Guerillas occupy most of Afghanistan

Guerillas occupy most of Afghanistan

Friday 11 September 2009
by Tom Mellen

Islamist guerillas now have a "permanent presence" in 80 per cent of Afghanistan, according to a top think tank.

The London-based International Council on Security and Development (ICOS) highlighted the "dramatic increase in the rate of insurgent attacks against international, Afghan government and civilian targets" in the north of Afghanistan, which was previously one of the most stable parts of the country.

ICOS policy analyst Alexander Jackson said: "The change in the last few months has been the deterioration of the situation in the north."

ICOS released a map showing the spread of Taliban influence to Balkh and Kunduz provinces, which lie on the Uzbek and Tajik borders.

It said that another 17 per cent of Afghanistan is experiencing "substantial" Taliban activity.

ICOS defined "permanent" presence as an average of one or more attacks a week and "substantial" as one or more attacks in an average month.

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/world/Guerillas-occupy-most-of-Afghanistan

Don't throw good money after bad, my dad used to say. Let's bring all of our troops home now!