc. • Tribal opponents: • Achekzais • Close links to Taliban • Hafiz AbdurMajid (Shura Council) • HajiBashirNurzai (in U.S. prison) • Marital links to Khalis family • Spin Boldak, Daman Districts

  22. POPOLZAI TRIBE • DurraniZirak • Most politically powerful • Provided several monarchs • Current chief: HamidKarzai • Local leader: Ahmed WaliKarzai • Divided loyalties • Shah WaliKotPopalzai often back Taliban • Found in: • Ghorak, Khakrez, Shah WaliKot

  23. KANDAHAR GHILZAIS

  24. KAKAR TRIBE • Found in southern Kandahar, Pak Baluchistan • Highly fragmented: 20+ divisions • No tribal ‘leader’, designated jirga • Traditionally low-status tribe • Not always viewed as Pashtun by others • Opportunistic

  25. KAKAR TRIBE • Many allied with Taliban • Prominent Kakars • Mullah DadullahAkhund (deceased) • Dadullah Mansur (former Taliban commander) • Mullah Mohamed Rabbani (Taliban co-founder) • Wakil Ahmad Mutawakil • Former Taliban foreign minister

  26. BARECH TRIBE • Barech Tribe • Durrani confederation? • Found in Sharawak District • Primarily agricultural • Some are camel breeders

  27. ANOTHER SIDE OF KANDAHAR

  28. BRAHUI • Scattered throughout southern Afghanistan • Tribally based • Primarily Sunni • Co-ethnics in Iran and Pakistan • Speak Dravidian tongue • Not comprehensible to Baluch, Pashtuns • Heavily reliant on smuggling

  29. BLOCK 3: HISTORY

  30. HISTORY • Ancient city • Dates to Alexander the Great • Important location • Between Persian & Indian Empires • Trade & military hub • Southern Pashtun cultural base • Capital of Durrani Empire: C18 • Popolzai leader Ahmed Shah Durrani • Largest city in southern Afghanistan

  31. HISTORY • Heavily damaged during 1980s war… • Mined, bombed & bulldozed • …but Soviets never controlled it • Insurgents frequently overran it • Population in 1979: @200,000 • Population in 1988: @25,000 • GIRoA estimate: 50,000 killed in 1980s • All seven factions fought here • Given Kandahar’s links to monarchy… • …royalists stronger here than other areas

  32. HARAKAT-E INQILAB • Harakat-e Inqilab-e Islami • One of Peshawar Seven • But marginalized by Pakistan • Leader: Mohamed NabiMohamadi • AndarGhilzai from Logar • Studied at Ghaznimadrassa • Served as mullah in several villages • Preached against Communism • 1978 fled to Quetta, rallied mullahs • 1978-79: created Harakat • Especially active in Durrani south • Many Taliban leaders fought in Harakat

  33. HISTORY • Mujahidin movements • From Pakistan Baluchistan • North of Spin Boldak • North of Kandahar City • …or in Registan Desert • Ambushed Soviet/DRA forces • From bases in Panjwai, Zhari, Arghandab River • Major target: Kabul-Kandahar-Herat highway • Kandahar-Herat road under constant attack • Road blocks, mines, ambushes, demolitions

  34. VIDEO CLIP: SOVIETS & KANDAHAR

  35. RECENT HISTORY • Pakistan did not favor NIFA, Harakat • Paks did not trust royalist, nationalists • ISI restricted arms flow • Major transit route for insurgents, 1980s • Key bastions in Baghran • Point of entry for Pak-based insurgents • As Najibullah’s end neared, 1992… • …deal emerged between Kabul & royalists • Unacceptable to Pakistan so… • …Gulbuddin sent south to stir things up

  36. ASSASSINATION PERIOD • HIG and/or ISI targeted Durranis, royalists • Haji Abdul Latif: poisoned, August 1989 (Barakzai) • Attempt on former King Zahir Shah, 1991. • Abdul AhadKarzai: gunnd down, July 1999 (Popalzai) • SaydBahaudinMajruh: February 1988 • 1987 survey: 70% of Afghan refugees wanted restoration • Botton line: Durrani denied victory • Not surprising then that: • Taliban emerged in Kandahar • Many Taliban leaders originated in Harakat

  37. 1990s CIVIL WAR • After fall of Najibullah in April 1992… • …Kandahar disputed among rival factions • Era of: • Numerous checkposts • Extortion, corruption • Stifled traade • Vendettas, feuds • ‘Topakan’ = ‘gun lords’ • Chaos • GulAghaSherzai nominal governor

  38. COMING OF TALIBAN • Mujahedin excesses led to: • Decline in public support • Public disenchantment • One result = rise of alternative power • Called ‘Taliban’ or religious students • Most likely organized by Pakistan • Led by Zhari preacher named Mullah Omar • Taliban rebelled against gun lords • Struck down checkpoints • Restored semblance of stability • Gained popular support

  39. TALIBAN RULE • While other Afghans resisted Taliban… • …Taliban relatively popular in Kandahar • They brought: • Stability • Security • Restoration of city as important cultural center • Rough justice • Restored trade routes

  40. 9/11 AND AFTERWARDS • Kandahar last Taliban bastion to fall • Power vacuum filled by old players • Sherzai (Barakzai) • Mullah Naqibullah (Alokozai) • Karzai family (Popalzai) • Sherzai became first governor • Ahmed WaliKarzai: Provincial Council head • Now most powerful actor in province • Canadians entered in February 2006 • 2007: Mullah Naqib died of heartattack • Alokazai loyalty to GIRoA slips

  41. TRIBAL WARS • Achekzai-Nurzi feud after 9/11 • Phase one: struggle for Spin Boldak • …and border tolls • Phase two: struggle for Panjwai (2006) • Achekzai border police move in • …antagonizes local Nurzais • Achekzai militia defeated • ANP/ANA intervene to fight ‘insurgents’ • Nurzai turn more increasingly to Taliban • Taliban appoint Nurzai as Panjwai commander

  42. OPERATION MEDUSA • Largest offensive by U.S./ISAF since 2001 • Focused on Panjwai valley • Estimated 1,000 – 1,500 insurgents killed • May – July 2007 retreat from Panjwai outposts

  43. BLOCK 4: ECONOMY

  44. ECONOMY • Agriculture is king • Kandahar once regionally known for its: • Grapes • Melons • Pomegranates • But wars destroyed karezes, orchards • Then came drought • Primary crops are poppy and marijuana • Others include wheat, corn • Other major occupations • Trade, commerce & smuggling

  45. Arghandab River Range Land Arable Land Orchards

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