Security in Kandahar Province of Afghanistan

Security in Kandahar Province of Afghanistan

Ensuring a legitimate monopoly on force and law enforcement that provides a secure environment for
the fulfilment of the rights of all Afghans is essential to ensure freedom of movement for people,
commodities and ideas, and to promote social and economic development. A recent assessment made
by the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) reported that Kandahar Province
continues to experience a high level of volatility, characterised by frequent insurgent operations in the
western districts, suicide attacks in Kandahar City and assassinations of soft targets. The Province and
the City remain the most influential in the region, however, there is an endemic problem of corruption,
including among the security forces which undermines their effectiveness. The western districts of
Kandahar, (Panjwayi, Zherai, Maiwand) continue to be the focus of activity for International Security

Assistance Forces (ISAF) and Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) as well as for insurgent
operations. The Canadian International Security Assistance Forces (CISAF) are the largest forces in
number in the area. The province is not only ideologically significant for the insurgency, but also a
battle ground of their choice for fighting, offering rocky outcrops, desert routes and agricultural
facilities that offer cover such as orchards and karezes. The insurgency exploits the ring road in the area
which runs through three Districts, offering them not only mobility facilities but also opportunities to
target SAF, ANSF and civilian convoys very easily. Tactics most commonly used by the insurgencies
include suicide attacks, road side Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), laying of land mines, ambushes
and direct attacks.
The northern districts of Ghorak, Khakrez, Shah Wali Kot and Mianshin, although they have not
experienced the same level of insurgent operations as western Kandahar, still remain unstable. These
areas are now used as transit routes and support/supply lines to the high level of insurgent operations in
the Sangin Valley/Kajaki in Hilmand, Dihrawood/Nesh/Chora in Uruzgan and Mizan/Daychopan in
Zabul.