Losing hearts and minds in Afghanistan
Amin Saikal; 4/10/08
Until a fortnight ago, the Australian troops deployed in Afghanistan to provide security and reconstruction had had a reasonably clean run. They had managed to distinguish themselves from their American counterparts by operating in ways that avoided antagonising the local population. But this approach was dealt a severe blow on September 19, when Australian SAS soldiers reportedly killed in a firefight an influential figure in Oruzgan Province. This incident received limited coverage in the Australian media, yet its significance must not be underestimated. The man killed was Rozi Khan, a respected tribal leader and the district governor of Chora, in Oruzgan. An ally of the US-backed Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, he was elected as the district leader of Chora in the area’s first free election in June, by a healthy majority.
Tags: Afghanistan, Australia, Terrorism, USA