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PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTAN Helmand

PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTAN Helmand. OVERVIEW. Module introduces you to Helmand Emphasis on: Geography & topography Human terrain Recent history Economics Security situation Politics Districts. BLOCK 1: GEOGRAPHY. PHYSICAL TERRAIN. Location: south Afghanistan

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PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTAN Helmand

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  1. PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTANHelmand

  2. OVERVIEW • Module introduces you to Helmand • Emphasis on: • Geography & topography • Human terrain • Recent history • Economics • Security situation • Politics • Districts

  3. BLOCK 1: GEOGRAPHY

  4. PHYSICAL TERRAIN • Location: south Afghanistan • Borders Pakistan Baluchistan • Borders: • Kandahar • Nimruz • Uruzgan • Farah • Ghor • Area: 23,058 square miles

  5. PHYSICAL TERRAIN • Terrain: • Mountainous to north • Desert plain in south • Helmand River Valley • Underdeveloped roads • Ring road = main artery • Capital:LashkarGah • ‘Place of Soldiers’

  6. HELMAND RIVER • Vital to past & future • Basis of agriculture… • …supports population • Majority live along its banks • Creation of Kajaki dam, canals • Made desert bloom • Made Helmand ‘bread basket’ of Afghanistan • Led to establishment of LashkarGah • Led to influx of settlers from other regions

  7. HELMAND RIVER: LIFELINE

  8. BLOCK 2: HUMAN TERRAIN

  9. POPULATION FACTS Population: 1.4 million 94% rural Located on Helmand River

  10. Most Dense Least Dense

  11. THE TIES THAT BIND

  12. ETHNICITY • Pashtun • Durrani confederation: • Alizai • Nurzai • Barakzai • Eshaqzai • GhilzaiPashtun • Baluch in south • Some Hazaras

  13. Baluch Alokazai Eshaqzai Nurzai Alizai Barakzai None Mixed Ghilzai Popalzai Mixed

  14. LANGUAGES • Language: 94%+ speak Pashto • Minority speaks Dari • Literacy rate: • Estimated 5% • Women: 1% • 95%+ Sunni Muslim

  15. “It’s important to remember that it is very tribal. Each little pocket of homes… has a different leader. The size varies. It’s important to know who the leader is because that person talks for that little group of people. Within a 10 x 10 [kilometer] operating area you might have 50 or 100 of these local leaders so you have to learn in a hurry that it’s not just one guy, it’s a bunch of them.” USMC Officer commenting on operations in Helmand, 2008

  16. VILLAGE SOCIETIES • Helmand rural & tribal • Agriculture is king • Villages are central • Walled compounds • Men work in fields • Women, children, elderly in compounds • Designated village elders • Group decision-making

  17. APPROACHING VILLAGERS • Approach village elders first • Negotiate with elders • Let elders guide you • Allow men to move women… • …prior to searches • Avoid handling books • Most likely Qurans

  18. VILLAGERS & TALIBAN Many intimidated by Taliban Some sympathetic to Taliban Many have relatives fighting for Taliban Most know people fighting with Taliban Unlikely to reveal useful info about Taliban

  19. “Unlike in Kabul, down here there was no cosmopolitan culture to mask the widespread distrust of romantic love. Falling in love, in the Pashtun folk tales I heard and read, was generally linked to the great dishonor of adultery… ‘Most Pashtuns would not want their wives to be in love with them. If a woman falls in love once, she can fall in love again.’” • - Joel Hafvenstein, Opium Season

  20. TRIBAL HELMAND • 10 Pashtun tribes = 94% population • This is DurraniPashtun country! • Some Ghilzai as well • Significant rivalries across: • Tribes • Clans • ZirakDurranis dominate • PanjpaiDurranis stray toward Taliban • Sense of marginalization

  21. DURRANI CONFEDERATION

  22. ALKOZAI TRIBE • Dominate Sangin District • Keepers of tribal power balance • Rivalry with Barakzai • Occasional alliance with Popalzai • Powerful tribal militia

  23. ALKOZAI TRIBE

  24. ALIZAI TRIBE • Durrani Confederation • Located in: • Baghran • Musa Qala • NawZad • Kajaki Districts • Dominated Helmand until 1994 • Returned to power in 2001 • Reprisals taken against Eshaqzai, Kakar

  25. Allied with GIRoA Uncommitted

  26. ALIZAI FEUDING • Karzai is pro-Akhunzada • Creates problems with Alizai clans • Hassanzai – Khalozai feud: • Sher Mohamed AkhunzadavsRais al-Baghrani • Hassanzai – Pirzai feud • Akhuzadavs Mullah Abdul Salaam • Pirzai – Khalozai feud • Yet all three are pro-GIRoA • Feuds disrupts stability efforts

  27. BARAKZAI TRIBE • Durrani Confederation • Zirak Branch • Located in: • Nahrisarraj • LashkarGah • Naway-I Barakzai districts

  28. ESHAQZAI TRIBE • DurraniPanjpais • Found in: • Kandahar • Helmand • Farah • Badghis • Poorer, sense of marginalization • Once proud nomads, now settled • Called ‘Sogzai’ (‘Vegetable People’)

  29. ESHAQZAI TRIBE • Many relocated by Amir AbdurRahman • Competition with: • Alizai • Barakzai • Often linked to smuggling, drug trade • Occasionally hostile to Taliban • Fought Taliban, 1994-1995 • Taliban strongholds in Eshaqzai areas

  30. ESHAQZAI TRIBE Opposed to Alizai Lacks powerful leadership Located in NE Helmand Linked to opium business Very influential under Taliban Lost position in 2001

  31. ESHAQZAI CLANS

  32. NURZAI TRIBE • Mainly located in: • Garmsir • Washer Districts • Also found in Kandahar • Overall numbers: 1 million • Sense of marginalization • Ties to Taliban • Connections to smuggling • Drugs, guns, etc.

  33. HELMAND GHILZAIS

  34. HOTAK TRIBE • Claim ‘glorious legacy’ • Created empire in early C18 • Historical competitors: • Durrani • Tokhi & Kharoti • Mullah Omar’s tribe • Hotak & TokhiGhilzai: • Taliban recruiters

  35. HOTAK CLANS

  36. KHAROTI TRIBE • Part of Ghilzai Confederation • Traditional rivalries with: • Suleiman Khel • Waziris • Hotaks • Noted Kharotis: • GulbuddinHekmatyar (from Kunduz)

  37. TOKHI TRIBE • Found in: • Kandahar • Zabul • Uruzgan • Helmand • Occasional rivals of: • Hotakis • Kharotis • Once dominant Ghilzai tribe (C17)

  38. TOKHI CLANS

  39. NASIR TRIBE • Also: • Nasar • Ghilzai Confederation • Traditional Ghilzai ‘outliers’ • Found in: • Kandahar • Zabul • Ghazni • Paktika

  40. NASIR TRIBE • Historical feuds with: • Suleiman Khel • Once predominantly nomadic… • …then forcibly resettled by Kabul • Reign of Amir AbdurRahman (late C19)

  41. SULEIMANKHEL TRIBE Ghilzai Confederation Located in NE Helmand Ties to Taliban

  42. KAKAR TRIBE • Ghurghusht Confederation • Also includes Safis, MusakKhel • Historical low-status tribe • Found in: • Kandahar • Zabul • Numerous Taliban links

  43. KAKAR TRIBE • Reported adversaries of Alizais (Durrani) • Famous Kakars: • Mullah Dadullah • Muhammad Rabbani (former PM of Afghanistan) • Abdul Ghani Khan (writer and nationalist)

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