Taliban onslaught

The eerie discovery of seven bodies from a highway connecting Kandahar to Uruzgan province following Friday’s abduction of 70 villagers has raised alarm bells in southern Afghanistan. But as far as one can tell, Afghan officials have been a little too liberal with the facts surrounding the abduction, tailoring it to suit their version of events. They have blamed the Taliban for the mass abduction and subsequent killings but have not given any plausible motive for the group’s actions, speculating instead that it could have been borne out of their suspicion that the villagers are western collaborators. It has taken the police a full day to announce the release of half of the kidnapped men.

The insurgent group itself has denied involvement in the abduction. Nevertheless it has confirmed that its fighters attacked police checkpoints in the same area and took 17 prisoners before releasing them.

What is less contentious is the Taliban’s seizure of two districts in northern and central Afghanistan, proving if anything Kabul’s loosening grip over the affairs of the country. New areas in Faryab - the scene of  firece clashes between security forces and Taliban — and Ghor province have fallen to the group. Its fighters have annexed Kohistan district, including the government headquarters on Sunday and captured Taywara district overnight.

From its surge in the springtime, the Taliban have moved unchallenged to a summertime offensive, conquering vast swathes of territory and outflanking the hapless Afghan troops and police at every step. To the United States this is more than just a regional security policy headache. In the coming months, Washington will be forced to take some drastic action, both political and military, if it wants to stop the Taliban juggernaut. As the opponent is getting stronger and more vicious, the time for pussyfooting may well be over.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2017.

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