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### Viewing cable 07KABUL2249, PRT URUZGAN: CHORA LEADERS SPEAK TO AFGHAN

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
07KABUL2249 | 2007-07-12 14:02 | 2011-01-25 18:06 | SECRET//NOFORN | Embassy Kabul

`

    VZCZCXRO0785
    OO RUEHDBU RUEHPW
    DE RUEHBUL #2249/01 1931435
    ZNY SSSSS ZZH
    O 121435Z JUL 07
    FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9105
    INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
    RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
    RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
    RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
    RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
    RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
    RHMFISS/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

` `

    S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 002249

    SIPDIS

    NOFORN
    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, SA/PB, S/CT,
    EUR/RPM
    STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
    NSC PASS FOR AHARRIMAN
    OSD FOR SHIVERS
    CENTCOM FOR CG CJTF-...

    115211
    2007-07-12
    07KABUL2249
    Embassy Kabul
    SECRET//NOFORN

    S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 002249

    SIPDIS

    NOFORN
    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, SA/PB, S/CT,
    EUR/RPM
    STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
    NSC PASS FOR AHARRIMAN
    OSD FOR SHIVERS
    CENTCOM FOR CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2017
    TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC MARR AF IR
    SUBJECT: PRT URUZGAN: CHORA LEADERS SPEAK TO AFGHAN
    INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

    Classified By: PolCouns Sara Rosenberry for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

    -------
    SUMMARY
    -------

    ¶1. (C) On July 6, Chora district and tribal leaders met at
    the district center with a team from the Afghan Independent
    Human Rights Commission investigating civilian losses in the
    June fight for Chora. Their message was clear and measured,
    devoid of the histrionics or exaggeration and blame for ISAF
    that have characterized statements made by Governor Monib, MP
    Abdul Khaliq Khan, and others. Chora's leaders made three
    main points. The fight took a heavy toll on civilians in the
    area but Chora leaders spoke only of total losses. Many
    ISAF-caused civilian losses resulted from the Taliban's
    tactic of fighting from positions where civilians were
    present. Dutch forces must not be withdrawn from Chora as
    this would trigger Taliban re-infiltration into the area
    which will result in the cycle of violence repeating itself.
    END SUMMARY

    Background
    ----------

    ¶2. (SBU) PRTOFF traveled via helicopter to Chora July 6
    with a 4-member review team from the Afghan Independent Human
    Rights Commission (AIHRC). The team traveled to Uruzgan to
    investigate civilian losses during the fight for Chora June
    15-19 (along with several UNAMA representatives). UNAMA
    spoke to provincial government officials in Tarin Kowt and
    stayed at Governor Monib's compound but did not go along to
    Chora, citing security concerns. The AIHRC team and PRTOFF
    met with District Chief Mohammad Ibrahim and about 20 tribal
    leaders. We also spoke to doctors from the Chora clinic,
    select civilian victims, and the ANA deployed in Chora. The
    team had sent word they expected to also meet with District
    Chief of Police Mohammed Gul but he was not at the meeting.

    The Civilian Toll
    -----------------

    ¶3. (SBU) The tribal leaders briefed the team on losses
    suffered by the local civilian population. They claimed
    that 87 civilians were killed and 50-60 compounds and
    approximately 2800 kg of wheat were destroyed. (Note: The
    number of civilian deaths is thought by Task Force Uruzgan
    analysts to be too high because it likely includes fighting
    age males dressed in civilian garb who were more likely
    combatants. End Note) They stated that most civilians were
    killed in houses destroyed by shelling from three sources:
    aerial bombardment from ISAF aircraft, artillery fired from
    the Dutch Panzer Howitzer in Tarin Kowt, and rockets fired by
    the Taliban's BM1 and BM12. Their stories were consistent
    with other accounts of the fighting known to PRTOFF. Local
    leaders recounted the events in a calm, matter-of-fact manner
    with little of the emotion or exaggeration that often
    accompanies shura discussions of highly charged topics.
    Their presentation stood in sharp contrast to petulant
    statements made by Governor Monib and other leaders such as
    Abdul Khaliq Khan, member of the Wolsei Jirga for Uruzgan who
    is from Chora. They accused ISAF of causing too many losses
    to local civilians with heavy-handed tactics, while
    simultaneously complaining bitterly of insufficient ISAF
    responses to defend Chora. They also want more offensive
    action against Taliban bases allegedly far removed from
    population centers.

