Afghan villages establish new check point in Uruzgan, vow to protect citizens from insurgents

URUZGAN, AFGHANISTAN

04.08.2011

Story by Lt. Arlo Abrahamson 

NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan

URUZGAN, Afghanistan - Afghan citizens in Lower Doan and Kakrak villages in the Shahid-e-Hassas district of Uruzgan province established a new check point after an endorsement from a local shura, April 8.

The decision to build the new checkpoint came after a partnered force of Afghan and coalition soldiers reclaimed a legacy checkpoint from insurgents near the villages, April 6.

The checkpoint was taken from Afghan police forces on March 23 when Taliban insurgents attacked and killed a police commander and several villagers, including a young boy, when firing at a mosque nearby, according to an Afghan National Police official.

After the combined Afghan and U.S. force seized the checkpoint from insurgents, local villagers ultimately decided to build a new checkpoint at an alternate location that would better protect them from insurgent attacks.

A coalition Special Operations force team leader said the villagers spent a day deliberating the location of the new checkpoint, and ultimately decided they would commit to protecting local citizens and to keep insurgents out of their villages.

“They realize it’s ultimately up to them to keep insurgents out of their villages,” said the SOF Team leader. “Today the people of these villages committed to protecting themselves and supporting the government of Afghanistan.”

• Date Taken: 04.08.2011
• Date Posted: 04.11.2011 03:33
• Story ID: 68561
• Location: URUZGAN, AF