152
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Canadians and their allies say they killed at least 41 insurgents and routed another 20 or 30 fighters as they swept into a cluster of villages known as Siah Choy over the weekend.
Despite such successful attacks against insurgents, the Taliban have proven surprisingly hard to expel from districts near Kandahar city this winter, a Canadian commander says.
"Kind of surprising to see so many insurgents still in the area," said Major Richard Moffet, deputy commander of Canada's battle group.
The weekend raid, about 35 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city, was within the zone of security that pro-government forces have attempted to hold, using a series of newly constructed police substations.
Related Articles
Internet Links
Winter usually dampens the violence in southern Afghanistan, as the cold nights make it difficult for insurgents to camp outdoors, and snow in the mountains blocks some of the Taliban's usual routes for moving fighters and supplies.
But the Canadians have been encountering large groups of Taliban in recent weeks, extending the fighting season into the coldest part of the year.
"We had a few big operations in the last couple of weeks, and I have no explanation to tell you right now why they remain and why they are so resilient," Major Moffet said.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi, reached by telephone last night, described the winter fighting as part of the insurgents' efforts to expand their influence from the troubled provinces near the Pakistan border toward the previously peaceful areas in western Afghanistan.
"Now our campaign is growing, and there's no difference between summer and winter," Mr. Ahmadi said.
Most provinces of the south, including Kandahar, have witnessed an increase in insurgent attacks since the beginning of November, and tribal elders southwest of Kandahar city are complaining of a rising Taliban presence in some villages as insurgents patrol the roads and even hold court proceedings.
On Thursday, the Taliban reportedly accused a local resident of spying for pro-government forces and executed him with a public hanging at a schoolyard in the village of Kolk, only a few kilometres from the latest battlegrounds in Siah Choy.
NATO has often taken advantage of winter months to gain ground from the insurgents; last December, the Canadians launched Operation Baaz Tsuka and encountered little resistance as they swept through villages such as Talokan and Mushan with few shots fired.
Now local sources say Talokan and Mushan are overrun with Taliban.
The latest fighting started at dawn on Sunday, as the first call to prayers rang out from mosque loudspeakers and a large group of Canadian, Afghan and British Gurkha soldiers advanced on foot toward mud-walled houses where they expected to find insurgents.
The Taliban were sleeping when the pro-government forces attacked, Major Moffet said.
Gunfire from within the Taliban compounds showed that they woke up quickly, however, and provincial police chief Sayed Agha Saqib said the shooting continued on and off through the day, until about 4 p.m. local time.
Among the Taliban stash were six uniforms for Afghan National Police, said Brigadier-General Gul Aga Naebi, commander of the Afghan Army's 205th Corps. Afghan forces took four detainees in the operation. No serious casualties were reported among the pro-government troops.
Major Moffet said some insurgents put down their weapons and escaped by joining groups of women and children as they ran away. He also accused the Taliban of using a mosque to treat their wounded, implying that they understood the political consequences if NATO destroyed a holy site.
A Taliban fighter who participated in the battle told a friend in Kandahar yesterday that he had witnessed his wounded comrades trying to escape in a vehicle, only to see them die in an explosion - apparently an air or artillery strike.
Major Moffet confirmed that his troops were trying to flush out the insurgents and strike them as they retreated.
Canadian and Afghan commanders declared the attack a successful move to disrupt the Taliban's operations, although Major Moffet added that the effect won't be enduring.