    Taliban Tactics Put Civilians in Harms Way
    ------------------------------------------

    ¶4. (SBU) Leaders declined to comment when asked by the team
    to say what part of the damage was caused by ISAF. Instead,
    they provided examples and spoke of locals killed by Taliban
    before and during the battle, such as the beheadings of two

    KABUL 00002249 002 OF 003

    militia members loyal to pro-GOA militia leaders in the days
    leading up to the Taliban's big attack June 16. They also
    talked vividly about Taliban tactics that purposely put
    civilians in danger of ISAF counterattacks (bombs and direct
    fire). For example, in the village of Qal'a-i-Ragh, one
    villager (Jano Aqa) said that Taliban fighting in and around
    his compound led ISAF to target the location, killing 18
    members of his family and hospitalizing Aqa. In another
    case, as local residents were leaving the district center to
    return to their homes at the urging of local leaders, Taliban
    fired an RPG at a nearby Dutch armored vehicle, reportedly
    triggering renewed ISAF fire and causing residents to once
    again seek refuge and to refuse to return to their homes.

    Dear Dutch, Please Don't Go
    ---------------------------

    ¶5. (SBU) During the shura, the leaders expressed their
    fear that the Taliban would likely attack Chora again this
    summer. They noted that Taliban had returned to their
    sanctuaries to the north in Gizab and to the south in the
    Baluchi pass, as well as in the Darefshan Valley to regroup.
    They implored the international troops to either bring
    security to this area or tell us to leave.

    ¶6. (C) At the end of the shura, while victims were talking
    to the human rights commission representatives, two tribal
    leaders approached PRTOFF to press the point further. They
    believed the Dutch were under pressure from President Karzai
    and Governor Monib to abandon the district center building
    (aka White Compound) where the Dutch camp out when in Chora
    and that this was the cause of Dutch plans to remove their
    troops, leaving only ANSF to maintain security. (Note: Dutch
    occupation of this USAID-funded government building has
    indeed been a bone of contention with the district chief and
    provincial governor, but the Dutch are willing to move if
    allowed to rent a nearby compound in reasonable condition for
    a reasonable price. End Note.) They argued that the ANSF
    were not yet strong enough in numbers or ability to repel the
    expected renewed Taliban push into the area. If the Dutch
    leave as they did in May, the tribal leaders assessed that
    the Taliban will inevitably try to take the district center
    once again, necessitating the Dutch to fight hard to regain
    lost ground, bombard the area and kill civilians, thus
    repeating the cycle. If the Dutch stayed, the tribal leaders
    argued, the cycle of violence remains broken and local
    residents can get back to normal life. Later in the week,
    Chora leaders reportedly sent a letter to President Karzai
    making similar arguments for retaining ISAF's presence in the
    vicinity.

    ¶7. (S/NF) The Dutch commander indeed had stated his intent
    to withdraw from Chora by July 12. However, on Saturday,
    July 7, the TFU command staff reversed this position and
    decided to maintain a permanent presence in Chora for the
    time being. The Dutch will continue to secure Chora while
    local police are trained and more Afghan forces are sought
    for the province and the Chora area in particular.

    Iranian Training Bases in Gizab
    -------------------------------

    ¶8. (C/REL NATO/AUS) Local leaders claimed that people
    traveling through Chora from Gizab district told them that
    Iranians were training Taliban fighters in Gizab. One person
    well known to the PRT said the training camp was in Beirai
    (phonetic), a village in a Hazara area of Gizab, but the
    tribal leaders were unable to provide more specific
    information. (Note: Gizab has been under Taliban control
    since March 2006; there is no GOA presence there, and no
    Afghan or international forces have attempted to address this
    problem to date. End Note)

    Comment
    -------

    KABUL 00002249 003 OF 003

    ¶9. (S/NF) Chora leaders' decision to take a factual,
    pragmatic approach makes their story and pleas all the more
    credible. They seem to instinctively realize that it is not
    in their interest to complain loudly about civilian losses.
    And they are right. The political backlash this would cause
    here and in the Netherlands could force the Dutch military to
    end their current presence in the area, leaving residents
    once again vulnerable to Taliban attack. In fact, Chora
    leaders now are lobbying the Dutch to establish an
    international forward operating base in the area and have
    volunteered to provide land for the purpose. The Dutch are
    not inclined to do so, feeling that such a base would tax
    their resources beyond acceptable limits. However, they are
    beginning to consider the possibility of suggesting that the
    GOA establish an ANA base there supported by Dutch trainers.
    Regardless of what action is taken, all seem to have realized
    that local residents and international troops alike are
    better off continuing to work together in Chora to keep the
    Taliban out.

    WOOD

`