A Battlefield Tourist

Militant Confederacy Behind Deadly Assault in Nuristan

Jul 14 at 6:06pm by David Tate

The former governor of Nuristan, Tammim Nuristani, says that a confederation of militants including Taliban, Hezb-i-Islami as well as members of Pakistan’s outlawed Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, were behind the attack that nearly overran a US/Afghan military base, killing nine Americans and wounding 15 others.  The groups involved have direct ties to Al Qaeda.

Nuristani, fired as governor of Nuristan last week for criticizing a US air attack that may have killed several civilians, said the militants gave civilians in nearby Wanat the opportunity to leave before the assault. Many left, but many stayed and helped the fighters.

“They all came together for this one.” said Nuristani.

There is speculation, supported by Nuristani, that the militants garnered civilian support due to the recent US bombing that allegedly killed as many as 22 civilians walking to a wedding.  The location of that incident is not far from Wanat.

US officials say the attack began around 0430 July 13 and went well into the day.  Using the cover of the empty town of, the militants poured small arms and grenade fire into the base from as close as 150 yards.

Soon after the battle began, militants were able to overrun a joint US/Afghan observation post where officials believe most of the American casualties occurred.  As the battle continued, US officials acknowledge that some militants were able to breach the outer walls of the main base itself before being pushed back with “danger close” air strikes and hand-to-hand combat.

A precursor to the July 13 attack happened April 27 when militants staged a daring operation simultaneously targeting five US outposts in Kunar’s Korengal Valley.  No coalition members were killed in that series of attacks that left a dozen militants dead. 

One of the outposts attacked was the former base at Wanat, which continued to draw regular small arms attacks through June before the Americans moved their base farther down the mountain toward the town itself.  Construction on that base had just begun on July 10 and was incomplete when the attack occurred.

Then again on June 8, militants launched multiple attacks across Kunar, including at Wanat, just across the border in Nuristan.

Jihad Within a Jihad

In 2007, signs were becoming ominous that militant forces were attempting to confederate in the Nuristan/Kunar area, essentially calling for a jihad within a jihad.  The report, by Dr. Richard Strand, seemed to gain little attention. 

Since that report, from April 2007 through April 2008, attacks against the coalition in this area were up more than 50%. 

Also, with reports that as many as 500 militants that recently crossed over from Chitral beseiging Bargi Matal district in Nuristan, the “jihad within a jihad” may have been answered.  In both incidents, foreign fighters other than Pakistani, are among the militants.