How to Stop the Taliban in Afghanistan's Most Crucial Province

Ahmad Murid Partaw

Security, Asia

Winning Helmand is essential to long-term Afghan peace.

Helmand, one of the largest provinces of Afghanistan, has long been considered the center of gravity of the Taliban insurgency. This is because of its strategic significance both in terms of economics and politics. From an economic point of view, Helmand is an arable region, producing more than 90 percent of Afghanistan’s opium cultivation. The harvest of opium has created a substantial amount of revenue and has been fueling the Taliban’s war machine since its defeat in 2001. In terms of political significance, controlling a vast province such as Helmand with Lashkar Gah, its capital city, along with fourteen districts will politically strengthen the Taliban. In addition, from a military perspective, governing an urban area with potential for economic and political prominence would be a major victory over the fragile Afghan government.

More importantly, it will negatively affect the peace process, which remains the only solution to end the Afghan conflict. Additionally, any momentous success by the Taliban against the Afghan army would weaken the government’s ability to negotiate from a position of strength. For this reason, the prospect of a political settlement will remain even gloomier in case the Taliban take more territory.

With Helmand seeing of fierce battle in recent days, Afghan defense and security forces are struggling to hold firm against the Taliban. It has been reported that the insurgents have made rapid advances in several of Helmand’s districts, such as Nawa, Nad Ali, Garmsir and parts of Musa Qala. One could argue that the Taliban are gaining momentum due to the premature withdrawal of the U.S. and coalition forces from the province in early 2014. This created an enormous security vacuum—not only in Helmand, but also in the entire south. Helmand should have never left the Afghan and coalition forces’ sights after the bulk of international troops withdrew. And the Afghan security forces stationed in the province must have been adequately supported, in terms of equipment, logistics and intelligence. After all, the lack of support by Afghans as well U.S. and NATO forces led to the territory falling into the hands of the Taliban.