'Code of Conduct' issued for Afghan Talibans

[Merlin]

This 'code of conduct' comes from Mullah Omar, to impose discipline, avoid civilian casulties, and avoid discrimation in a battle for the hearts and minds.

Taliban issues 'Code of Conduct' to fighters in Afghanistan

30 July [Telegraph] Taliban leaders have issued a "Code of Conduct" booklet laying out detailed rules on how to be a good holy warrior.

The 13-chapter guide tells militants to avoid unnecessary suicide bombings and civilian casualties while waging war against the oppressors.

The booklet issued by Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar was seized by Nato forces in raids in Afghanistan earlier this summer.

It reveals concern about how its attacks are regarded by the civilian population, including minority groups, and its need to be seen as a disciplined force motivated by Islamic principle rather than personal greed or malice.

It orders Taliban fighters not to harm Afghans working for the government, and to avoid civilian casualties in the battle for hearts and minds.

"The mujahideen have to behave well and show proper treatment to the nation, in order to bring the hearts of civilian Muslims closer to them," it said.

There is also guidance on suicide bombings sparingly: "A brave son of Islam should not be used for lower and useless targets. The utmost effort should be made to avoid civilian casualties."

And there is even a passage telling fighters to avoid discrimination wherever possible: "The mujahideen must avoid discrimination based on tribal roots, language or geographic background." ...

[Dreadnought]

Garbage, they have no honor nor code and have proven it time and time again. I'd no sooner wipe my arse with their "code".

[tankie]

Garbage, they have no honor nor code and have proven it time and time again. I'd no sooner wipe my arse with their "code".

Ditto , page 9 ,para 3 , sub section 26 ,

thou shalt not lop off the head of innocents anymore . B/S

[S2]

Changing the Message

This may be a case where our info ops are, for once, out in front of the irhabists. What is suggested by this code of conduct is the taliban recognizing that, aside from ISAF's problems of credibility, they've their own issues of such.

Both the U.N. and HRW have made clear in recent years that the taliban are killing the majority of Afghans. Further, unlike ISAF, there are many, many documented cases of intentionally targeting afghan civilians. Finally, there are at least as much documentation of the taliban using civilians as shields from retaliation.

No doubt all this has permeated the conscience of afghans such that the taliban's approval has NEVER risen above 10% since the war's inception-

ABC/BBC/ARD Afghan Poll Feb. 2009

Please refer to #18 for the exact data. The taliban poll, however, BEHIND even foreign irhabists.

90% of those polled either "somewhat" or "strongly" oppose the taliban. That's pretty hard to do in anybody's book but the taliban have managed.

There is no love for the taliban in Afghanistan. Certainly not among the tajiks, hazara, uzbeks, and turkomen, but it's obvious that their support from their own pashtu breathren pales against their requirements.

As such, I've little doubt but that the taliban have had to re-visit their public relations activities. Doing so would, naturally, mean re-orienting their troops to a "kinder, gentler" machine-gun hand.

Too, this may well be viewed as an attempt by the taliban to centralize their operating authority and crawl out from under all the criminal groups that will align themselves to the taliban in order to cloak their criminal enterprises under the aegis of the "anti-government" forces.

How the taliban are able to do so while still maintaining these liaisons such that they can still capture much of the opium revenue will be interesting to see played out.

[Mihais]

Sir,it's nevertheless an interesting development from ''kill them into submission'' approach.On the other hand I agree that attempts to implement the code would result in centralization. That way they would be easier to find and kill. My bet is that this is only for PR with the outside Muslim world.My arguments for this are briefly:
-difficulty in implementing centralization(even if they manage to do that our Intel find and destroy them=>they'll revert to the old ways quick enough)
-not much to gain at local level by using soft tactics;it will take a long time for such a change to be noticed by the population(discounting the fact that they don't have the sophistication and education for such a move)
-financial losses

[S2]

Mihais Reply

Nice thoughts.

All those issues mitigate against this being anything more than a facade to the same ol', same ol'.

We'll see in due course how serious they are about this, how it affects their command structure, produces the desired impact, and whether it leads to their enhanced targeting/destruction because of their centralization.

[Merlin]

The no. of civilians killed by the Talibans are double that by the US forces.

UN: Civilian deaths up 24 percent in Afghanistan

1 day ago [AP] KABUL — Civilian deaths in the escalating Afghan war soared by 24 percent during the first half of 2009 compared with the same period last year, the United Nations said Friday, blaming most of the casualties on Taliban attacks launched with little regard for civilian lives.

The U.N. Assistance Mission to Afghanistan also pointed to stepped-up military operations by the United States and its allies, especially airstrikes, for the steady increase in Afghan civilian casualties over the past two years.

However, the report also said the number of civilians killed by the Taliban and other "anti-government forces" during the first half of the year was double those attributed to the U.S.-led coalition and Afghan government forces. The U.N. termed that a "significant shift" from 2007, when the coalition was responsible for 41 percent of civilian deaths.

Both the U.S. and some elements of the Taliban appear sensitive to the issue of civilian casualties, fearing a loss of support among the embattled Afghan population.

This month, the new commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, issued orders to curb the use of airstrikes to hold down civilian casualties.

A new Taliban "code of conduct," attributed to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, instructs fighters to make "the utmost effort" to avoid killing civilians and to curb the use of suicide attacks. NATO officials dismissed the code as propaganda.

Despite the Taliban code, the U.N. report said insurgent suicide attacks and roadside bombings claimed more civilian lives "than any other tactic used by the parties to the conflict" and were launched "in violation of the relevant principles of international law." ....