{"id":70443,"date":"2018-02-01T17:30:14","date_gmt":"2018-02-01T17:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/01\/us-officials-push-back-against-report-on-losses-in-afghanistan\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:51:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:51:14","slug":"us-officials-push-back-against-report-on-losses-in-afghanistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/02\/01\/us-officials-push-back-against-report-on-losses-in-afghanistan\/","title":{"rendered":"US officials push back against report on losses in Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NATO\u2019s Resolute Support<\/a> mission in Afghanistan remains undeterred by Taliban activity<\/a> as it heads into 2018, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A recent report by the BBC<\/a> stating that the insurgent group threatens 70 percent of Afghanistan<\/a> \u201coverstates their influence,\u201d Navy Capt. Tom Gresback, director of public affairs for Resolute Support, told Military Times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat really matters is not the number of districts held, but population controlled. [Resolute Support] assesses that around 12 [percent] of the population is actually under full Taliban control, even if the number of districts and ground held is greater than this,\u201d Gresback said.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also noted that in 2017, the Taliban failed to deliver on their stated aims to retake provincial and district centers<\/a>. Instead, the group is \u201crestricted to terrorizing the countryside,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In between the optimism and dire predictions, are reports out of Afghan provinces that boil the 16-year-old war<\/a> down to a stalemate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farah province<\/a>, for one, has been plagued by protests amid deteriorating security and overrun government checkpoints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a series of failures there, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani appointed a new governor to the province: retired Lt. General Abdul Basir Salangi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith the recent arrival of reinforcements, I have a plan to coordinate a full-scale joint Afghan forces operation in the province to push the Taliban out of the province, and bring peace back,\u201d Salangi said in an interview with Voice of America<\/a>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Targeting civilians<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research done by the BBC highlighted the Taliban\u2019s method of taxation, which involves extorting cash from the civilian populace as a condition of providing electricity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“They are charging people for the electricity that we supply!” one chief of a southern district said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report added that evidence of a tax hike by the Taliban was seen across Afghanistan. In districts where they have an open presence, militants forcefully tax farmers, business owners and commercial goods convoys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Taliban is not using those funds to pay for basic services such as hospitals and schools, according to the BBC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is a criminal network, not a government in waiting,\u201d Gresback said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Taliban and other insurgent groups, such as the Haqqani network, have stepped up attacks in 2017. However, those attacks largely focus on creating civilian casualties<\/a>, according to Resolute Support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn 2017, the Taliban killed more than 2,000 innocent civilians to include women and children,\u201d Gresback said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Afghan special forces arrive, as they launch a counteroffensive to retake the city from Taliban insurgents, in Kunduz on Septmber 29, 2015. The Afghan army on September 29 launched a counter-offensive to retake Kunduz from the Taliban, a day after insurgents overran the strategic northern city. AFP PHOTO \/ Nasir WaqifNASIR WAQIF\/AFP\/Getty Images ORIG FILE ID: 544817681<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Officials involved in the U.S. mission to Afghanistan maintain that the Taliban\u2019s strikes against civilians betray their vulnerability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Taliban\u2019s tactics were described yesterday on the BBC by the U.S. Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan as, \u2018a manifestation of the Taliban\u2019s weakening position on the battlefield, thanks to the increase in forces and authorities introduced by President Trump\u2019s South Asia Strategy,\u2019\u201d Gresback said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A criminal insurgency<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Trump\u2019s South Asia Policy<\/a> involves a U.S. troop surge<\/a> in Afghanistan, as well as affording more authority and resources to battlefield commanders, according to the White House<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Coalition will not relent in its pursuit of Haqqani and Taliban criminals, regardless of where they are. We are with the people of Afghanistan, and we will stay with them,\u201d Gresback said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t