PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTAN Nimruz
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PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTAN Nimruz
description
PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTAN Nimruz. OVERVIEW. Module introduces you to Nimruz Emphasis on: Geography & topography Human terrain Recent history Economics Politics Security situation District levels. BLOCK 1: GEOGRAPHY. GEOGRAPHY. Location: Southern Afghanistan Borders Iran & Pakistan - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTAN Nimruz
PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTANNimruz
Module introduces you to NimruzEmphasis on:
Geography & topographyHuman terrainRecent historyEconomicsPoliticsSecurity situationDistrict levels
OVERVIEW
BLOCK 1: GEOGRAPHY
Location: Southern Afghanistan
Borders Iran & PakistanArea: 20,980 square milesTerrain:
Mostly flat desert terrainMargow, Khash, Gowd-e Zereh desertsHelmand, Farah & Khashrud RiversSalt flats
GEOGRAPHY
Zerch Depression
Helmand RiverGowd-e Zereh Desert
Margow Desert
Khash
Riv
er
KhashDesert
IRAN
PAKISTAN
Helmand
Farah
Fara
h Riv
er
DUST STORM
Relies on river-fed irrigation2-3 inches of rain/yr average
Recent years: only 1/10 inchMain sources of water:
HelmandKhash…all but dried up
Causing increasing desertificationDam Helmand River? Iran opposed
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
BLOCK 2: HUMAN TERRAIN
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Female MaleBoth
Year
Pop
ula
tion
(1
,00
0s)
Transfers of Delaram District
POPULATION DATA
Population: 150,00095% rural
Ethnic composition:Baluch majorityBrahuiPashtun
NurzaiKuchi
Tajiks
Languages: Pashto, Baluch
HUMAN TERRAIN
Tajik
Baluch, BrahuiNurzai
Mixed Durrani
Source: Naval Postgraduate School
Speak Indo-European languageRelated to Farsi, Kurdish
Found in NimruzAlso found in:
HelmandKandahar
States with large Baluch populations:IranPakistan
BALUCH
Historical pattern:Pakistani Baluch uprisings Pak army crushes themBaluch leaders flee to AfghanistanLeaders find support from Afghan officialsPakistan complainsProxy wars renewed
Iran Baluch also increasingly restless
BALUCH (Cont’d)
Taliban primarily Pashtun insurgencyClose ties between Baluch and PashtunsBut no Baluch in senior Taliban leadershipAlliance of convenience:
Many Baluch = smugglersTaliban rely on them to smuggle drugsDrugs help fuel insurgencyBaluch know terrain of Nirmuz
BALUCH AND INSURGENCY
Small minority ethnic groupCo-ethnics in Iran and Pakistan
Found in:KandaharHelmandNimruzFarah
Tribally based
BRAHUI
SunniSpeak Dravidian tongue
Incomprehensible to Baluch, PashtunsRelatives in India
Heavily reliant on smuggling
BRAHUI
Brahui
MAIN BRAHUI TRIBES
NURZAI TRIBE
Durrani PanjpaiNumbers: around 1 millionFound in:
KandaharHelmandFarahHeratZabulNimruz
Durrani
Panjpai
Nurzai
NURZAI TRIBE
Poorer, disenfranchisedSense marginalizationTrading, smuggling, drugsTribal opponents:
Achekzais
Close links to TalibanHafiz Abdur Majid (Shura Council)Haji Bashir Nurzai (in U.S. prison)
Nurzai
BLOCK 3: HISTORY
EARLY HISTORY
Astride key trade routesPersia-India
Saffarid Dynasty861-1003 ADCapital in ZaranjFounder: Yaqub bin Laith al-Saffar
Humble origins – a coppersmithEmpire included parts of Persia, India
Language of rule: Persian
TAMERLANE
Timur-e LangTurkish/Mongolian origins1370: proclaimed emperor at Balkh1398: sacked DelhiDestroyed Helmand River irrigationResult:
Population declineDesertificationSistan basin has never recovered…
Minor insurgency in 1980sNot major war theater
Ambushed Soviet/DRA convoysOn Ring RoadDelaram-Zaranj highwayExploited local terrain of canals, ditches
Active parties in 1980s, 1990sHarakat-e Inqilabi (Mohammadi)Hezb-e Islami Khalis
RECENT HISTORY
Spring 1995: Taliban shift westMoved along Kandahar-Herat highwayHeavy fighting around Delaram
Taliban vs Ismail Khan’s forces
Many local Pashtuns defect to TalibanInitial Taliban setback around ShindandRetreat to KandaharThen recovered Nimruz, September 1995
COME THE TALIBAN
India paved Delaram-Zaranj road215 km - crosses Nimruz ProvinceLinks Iran’s Chahbahar-Zaranj road
Work completed Jan 2009Insurgents attacked contractorsPakistani suspicion:
India & Iran cooperationGoal: divert traffic to ChahbaharGoal: weaken Pak Gwadar portGoal: Indian goods to Afghanistan
INDIAN SUCCESS STORY
BLOCK 4: ECONOMY
Smuggling dominantOilPoppy
Agricultural economy:Drought = major problemBased on Helmand RiverWheat, corn & poppiesAnimal husbandry
Remittances from Iran very importantTrade with Iran
ECONOMY
BLOCK 5: POLITICS
