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Helicopter rumours refuse to die
MAZAR-E-SHARIF - Persistent accounts of Western forces in Afghanistan using their helicopters to ferry Taliban fighters, strongly denied by the military, is feeding mistrust of the forces that are supposed to be bringing order to the country.
One such tale came from a soldier from the 209th Shahin Corps of the Afghan National Army, fighting against the growing insurgency in Kunduz province in northern Afghanistan. Over several months, he had taken part in several pitched battles against the armed opposition.
"Just when the police and army managed to surround the Taliban in a village of Qala-e-Zaal district, we saw helicopters land with support teams," he said. "They managed to rescue their friends rom our encirclement, and even to inflict defeat on the Afghan National Army."
This story, in one form or another, is being repeated throughout northern Afghanistan. Dozens of people claim to have seen Taliban fighters disembark from foreign helicopters in several provinces. The local talk is of the insurgency being consciously moved north, with international troops ferrying fighters in from the volatile south, to create mayhem in a new location.
For months or even years, rumours have been circulating in Afghanistan that the Taliban are being financed or even directly supported militarily by the foreign forces.
In part it stems from an inability to believe that major foreign armies cannot defeat a ragtag bunch of insurgents; in addition, Afghanistan has been a centre of foreign intrigue for so long that belief in plots comes naturally to many war-weary Afghans.
The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said insurgents are being airlifted from the southern province of Helmand to the north amid increasing violence in the northern parts of the country. The aircraft used for the transfer have been identified as British Chinook helicopters. The officials said Sultan Munadi, an Afghan interpreter who was kidnapped along with his employer, New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell, was killed by a "British sniper" as commandos executed a rescue operation to free Farrell.
They said Munadi was targeted for possessing documents and pictures pointing at the British military's involvement in the transfer operation. The Afghan journalist also had evidence of the involvement of the foreign forces in Afghanistan in the tensions that rocked China's Xinjiang autonomous region in July, the diplomats said.
American forces have also invigorated the insurgency in the war-ravaged country by outfitting the Taliban with Russian-made weaponry used during the 1979-89 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which was fought against by the Afghan Mujahedeen, the diplomats said. The US forces are assumed to have gathered the armaments during a campaign to "collect weapons from irresponsible people," after the 2001 invasion. Diplomats said Afghan Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar, a Pashtun who has received his higher education in the UK, was still operating under the British guidance.
The United States has handed over four cargo helicopters to Pakistan on Wednesday. The four MI-17 cargo helicopters were handed over to Pakistan Army at the Charklala airbase, said the report. The helicopters will be used for fight against terrorism and to help the affecters in the conflict areas where the military operation is going on against militants in the northwest.
Originally posted by SLAYER69
S & F
Here is one possible answer.
They witnessed the military choppers dropping off our Spies/Soldiers/Counter insurgents dressed in traditional garb. Dropped off to set out on their missions. If this is the case it's no wonder why the military would deny such activity.
Just a thought.
Just when the police and army managed to surround the Taliban in a village of Qala-e-Zaal district, we saw helicopters land with support teams," he said. "They managed to rescue their friends from our encirclement, and even to inflict defeat on the Afghan National Army."
Originally posted by dooper
That's just me.
Based on personal experience.
Originally posted by SLAYER69
S & F
Here is one possible answer.
They witnessed the military choppers during Insertion/Extraction of our Spies/Soldiers/Counter insurgents dressed in traditional garb. Dropped off to set out on their missions or retrieval. If this is the case it's no wonder why the military would deny such activity.
Just a thought.
[edit on 31-10-2009 by SLAYER69]