An update on Afghanistan, America's 'forgotten war'
The war in Afghanistan is now in its 15th year, and this week, the U.S.-led military coalition there got its 17th commander: General John "Mick" Nicholson.
The appointment comes at a critical time for the country, which has been rocked by suicide bombers and gun battles in Jalalabad in recent days. According to Dawood Azami, who covers Afghanistan for the BBC, the country is more insecure now than at any other time in the last 14 years.
"The Taliban control much more territory than they ever controlled since 9/11," Azami told MPR News reporter Euan Kerr.
Azami attributes the Taliban's resurgence to the decrease in U.S. and NATO forces in the country.
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"The U.S.-led combat mission ended in December 2014, and last year, it was mostly the Afghan forces left fighting the Taliban," Azami said.
The Afghan forces have been hindered in their efforts by three factors, he said: Equipment shortages, a lack of a proper air force, and an influx of militants from Pakistan who recently moved into the country and support the Taliban.
"The training is going well," Azami said. "The Afghan forces now number at around 350,000." However, he said, high desertion and attrition rate means that many of those soldiers or police officers may later leave their posts. Additionally, casualties have been high.
"In 2015, there are reports that between 7,000 and 8,000 Afghan security forces were killed in fighting with the Taliban," Azami said. "The question is: Is it sustainable? Can they find enough recruits to replace those are killed or injured? Or those who have gone back home?"
The changing of leadership in Afghanistan has "become the norm," Azami said, but there is renewed hope with news of Gen. Nicholson's appointment. Nicholson has previously served in Afghanistan, and "he already knows the terrain, the fighting, the people, the country, the political leadership."
Afghan security forces are hopeful that with Nicholson's appointment, "the U.S. will commit more resources to the war in Afghanistan, and there will be more attention from Washington," Azami said.
"In the past few months and years, the U.S.'s attention has been diverted to other theaters of war: Ukraine, Syria, Iraq and the emergence of ISIS. It's take a lot of time and resources. That's why, with this change of command, there is hope of a new commitment and fresh resources — maybe more air power, or more soldiers, even."
For the full interview with Dawood Azami use the audio player above.