Launched last month, it was the largest offensive the Bundeswehr had ever participated in in Afghanistan. Alongside hundreds of Afghan security forces, some 300 German soldiers advanced against the Taliban in the northern province of Kunduz.

Last week, the governor of the province, Mohammad Omar, announced that the particularly dangerous district of Char Darah was Taliban-free and that he was satisfied with the offensive.

However, a few days later, the district’s administrative chief, Abdul Wahid Omarkhel, was less optimistic, predicting retaliation: “When the operation began, the Taliban leaders fled into the neighbouring province and into other areas. The others just hid their weapons and melted into the local population. But now they’ve gone to get their weapons back. Those who had fled came back when the offensive was over."

Taliban use disappearing tactic in Kunduz

The district of Char Darah is one of the most restive in the already very dangerous province of Kunduz. German army patrols have been attacked again and again. 35 soldiers have been killed this year.

The Taliban have started using a tactic here that has proven very successful in the south, where most US troops are stationed. They disappear as the enemy advances and return to continue their intimidation of the local population once it leaves, declaring a certain area safe.

The Bundeswehr announced last week that its offensive in Kunduz was over for the moment.

Although the district head of Char Darah thought this might have been too early, he said the offensive had not been launched in vain: “If the army is present and carries out such operations as these then the Taliban are forced to disperse. It takes them 20 days or a month to come back and regain their strength. If there is another such operation in Char Darah just before the presidential elections and more pressure on the extremists then elections might be able to take place in this district.”

Ensuring peace ahead of elections

That was the precise aim of the offensive - to secure the province of Kunduz ahead of the elections.

The Taliban have called on Afghans to take up weapons on Aug. 20 instead of voting.

The new NATO chief Rasmussen thinks one way to solve the conflict in Afghanistan is to talk to moderate members of the Taliban.

Daoud Sultanzoy, a member of parliament in Kabul, said such negotiations should be handled extremely carefully: “I think talk with the Taliban will only become possible if we talk to them from a position of a moral authority and strength. It should come from an Afghan government that is capable of delivering that sort of authority.”

“You cannot negotiate with the Taliban from a position of weakness,” agreed Haroun Mir, the director of Afghanistan’s Centre for Research and Policy Studies but “they are in a position of strength and we need to put up the pressure on them like in the operation in Helmand and we have to have similar operations in other provinces.”

As Afghanistan gears up for elections and the Taliban step up their fight, there are tough times ahead for the Bundeswehr and other troops in the war-torn country.

Author: Kai Küstner/Anne Thomas
Editor: Disha Uppal