Taliban's new tactics

Telegraph:

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Taliban tactics have shifted sharply away from frontal attacks on Nato forces in the first four months of the year. However, the overall level of violence has risen and roadside bombings are up by 34 per cent overall. At the same time, there have been reports of Taliban fighters moving into several rural districts north and east of Kabul, the capital.

The strategy seeks to exploit local grievances and disillusionment with the Afghan government in rural areas.

Around 60 per cent of the country is still controlled by local tribes or warlords, according to the most recent US intelligence survey. The Afghan government and its Western backers effectively control about 30 per cent and the Taliban 10 per cent.

One Western military source explained: "The shadow governments that they attempt to form are more worrying than insurgent violence."

Nine Taliban commanders now operate in and around Taggab and there are growing links to local supporters of Hizb-e-Islami, a powerful faction that is split on whether to join the Taliban insurgency.

The Taliban has been able to exploit long-standing tensions between local Pashtuns, the ethnic tribe from which the Taliban draws its support, and neighbouring Tajik areas associated with the Northern Alliance that helped US troops evict the Taliban in 2001.

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This is more of a classic insurgency operation than the Taliban has attempted in the past. They have not endeared themselves to the people. If they continue this new tactic the government will need to get its people in the area and start protecting the people from the Taliban and also providing the people with services. Fortunately, in most cases the Taliban are not that politically astute as the Garmser post below reveals.