Historically, the number of districts controlled or influenced by the Afghan government has been declining since 2009 while the number controlled or influenced by the militants has been rising, said an official US report released on Tuesday. “A fact that should cause even more concern is about its disappearance from public disclosure and discussion,” says John F. Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), in his report to the US Congress. SIGAR was set up in 2008 to prepare quarterly reports for Congress on the US involvement in Afghanistan.
After new Afghan strategy by Trump administration, US air strike and special operations increased against the insurgency. But report warns civilian casualties have increased in result of air strikes. Ultimately, Afghan government is losing more public support and eventually more people are supporting insurgency. It also quoted from a recent United Nations report, estimating over 8,000 civilian casualties between January 1 and September 30, 2017. SIGAR said that despite $8.7 billion in US aid for counternarcotics efforts, opium production was up 87 per cent in the last year in Afghanistan and drug money is being used to fuel the war economy.
In November 2017, Gen John Nicholson, the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, said in a press briefing that 64 per cent of the Afghan population was under government control or influence, 12 per cent are under insurgent control or influence, and the remaining 24 per cent are in contested areas. The goal of the Afghan government is to control 80 per cent of its population within the next two years.
Results are reflecting that US strategy once again failing in Afghanistan to bring peace in the country. Insurgents have become more aggressive in their targets. A suicide car bombing in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Saturday killed at least 103 and wounded at least another 235 people near a police checkpoint. Very next day, 11 soldiers were killed and 14 wounded when gunmen attacked an army outpost near a military academy outside of Kabul. US has spent billions of dollar as its troops are fighting militancy in Afghanistan since 2001, but its strategy of using force has failed to bring stability in the country. It is alarming that control of insurgents is increasing in Afghanistan with every passing day.
It is the time US should realize to think over other options than using force. Indulging in talks with all the stockholders would be more appropriate to achieve the desire goals of bringing peace and stability. Issues of Afghanistan must be sorted out through dialogue.
