Humanitarian assistance is dropped by parachutes from a small cargo plane and the material is taken care of. Blankets, rice, shoes and clothing are some of the items to be doled out around the central village of Nakah by the US troops who now have been here for a few days. The Afghan villagers watch, interested in what the foreigners are doing. Otherwise not much goes on around here.
At the district center in Nakah a so called "Combat outpost" has been established. The aim is, together with approximately twenty Afghan policemen and military, to show that they are able to control the area.
But it is not solely for a show of military strength the troops in the 503rd Airborne batallion came here. The troops also try to win the "hearts and minds" of the people by listening to their problems and needs. Two platoons later leave for a visit to some villages in the area.
The Nakah district is difficult to reach up in the high mountains in Paktika province in eastern Afghanistan. The area is inhabited by Pashtun tribes who are supportive of the Taliban movement which is said to operate freely over the border to Pakistan, about thirty kilometres east.
The 503rd Airborne makes out some of the 14 000 US troops in the 42 000 strong NATO-forces operating under a UN mandate. Additionally, USA keeps 13 000 soldiers waging a war on the Talian insurgency in the southeastern parts of Afghanistan.
The soldiers move up the valley. The peasants grow rice on the lower lying irrigated fields and keep sheep and goats higher up.
When they enter the first village, Staranara, the village council with the elders have already gathered.
1st Lt Joseph Corsi, 503rd Airborne Batallion
-Tell them that I brought the leaders from the coalition forces and that we would like to sit down and talk with them about how we can help their town throughout the winter.
-Ok.
-All right we will do it right here then. Tell them that we brought medicines, clothes and we would like to give that stuff out but it is a completely peaceful operation.
1st Lt Joseph Corsi, 503rd Airborne Batallion
-Hey can I have you take your guys and put some security up, especially near that building there with the black windows, that's the one that kind of worries me.
The Afghan soldiers take up guard positions together with the Americans among the houses. One part in fighting the Taliban insurgency is creating confidence for the Afghan security forces. This is probably the first time ever that Afghan government forces visits Nakah where the authorities can excert very little control. But the villagers promise to co-operate and report eventual insurgents.
interpreter
-If we see any criminal we will report there and we will let you know.
1st Lt Joseph Corsi, 503rd Airborne Batallion
-That's perfect. That is exactly the kind of relationship we want to have.
The Afghan government representative accompanying the soldiers arrive and greets the villagers and talk about their needs. Since several years, the Staranara village is in a conflict with the neighbouring village Zirok about rights to cut down forest.
village man, Staranara
-That was on the mountain and they killed three of us. Behind over there is just wilderness that belongs to no-one but we had conflict over that area. So they set up an ambush when we were coming on the road and killed three of us. After that there have been hostilities between us.
The American troops is offered tea. Zirok is a Taliban stronghold which makes the villagers in Staranara more prone to co-operate against the insurgents, but only if they get support in their conflict about the forest. This is one example of the difficulties in creating a lasting stability in the country.
Later te troops are back at the outpost. Radio contact with the headquarter is kept during all times and the approximately one hundred men live primitively here. They serve one year in Afghanistan and the 503rd Airborne has been attacked several times.
Suddenly a request from the headquarter comes on the radio. The neighbouring Combat outpost in Zirok has been attacked and needs help. Positions of the enemy, alleged Talibans, are given and counter-fire with a mortar is given.
Captain Sean Rufolo, 503rd Airborne Batallion
-We have one of our COP:s (Combat OutPost) approximately three miles to the east. They received nine mortar rounds and we are helping them out by firing at the enemy right now.
Ten mortar granates are fired at the enemy position. The Afghan troops watch the shots hit their targets.
A F-15 combat airplane flies over. If the outpost is attacked, air support can be called in. An airforce soldier keeps the communication.
Nothing more happens during the night but the troops are kept under high alert.
In the morning more visits to villages await. During a briefing the security routines are checked.
1st Lt Joseph Corsi, 503rd Airborne Batallion
-If we take contact we got the scouts up on hill 2676 which is the hilltop just behing the first village that we're going to hit and just east....
Attacks against Afghan civilians and security forces have increased. Last year more than 6000 were killed. To this adds the approximately 200 killed from the ISAF force, the international protection force, where the US troops take up a part.
Captain Sean Rufolo, 503rd Airborne Batallion
-In Zirok where we have a Combat Outpost there has been many attacks upwards of fifteen indirect fire attacks and then on the way to Zirok we have been ambushed or attacked many times, maybe twenty, in the past year.
The houses are just ruins. Most villagers have not returned from refuge in the neighbouring countries because there is no possibility to work and survive here. The assistance given out is gratefully received.
Nakah usually has a bustling market but when the US troops enter, people get cautious, like the soldiers. The villagers look at the international forces with great resentment and are equally suspicious towards the central government. Many here allegedly support and protect the Taliban insurgency who normally control the area.
All help could not be handed out in the villages. With donkeys the rest is picked up at the district center. A boy with an inflammation in the throat receieves medicin.
The people has to visit the district center for all concerns with the nominal authorities but few dare come here. The appointed district chief is frustrated.
Rooz-ulDin, district chief
-If I have the position as the chief of the district that means I should meet the people of the district. People here have lot's of problems and applications to the authorities but if they don't come here then my presence here is of no use.
More days pass with several village visits. Snow starts falling. The humanitarian campaing of the US troops have lasted eight days now. In total, seven villages were visited and almost two tonnes of food-stuffs and clothing were given out. The mission is accomplished. But the bad weather prevents the helicopters from flying the soldiers back. The mood is low when they walk back to the outpost.
But two days later the weather allows flights back to the main base. Material to be transported back is carried out to the helicopter landing-zone and the goods which will be left is burned not to fall into the hands of the enemy when the troops leave the district center. Only the Afghan policemen will stay here but they are not strong enough to cope with eventual Taliban insurgents in the area.
Captain Sean Rufolo, 503rd Airborne Batallion
-Because they are isolated and they are in an area where we cannot get to them very often and the government cannot support them very often and it is very difficult to be the sole supporter of the government and not to play both sides.
A heavy transport helicopter arrives. Ammunition and generators are loaded and the soldiers fly away in rounds. A ten day mission is over. Maybe the will among the population to co-operate with the government and to stand up against the Taliban insurgency population in this area has increased slightly.
Lennart Breggren