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Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2020 18:16:28 +0000 (UTC)
From: INSO_AFG_DIR <director@afg.ngosafety.org>
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Message-ID: <v3b9lhRdRs-HEnG2dn4ycA@ismtpd0005p1lon1.sendgrid.net>
Subject: INSO REPORT =?UTF-8?B?4oCTIEFGRyDigJM=?= BAGHLAN: NGO Staff Member
 Collaterally Killed in Intra-ANSF Armed Clash
To: Hafizullah <hafiz@jack.ngo>

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				This report is for the exclusive use of INSO partners and must not be s=
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				=09
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									<div><span style=3D"font-size:24.0pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0=
; padding: 0; font-family:'Arial', sans-serif; color:#5376b6">&nbsp;&nbsp;R=
EPORT</span></div>
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; padding: 0; font-family:'Arial', sans-serif; color:#182748">&nbsp;&nbsp;&=
nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ATTENTION RECOMMENDED</span></div>
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				=09
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				=09
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								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">LOCATION=
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Afghanistan, Baghlan Province, =
Pul-e Khumri District, Pul-e Khumri-Kunduz Road</div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">INCIDENT=
 TYPE</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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								NGO Staff Member Collaterally Killed in Intra-ANSF Armed Clash					=
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								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">DATE & T=
IME</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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								03/02/2020 17:00								</div>
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								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">INFORMAT=
ION</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<p style=3D"text-align: justify;">An NGO staff member was killed by=
 SAF in the courtyard of an NGO facility during an armed clash between ANP =
and NDS taking place in close proximity of the NGO compound, located approx=
imately 10 km north of the Pul-e Khumri City Centre. In addition, several m=
ore bullets impacted inside the NGO compound, with at least one shattering =
a window. &nbsp;</p>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">The clash erupted as the convoy of the =
Kunduz Province NDS 09 commander, moving from Kabul to Kunduz, reached an A=
NP checkpoint in the above-mentioned area. Given the elevated risk of being=
 targeted by AOGs on the Pul-e Khumri-Kunduz stretch of the road, both the =
commander and the NDS 09 escorts welcoming him in Pul-e Khumri moved northw=
ards wearing local clothing and in low-profile private-plate vehicles. The =
ANP members manning the checkpoint attempted to stop the vehicles to check =
the identity of the travellers; however, the NDS 09 convoy did not yield to=
 the signal to stop, prompting the ANP members to begin firing. NDS 09 memb=
ers reacted, initially by physically assaulting the ANP members and then by=
 firing back, and the clash escalated further as ANP members from checkpoin=
ts on elevated positions nearby also began firing. The NDS 09 commander and=
 his escorts then took refuge in the NGO compound mentioned above, with ANP=
 redirecting SAF at the compound itself. The clash ended after NDS 09 membe=
rs inside the NGO compound identified themselves, and the new NDS 09 comman=
der reached Kunduz the following day.</div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">ANALYSIS=
</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">AOG pressure on roads in multip=
le regions of the country, including the Pul-e Khumri-Kunduz Road, has inte=
nsified within the past two years. Countrywide, roads have seen 64% more AO=
G-authored incidents in 2019 than in 2017, even as the total number of AOG-=
authored incidents has decreased over the same period. The Pul-e Khumri-Kun=
duz Road saw 55 AOG-authored incidents in 2017, which rose to 125 in 2018 a=
nd to 206 in 2019, representing a 275% rise within the space of two years.<=
br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Furthermore, unequivocally demonstratin=
g a growing AOG assertiveness on the road, the number of AOG checkpoints gr=
ew from three in 2018, to 33 in 2019; in the first month of 2020 alone, INS=
O has recorded nine more instances where AOGs have established checkpoints =
between Kunduz and Pul-e Khumri. Compared to previous years when such check=
points were a source of risk primarily for night-time travel, eight out of =
nine AOG checkpoints recorded in January were established in broad daylight=
, and a majority lasted for over one hour; even so, the ANSF response to su=
ch instances has been low, with AOGs withdrawing from the road voluntarily =
in most cases. Indeed, ANSF&rsquo;s ability to cover the Pul-e Khumri-Kundu=
z Road through physical presence has diminished, with at least five checkpo=
ints having been destroyed and/or abandoned over the past year due to AOG p=
ressure, in turn limiting ANSF&rsquo;s ability to control AOG movements and=
 respond to AOG attacks or checkpoints.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">This escalation prompted part of ANSF t=
o adapt the way they move on the road. NDS 09 rarely uses marked NDS vehicl=
es and uniforms when travelling this route. The change to a lower profile i=
mplemented approximately one year before for NDS 09 members unwilling to tr=
avel from Kabul to Kunduz by air. It is unclear at the time of writing whet=
her such changes to a low profile are being implemented for other routes an=
d for other similar NDS units or other ANSF structures. In addition, fearin=
g information leaks, as the above-mentioned incident demonstrated, movement=
s of high-ranking officials are not always coordinated with checkpoints alo=
ng the route. More generally, NDS units similar to the 09, have been functi=
oning independently of other ANSF structures in an apparent deliberate effo=
rt to insulate themselves from traditional chains of command within NDS, th=
e security sector ministries, and the National Security Council, and strong=
er coordination is unlikely. For other high-profile convoy movements (of go=
vernment or ANSF), ANSF have occasionally completely closed the road for ot=
her traffic; although INSO does not record such incidents, anecdotal eviden=
ce suggests road closures are increasingly frequent.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, due to the higher number of =
