With new tactics, Taliban gain ground in south Afghanistan

Stars and Stripes/AP report ^ | 6/3/16 | MIRWAIS KHAN and LYNNE O'DONNELL

[combat_boots]

KABUL, Afghanistan — In the rugged terrain of the Taliban heartland in southern Afghanistan, the fight against Kabul has become a war for control of key stretches of main roads and highways as the insurgents use a new tactic to gain ground.

First they storm a checkpoint, kill all the policemen, seize their weapons and equipment and effectively cut off the main road to a remote village. They raise the white Taliban flag and plant roadside bombs to prevent cars from coming through the checkpoint. Any vehicle that attempts to pass through is either blown up or attacked, residents and local leaders say.

Then they wait. Faced with shortages of basic food items and price hikes as their supplies dwindle, the villagers are eventually forced to abandon their homes and to move to a place where they can afford to eat and live. Most sneak out on foot or on donkeys through backroads and mountain paths, leaving many of their belongings behind.

Though the new tactic may be obviously simple, it has helped the Taliban gain ground — albeit at a slower pace than a deadly, surprise raid on an entire village.

[combat_boots]

The Spring offensive has begun.

[2banana]

I guess (for the villagers) picking up your guns and killing the Taliban never occurred to them...

[LeonardFMason]

The Solution: DEATH FROM AFAR

When bodies start dropping and a few heads start exploding the will to assault these checkpoints would fade quickly.

[Bogey78O]

So... Siege warfare

[IronJack]

What use is abandoned territory? Sure, the Taliboneheads can mark it off on a map, assuming any of those filthy pig-hosers can read one, but so what? It’s just more useless real estate to defend. They don’t derive any benefit from it, do they?