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Taliban recaptures Helmand town of Musa Qala
Source: The Guardian
Taliban recaptures Helmand town of Musa Qala
Emma Graham-Harrison
Thursday 27 August 2015 23.28 BST
Dozens of British, Afghan and American soldiers died to capture and briefly hold the poor, dusty tract of northern Helmand that fell under Taliban control again this week. It was a victory celebrated in song, video and photograph on social media, even though control of Musa Qala district brings little military advantage: the triumph is mostly a propaganda one.
The blood shed in these clusters of of mud houses, strung along an opium trading route, has turned it into something of a bellwether of the war, its importance only underlined by the Kabul government’s promise to win it back and a high-profile Nato-backed campaign.
“Musa Qala is always discussed as a strategic place, but I can’t think of anywhere less strategic,” said Michael Martin, former army officer and author of An Intimate War: An Oral History of the Helmand Conflict. “It’s one of the most backward districts, in one of the most backward provinces, but it’s strategic for us because we decided to put ourselves there – it’s more about our national pride than it is about strategy,” he said.
At least 23 British soldiers died in operations to capture and hold Musa Qala from 2006, when the then defence secretary called it iconic. In 2010, the British handed over to US forces, at least four of whom also died in the district.
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Emma Graham-Harrison
Thursday 27 August 2015 23.28 BST
Dozens of British, Afghan and American soldiers died to capture and briefly hold the poor, dusty tract of northern Helmand that fell under Taliban control again this week. It was a victory celebrated in song, video and photograph on social media, even though control of Musa Qala district brings little military advantage: the triumph is mostly a propaganda one.
The blood shed in these clusters of of mud houses, strung along an opium trading route, has turned it into something of a bellwether of the war, its importance only underlined by the Kabul government’s promise to win it back and a high-profile Nato-backed campaign.
“Musa Qala is always discussed as a strategic place, but I can’t think of anywhere less strategic,” said Michael Martin, former army officer and author of An Intimate War: An Oral History of the Helmand Conflict. “It’s one of the most backward districts, in one of the most backward provinces, but it’s strategic for us because we decided to put ourselves there – it’s more about our national pride than it is about strategy,” he said.
At least 23 British soldiers died in operations to capture and hold Musa Qala from 2006, when the then defence secretary called it iconic. In 2010, the British handed over to US forces, at least four of whom also died in the district.
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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/27/taliban-recaptures-high-profile-helmand-town-musa-qala
