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By Army Sgt. Brandon Aird
173rd ABCT Public Affairs
KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan is covered with well-used dirt trails made by drug, timber and weapon smugglers. They smuggle goods across the rugged mountain border with no concern for the laws of either country.
Trying to secure these remote trails is an extremely difficult and daunting task. To completely stop the flow of illegal traffic between the two countries is nearly impossible due to the terrain of the Hindu Kush Mountain range.
The Afghan border police have a huge mission to accomplish. In the small town of Duahb in Kunar province, the ABP haven't stopped the flow of illegal traffic completely, but they have brought security to a region that hasn't known what it feels like to be safe in nearly 30 years.
The town of Duahb sits along the banks of two rivers that merge together. The town's name means "two rivers" in Pashto. The village is only a stone's throw away from Pakistan, just on the other side of the river.
Moloway Rustam is the village elder for Duahb and he stuck by his village through all of it: the Soviet invasion, the power hungry warlords and the fanatic Taliban regime. Rustam did not flee the country when others from his village did.
"When the Russians were here, they attacked us," Rustam explained. "So we joined the mujahedeen and attacked back."
When the Russians gave up their hope of a communist Afghanistan, they retreated back to their homeland and left Duahb in the hands of the local warlords who battled amongst themselves for power.
Eventually, the Taliban regime came into power driving out most of the warlords.
A few years after the fall of the Taliban, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan funded an Afghan border patrol, which is in the early stages of securing the eastern border.
Thanks to the 4th Kandak (battalion), 1st Afghan Border Patrol Brigade, for the first time in nearly 30 years, Duahb residents don't have to live in fear.
"Now people can work and not worry about being killed," said Afghan national army Pvt. Zakourullah, working with 4th Kandak, 1st ABPB.
Elements from Task Force Saber and soldiers from the ANA helped reinforce a 4th Kandak, 1st ABPB tactical checkpoint in Duahb June 18.
"We're looking to interdict smuggling; whether it is smuggling against the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan laws - timber smuggling, drug smuggling or Taliban moving back and forth between the countries," explained Army Capt. Eric Brown, who is an embedded tactical trainer with the ABP.
The ABP are dealing with numerous groups who are trying to disrupt the advancements being made in the area.
"In this area of operation we have a combination of factors," Brown said, who is a South Carolina native.
"You've got hard-core fighters, which are Taliban or al-Qaida, and then you also have the combination of local warlords, Mafioso types that are just trying to extort or establish themselves in a power factor," Brown said. "So they're trying to undermine the government just so they can make money off the local populace."
Brown is part of an International Security Assistance Force training team helping the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan build an effective border patrol.
"We started off by assessing the skills and systems they already have," said Master Sgt. Carlton Hylander, an ETT with the 4th Kandak, 1st ABPB. "From there we compared it to the American system, and we gave suggestions how to make their system better."
The ANA is also working with the ISAF training team to help build cohesion between the ANA and ABP, said Zakourullah.
"We've [ISAF] had embedded advisers with the Afghan national army for three years," Brown said. "We've had embedded advisers with the ABP for three months. It's a steep learning curve, but they're coming along."
One of the big issues for the ABP is lack of communication. They don't have fax, e-mail or phone capability. Trying to request supplies from higher command can be a difficult and very frustrating task. Often item requests never make it to the individuals who requested them.
Brown and Hylander have been working with 4th Kandak, 1st ABPB for the last three months trying to solve these issues.
"It's a good mission and we're [ABP] eventually going to secure the border," Hylander added.
For now, the three elements are working side-by-side lending each other a helping hand when needed. The willingness to secure and rebuild Afghanistan can be seen in the ABP and the ANA.
"I was offered vacation, but I didn't even want to go," said Zakourullah, who is originally from Kabul. "I enjoy being a soldier. My country needs me."
Rustam thanked Zakourullah before the village elder went back to his house up on the hillside. Rustam explained that the ABP provide security for his family from the ABP checkpoint. Rustam's daughters were routinely seen walking through the checkpoint during their frequent trips to the river to collect water.
The friendly relationship between ABP and the local populace is vital for success. Most of the ABP are from the area they work.
The border policemen from 4th Kandak, 1st ABPB, are from towns dotting the border near Duahb. The plan has always been for the ABP to be from, or at least live near, the areas they work.
"Think of it like American police," Brown said. "You want guys from that town because you're not just getting one policemen. You're also getting his family and his extended family. So that feeds into his interest in making sure that there is no smuggling going through or Taliban, because they don't want anything to happen to their son, father, brother or whatever it may be. So that's what we're trying to do. Build a stable infrastructure here where people have a vested interest in the police so they also trust the police."
Even though 4th Kandak, 1st ABPB are in the beginning phases, they're off to a good start, said Hylander.
"ISAF and the new government want to help our country and nobody has wanted to do that for nearly 30 years," said Rustam.
| Date Taken: | 07.31.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 08.01.2007 07:30 |
| Story ID: | 11563 |
| Location: | KUNAR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 1,917 |
| Downloads: | 1,813 |
This work, Afghan Border Patrol brings hope to Duahb, by SFC Brandon Aird, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
