Afghanistan: Kandahar Death Squads

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Afghanistan - Kandahar Death Squads - 11 min [18 May 2010]


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In a bold new offensive, US and NATO forces are turning to Afghan militias for help. More feared than the Taliban, and wearing the weapons and impunity of the US army - have they created a monster?

"The Americans were in charge, but it was our own people who did the dirty work", says Abdul Khaliq, remembering when an Afghan militia burst into his family home in Kandahar, and sprayed 200 bullets at his son, a suspected terrorist. They left his wife paralysed, and made off with the family's savings. Though NATO is increasingly reliant on irregular forces, as well as the Afghan Army and Police, they're well aware that 'militia' is a dirty word. A senior US military source explains how they've "turned [some militia] regular" with uniforms, training and identity badges. Despite this, the militia still retain loyalty to the warlords who recruited them and are "almost unaccountable" for their actions. The empowering of militia, thought to be responsible for assassinations and civilian killings, is a source of constant fear for locals: "If someone kills someone the government itself says don't touch him". But, according to one American diplomat, the dire and deteriorating state of security in Afghanistan, is forcing commanders to make compromises: "There is no choice but to deal with local power brokers and that means the warlords and their men".