Born in 1955 in NimruzBrahuiMuj commander against SovietsCommander ‘Southern Front’
Opposed Taliban
1995:Retreated to Iran after Taliban 1995 advance
Minister for Refugees (2009-2010)
GOVERNOR KARIM BRAHUI
Haji Juma KhanOne time drug lord & smuggler
Contacts in Iran, Turkey, Dubai, Pakistan
Reportedly born in NimruzBrahui tribeHeadquarters were in ZaranjLarge drug convoys through Iran to Turkey
Also down to Makran coast and then to UAE
Extradited to US, indicted for drug trafficking
INFAMOUS CITIZEN
BLOCK 6: SECURITY
Ring road: key insurgent targetCrossed Nimruz at Delaram
Most attacks in south focused on Zaranj
Suicide bombing attempt in Zaranj, Dec 2008Suicide bombing in Zaranj, Jan 2009
10 killed, 20 wounded
Suicide bombing in Zaranj, May 201013 dead
No PRT, foreign troops
NIMRUZ SECURITY
BLOCK 7: DISTRICTS
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT
Sub-Governor (woluswal)Police ChiefNDS OfficerSome Ministry sub-DepartmentsTaliban shadow governments
Also called CharborjakLocation: central Nimruz
Area: 21,864 sq km
Borders Iran and PakistanTerrain:
Desert plain
CHAHAR BURJA DISTRICT: Geography
District center: Chahar BorjakVillages: 65Est. population: 8,200Ethnicity:
Baluch majorityBrahuiPashtuns
CHAHAR BURJA DISTRICT: Human
Terrain
Crops:WheatPoppy
Animal husbandry:GoatsSheepCamels
CHAHAR BURJA DISTRICT: Economy
Other:Smuggling (poppy/heroin)Poppy cultivation & processingRemittances from IranReported untapped oil reserves
CHAHAR BURJA DISTRICT: Economy
Education:Primary schools: 9Secondary schools: 1
Health care:Clinics: 3Common diseases:
Diarrhea, tuberculosis, pneumonia
Transportation:Graveled roads: 180 km
CHAHAR BURJA DISTRICT:
Development
2004: Haji Juma Khan bought Rudbar village
Located in eastern Chahar BurjaLies astride roads to tri-border area
Intended to hand it over to his tribeCultivate poppy and wheat
Considerable sums spent on:Irrigation canalsCreation of artificial lakeElectricity generatorsPalm trees
CHAHAR BURJA & POPPY
Also ChakhansorLocation: northern NimruzBorders:
Helmand provinceFarah province
Area: 9,699 square kilometersTerrain:
Desert plain
CHAKANSUR DISTRICT
District center: Chaksanur (pop. 500)Villages: 160Est. population: 11,165Ethnicity:
PashtunBaluchTajikHazara
CHAKANSUR DISTRICT: Human Terrain
Crops:WheatMelonsVegetablesPoppy
Animal husbandry:GoatsSheepCamels
CHAKANSUR DISTRICT: Economy
Other:Poppy cultivationSmugglingRemittances from Iran
CHAKANSUR DISTRICT: Economy
Education:Primary schools: 6Secondary schools: 2
Health care:Comprehensive Health Center: 1Basic Health Center: 10
CHAKANSUR DISTRICT: Development
2007: Transferred to FarahTransfer completed?
Location:Northern NimruzLies on Kandahar-Herat highwayJunction for highway to Zaranj
Terrain:Desert plain
DELARAM DISTRICT: Geography
District center: DelaramEst. population: ?Ethnicity:
Pashtun
DELARAM DISTRICT: Human Terrain
Crops:WheatBarley
Animal husbandry:GoatsSheep
Other:Trade and commerceSmuggling (especially poppy/heroin)
DELARAM DISTRICT: Economy
Insurgent-dominated areaSignificant fighting in 2008-09ANP undermanned, lacking firepowerMarch 2010: Marines deploy to DelaramMay 2011: District chief arrested for drug traffickingHandover of FOB Delaram to ANA
DELARAM DISTRICT: Security
http://www.dvidshub.net/video/99769/afghan-army-takes-lead-delaram-securityhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbiQVtkmqrA
VIDEO CLIP
Location: central NimruzIncludes Lake Pushak……which is all but dried up
Borders IranArea: 1,250 sq kmTerrain:
Desert, semi-desert plain
KANG DISTRICT: Geography
District center: KangVillages: 119Est. population: 14,000Ethnicity:
PashtunBaluchTajik
KANG DISTRICT: Human Terrain
Crops:BarleyMaizeWheatMelonsMilletPoppy
KANG DISTRICT: Economy
Animal husbandry:GoatsSheep
Other:SmugglingPoppy cultivationRemittances from Iran
KANG DISTRICT: Economy
Development data:Primary schools: 9Health care:
Hospitals: 1
KANG DISTRICT: Development
Location: northern NimruzTerrain:
Desert, semi-desert plainMountains
Est. population: 35,000Ethnicity:
PashtunNurzai
KHASH ROD DISTRICT
Economy:SmugglingPoppyRemittances from Iran, PakistanPomegranates, wheat, maize, grapes
(when there is water)
Politics: District Sub-Governor: Hashim Nurzai
KHASH ROD DISTRICT
Location: central NimruzBorders IranTerrain:
Desert, semi-desert plain
District center: ZaranjEst. population: 49,000Ethnicity: Baluch, Tajik, Pashtun
ZARANJ DISTRICT
Economy:Trade & commerceSmugglingPoppy cultivationRemittances from IranWheat, maize, melons, watermelonsIranians electrify city
ZARANJ DISTRICT
