KABUL, 16 August 2004 — With Afghanistan’s historic presidential elections just weeks away, a battle that has broken out for control of the country’s western provinces highlights how difficult it will be to provide security for the vote, analysts say.
The fighting Saturday erupted between forces loyal to military strongman Ismael Khan, the ethnic Tajik governor of the most prosperous city in Afghanistan, and militias commanded by a rival warlord.
Over 20 people have been killed so far in the conflict which pits the governor’s men in Shindand and Chisti districts in Herat province against militias loyal to rival commander Amanullah Khan, an ethnic Pashtun.
It is unclear which side started the battle but forces from three surrounding provinces launched a combined attack on Shindand airport and its surroundings.
“We’ve got coalitions of forces from (the provinces of) Ghor, Badgdis, Farah, and an almost encirclement of Herat. It appears to be a coordinated consortium of forces,” said Nick Downie, security coordinator for the Afghanistan NGO Security Office.
Sporadic fighting between local factional commanders in western Afghanistan has intensified in recent months forcing foreign aid organizations to roll back their presence in the country’s west which had previously been considered safe. Last month Medecins San Frontieres quit Afghanistan following the murder of five of their staff in western Badghis province in June.
There were a number of skirmishes between militias in neighboring Ghor province last month, with an attack on a disarmament convoy aiming to demobilize local fighters in which three US soldiers were injured.
Downie said that for militias hostile to Ismael Khan to be showing their hand so close to the election, they must believe they have a chance of success.
“I think this is a point of no return for those forces. They must believe they have good chances, because they are exposing themselves,” he said. Late Saturday, President Hamid Karzai’s office issued an unusually strong statement condemning the fighting and saying it was the “government’s duty to prevent any kind of threats” to the country’s first presidential elections on Oct. 9.
“The government will respond to the situation in Shindand and Herat Province in a firm manner and serious measures will be taken against the latest military operations,” the statement said.
A senior Defense Ministry official told AFP that government forces would back Ismael Khan if the fighting intensified.
Around 900 people took to the streets of Herat Saturday against lack of central government support, carrying banners: “Death to the Central Government” and “Why Does the Central Government Not Chop Off the Hands of those Who Attack Our Peaceful City.”
More demonstrations are planned although Herat city appeared quiet this morning, with Afghan National Army troops stationed at the city’s airport which remains quiet.
There have been long-standing tensions between Ismael Khan, who commands several million dollars every month from tax revenues on imports from neighboring Iran, and the cash-strapped central government which has failed to make provincial warlords pay their dues into Kabul’s coffers.
Ismael Khan, regarded as the richest man in Afghanistan and possibly the most powerful, has so far not publicly stated which candidate he will back in upcoming elections, while the government itself is in disarray.
Three of President Karzai’s senior ministers have withdrawn their support, with Education Minister Yunus Qanooni stepping down to run against him for president, and Defense Minister Mohammed Qasim Fahim and Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah publicly backing Qanooni. Factional fighting adds to the many security problems facing Afghanistan, which is also plagued by attacks from members of the ousted Taleban regime and its allies.
The Taleban have vowed to disrupt the presidential elections due in October. Parliamentary elections have been pushed back to April next year mainly due to security problems.
