SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
It has become precedent that Taliban launch spring offensive every year. Traditionally, the spring offensives have been the Taliban’s opportunity to “surge” against Kabul following a period of relative hibernation during the winter when most insurgents fall back to the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border. This past winter, the Taliban continued to stage attacks against the Afghan government well into the winter given that elections were upcoming. Just prior to the elections on April 5, Taliban insurgents attacked the Independent Election Commission, the Interior Ministry, and housing compounds. Additionally, the Taliban attacked civilian targets such as hotels and restaurants in an effort to create an air of insecurity in Kabul and other cities.
Taliban have threatened attacks across the entire country and this will be the first time in a decade that the Afghan National Army (ANA) will face the Taliban without the support of Nato troops, and much is riding on the outcome of this fight. The Nato mission formally ended in December 2014, but there is a residual force of foreign troops tasked with training and supporting local forces. The ANA is known to have a high rate of both desertion and defection, with trained soldiers changing sides. It is in many instances indifferently equipped and lacks air assets from remotely piloted drones to strike capability. By contrast, the Taliban remain well entrenched, are able to run parallel administrations in areas where they are dominant, they are well funded and trained and their morale is high. This year’s spring offensive additionally comes at a time when foreign forces in Afghanistan are getting ready to pack their bags and head home. According to General Joseph F. Dunford Jr., most U.S. forces will have to begin logistical preparations for departing Afghanistan. This sort of fighting was alluded to in the Taliban’s announcement of the spring offensive where they promised that attacks would focus on”large and well-fortified enemy bases,” aiming to”inflict maximum losses on the invaders while preventing corporeal and financial losses on ordinary citizens. This announcement would result in another killing spree and it would destabilize the country at a time when Afghanistan government is trying to take Taliban into confidence on future course of country.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
