Afghan Border Police

Power struggle challenges Afghan Border Police

By Dan Lamothe on October 10, 2012 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism

PATROL BASE GHARDAI, Afghanistan – In two embedded assignments in Helmand province this year, I’ve heard a lot from Marines about how much the Afghan National Security Forces have improved. Frequently, that holds true. Generally, they seem far more willing to patrol and stand up to the Taliban now than they did in 2010, when I saw regular tensions between Marines and soldiers with the Afghan National Army in Marjah, a district that was rife with violence at the time. Sometimes, you see the flip side, though. And today was one of those days. A team with Marine Border Adviser…

Marine patrol in Afghanistan gets its feet wet

By Dan Lamothe on October 8, 2012 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Infantry

TAGHAZ, Afghanistan – Sometimes, you have to get a little muddy in life. That’s a good lesson learned in Afghanistan, at least. It came up today while on foot patrol in this area with members of Marine Border Adviser Team 1, as they pushed on foot from their outpost in southern Helmand province to a nearby tactical checkpoint that members of the Afghan Border Police call home. It wasn’t a long patrol, to be certain. We hiked perhaps a mile from Combat Outpost Taghaz in Khanashin district to the checkpoint, maneuvering past camels, sheep, scraggly bushes -– and through a…

Afghan police commander faces tough job

By Dan Lamothe on October 7, 2012 Afghanistan, Allies and training, Embedded journalism

KHANASHIN, Afghanistan – From behind his wooden desk, Lt. Col. Rasoul held court for hours today, answering Marine questions about everything from his unit’s recent operations to insurgent activity in the region. The short, bearded commander of the Afghan Border Police unit here meets with Marine Border Adviser Team 1 regularly near the village of Taghaz, discussing the way ahead as their partnership evolves. The advisers –- attached to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines -– are gradually pulling back from assisting with day-to-day operations for the ABP battalion as the U.S. drawdown continues, and Rasoul knows it. Photographer Colin Kelly and…

A day with the Afghan Border Police

By Dan Lamothe on October 5, 2012 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Infantry

KHANASHIN, Afghanistan – The Marines pushed out here early this morning, making their way to two Afghan Border Police outposts at the edge of a desolate wasteland desert. The convoys from Combat Outpost Payne have become routine, said Capt. Alexis Miguel, assistant team leader for Border Adviser Team 2, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines. The advisers are primarily from Camp Pendleton, Calif., and attached to 3/8 in the field this summer. The shift to having Afghan National Security Forces in the lead providing their nation’s security has changed the way the advisers do business. They used to live alongside the border…

Three years of Afghan troops attacking ISAF forces

By Dan Lamothe on June 1, 2011 Afghanistan, Infantry

An email today from retired Marine 1st Sgt. John Bernard prompted me to think that it’d be a good idea to share on Battle Rattle the recent history of Afghan forces attacking the NATO troops training them. It’s an uneasy partnership that I covered in Afghanistan, and have continued to take an interest in as the attacks mount. The most recent attack occurred Monday in Uruzgan province. A member of the Afghan National Army allegedly shot an Australian military trainer three times, killing him. It’s at least the 17th time that coalition troops have been killed by Afghans in uniform…

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