AOG-authored incidents and the growing AOG assertiveness, combined with pre=
ssure from Kabul down the ANSF hierarchy to improve security on roads, ANSF=
 members manning checkpoints on this route are likely to be increasingly su=
spicious of travellers and could have unpredictable, including violent reac=
tions.</div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">The above aspects pose a number of risk=
s for NGOs. First and foremost, as demonstrated by the title incident, the =
risk of collateral casualties and damage has risen for NGO staff members mo=
ving along, or located in proximity to, the Kunduz-Pul-e Khumri Road, with =
the sources of risk not exclusively limited to clashes between AOGs and ANS=
F. The risk of collateral involvement is particularly high close to ANSF ch=
eckpoints on the Kunduz-Pul-e Khumri Road, as well as during ANSF patrols a=
nd ah-hoc movements.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Second, the NDS 09 choice to move in a =
low-profile manner on this stretch of the road to Kunduz may give rise to A=
OG suspicion with regards to other low-profile movements, including those o=
f NGO staff, particularly if the movement is, or is perceived to be, in a c=
onvoy. INSO recorded two NGO incidents involving AOG checkpoints on the Kun=
duz-Pul-e Khumri Road in the past two years, including one, in 2018, where =
AOG members abducted three NGO employees they suspected of affiliation with=
 the government at a checkpoint in the Jangaj Bagh area of Baghlan-e Jadid =
District. AOG checks of those moving on the Kunduz-Pul-e Khumri Road are li=
kely to continue at least at the same level over the coming months and may =
further affect NGO staff.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Third, the rise in pressure on ANSF man=
ning checkpoints along the route stemming from both political pressure to r=
etain government control over key roads as well as increasing AOG activity =
may also lead to NGO incidents. While INSO has for a long time received ane=
cdotal evidence of tense conversations with ANSF members at checkpoints, th=
e title incident, although a relatively rare occurrence, highlights the ris=
k of a violent escalation. In an incident (albeit outside the Northeastern =
Region) which illustrates the way in which political pressure can affect AN=
SF behaviour and impact NGOs, on election day 2019, in Logar Province, a mi=
sunderstanding at an ANSF checkpoint led ANSF to fire SAF and a grenade at =
an NGO ambulance (see AFGHANISTAN/CENTRAL/R/08102019/#001 for more details)=
. &nbsp;<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Fourth, instances of conflict actors oc=
cupying NGO facilities have also been on the increase, with at least three =
such incidents&mdash;one authored by AOGs and two by ANSF&mdash;in the Nort=
heastern Region alone in 2019. Such breaches of humanitarian space have als=
o been recorded in other regions. Often, conflict actors prefer to take cov=
er or establish firing positions in compounds that are not private residenc=
es, which exposes NGO facilities. &nbsp;<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Finally and more broadly, amid an escal=
ation of the conflict over the past year, the sources of risk for NGOs and =
their staff have diversified, with 2019 recording 45 NGO incidents authored=
 by pro-government security forces (IMF and ANSF), a figure unprecedented s=
ince INSO keeps record. Like 2019, the year ahead is likely to continue to =
be marked by political uncertainty and posturing by several conflict actors=
, which in turn suggests that NGOs will continue to be exposed to multiple =
sources of risk. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">ADVICE</=
div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">In practical terms, NGO staff l=
ocated in the proximity of firefights are advised to immediately take cover=
 behind a hardened structure, such as a wall, or move indoors and stand cle=
ar of windows, if possible. In the absence of a hardened structure or build=
ing, NGO staff are advised to lie face-down on the ground until the firing =
stops. NGOs should ensure that staff are trained as to how to react to firi=
ng in their proximity as well as to active shooter incidents.<br /><br /></=
div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">More broadly, NGOs should continue to i=
dentify themselves as such and assert the neutral and impartial nature of t=
heir programming towards all conflict actors. Depending on internal policy,=
 this may include visual identifiers (logos) on compounds, particularly in =
areas with a high level of conflict, as well as advocacy regarding the sanc=
tity of humanitarian space. Nonetheless, NGOs should advise their staff not=
 to resist armed actors, in particular during ongoing clashes or particular=
ly tense moments.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">With regards to road movements, adoptin=
g a low profile continues to be the best option for NGO travel, despite the=
 above-mentioned change in profile by NDS 09. In addition, NGOs are advised=
 to&nbsp; avoid carrying any materials, including electronic materials, tha=
t could identify them with a conflict actor, and consider, depending on int=
ernal policy, carrying NGO ID cards or alternative materials or documents i=
dentifying the travellers as NGO staff members. Regardless of the choice ma=
de, NGOs should train their staff as to correct behaviours at checkpoints m=
anned by armed actors as well as train staff as to techniques to clarify mi=
sunderstandings and de-escalate possible tensions. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>						=
		</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">ISSUED B=
Y</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 0 12.5px 0; border-bo=
ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<p>Country Director, Ermina Strutinschi</p>
<a href=3D"mailto:director@afg.ngosafety.org">director@afg.ngosafety.org</a=
>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">INSO SER=
IAL #</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								AFGHANISTAN/NORTHEAST/R/19022020/#001								</div>
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										=09
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rial', sans-serif; color:white; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;=
">
				INSO exists to provide dedicated security services to the NGO community=
. As a free service, INSO and its donors or partners, accept no liability w=
hatsoever for claims as may result from the provision or utilisation of the=
se free services. Whilst every effort is made to the verify data, INSO cann=
ot guarantee the accuracy of information provided. Reproduction of INSO inf=
ormation is prohibited.									<br>
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