Das Afghanistan NGO Safety Office (ANSO) erwähnt in seinem zweiwöchentlichen Bericht zur Sicherheitslage vom 17. Mai 2010 bezüglich der Lage in der Provinz Helmand, dass Polizei, afghanische und internationale Truppen bei mehreren Operationen Drogen beschlagnahmt hätten, darunter im Bezirk Musa Qala. Da die Mohnernte zu Ende gehe, sei eine Zunahme von Aktivitäten bewaffneter aufständischer Gruppen (Armed Opposition Groups, AOG) zu erwarten:

“Furthermore, drugs were seized by ANP, ANA and IMF during several operations in Nahri Sarraj, Nad Ali, and Musa Qala districts. And because the poppy harvest is coming to its end, AOG activities are expected to increase.” (ANSO, 17. Mai 2010, S. 17)

Die Nachrichtenagentur Xinhua berichtet, dass laut Angaben des afghanischen Innenministeriums bei einer Explosion im Dorf Aziz Khan im Bezirk Musa Qala sieben ZivilistInnen verletzt worden seien (Xinhua, 1. Mai 2010).

 

Weiters schreibt ANSO in seinem zweiwöchentlichen Bericht zur Sicherheitslage vom 2. April 2010, dass bewaffnete Aufständische eine Polizeistation in Musa Qala angegriffen und dabei fünf Polizisten getötet hätten. Es habe eine Reihe von Anschlägen mittels unkonventioneller Spreng- oder Brandvorrichtungen (Improvised Explosive Devices, IED) in verschiedenen Gebieten der Provinz Helmand gegeben, bei denen über 30 ZivilistInnen ums Leben gekommen seien:

“Helmand has remained extremely insecure as AOG successfully demonstrate the tenuous grip IMF/ANA forces have on the Marjeh region and the rest of the province. As IMF attempt to impose their approach of ‘Shape-Clear-Hold-Build’ on to the area, AOG are actively contesting the ‘Hold’ phase by re-inserting fighters into the town of Marjeh and are challenging the ‘Build’ through intimidation of civilians, community leaders and groups that appear to be ready to participate in the US-led reconstruction efforts. Elsewhere in the province, AOG attacked an ANP post in Musa Qala and beheaded five ANP officers in a strong show of force. There was a series of IED strikes in a variety of areas in the province which resulted in a total of over 30 civilian deaths, raising the fear amongst the local population that the previous AOG strategy of avoiding civilian casualties is at an end.” (ANSO, 2. April 2010, S. 13)

ANSO hält weiters in seinem Sicherheitsbericht 15. März 2010 fest, dass bewaffnete aufständische Gruppen eine Welle von Angriffen auf internationale und afghanische Truppen,  unter anderem im Bezirk Musa Qala, begonnen und damit gezeigt hätten, dass die [von der NATO durchgeführte, Anm. ACCORD] Operation Mushtarak wenig dazu beitrage, Aufständische daran zu hindern, sich frei zu bewegen und nach Belieben Anschläge zu verüben:

“Secondly, AOG launched a rash of attacks on IMF/ANA forces, particularly in Lashkar Gah, Sangin, and Musa Qala districts, demonstrating that Operation Mushtarak did little in the way of reducing the ability of AOG to move freely and strike at will. Lastly, a series of IED strikes against civilian targets has raised the possibility of a shift in AOG tactics.” (ANSO, 15. März 2010, S. 13)

BBC berichtet in einem Artikel vom März 2010, dass der Basar der Stadt Musa Qala für ländliche Verhältnisse in Helmand zu florieren scheine. Laut Aussage eines afghanischen Polizisten würden Taliban manchmal in der Nacht in die Stadt zurückkehren und von BewohnerInnen Nahrung und Unterkunft verlangen, diese würden sich darüber bei der Polizei beschwerden. Taliban würden mitunter auch „Nachtbriefe“ (engl.: „night letters“) mit Drohungen schicken, um Personen einzuschüchtern, die mit den Koalitionstruppen zusammenarbeiten. Jedoch kämen die Aufständischen nicht mehr bewaffnet in die Stadt, und die lokale Polizei patrouilliere regelmäßig durch die Straßen. Britische Konvois und entlegenere Patrouillenpunkte im Bezirk blieben aber weiterhin Ziele von Anschlägen mittels am Straßenrand versteckter Bomben:

“Musa Qala, in northern Helmand, will shortly become the first British base in Afghanistan to be handed on to US Marines. […] As we walk through the bazaar, protected by a British patrol and still wearing flak jackets and protective helmets, it does appear to be thriving by the standards of rural Helmand. The shops stock everything from DVDs of Bollywood favourites to shiny new motorbikes. The shelves are no longer filled with opium, as they were three years ago - although it is still traded more discreetly elsewhere. The Afghan police headquarters is now based in what used to be the main opium bazaar. And it is Afghan police who are in the lead in this joint patrol with British soldiers from a TA Regiment, 3 Royal Anglians. One policeman tells me that the Taliban do sometimes return to the town at night, to ask for food or shelter from people, who then complain to the police. Sometimes they send threatening ‘night letters’ to intimidate people seen working with or for the coalition. But the insurgents do not come into town with guns any more, and the local police regularly patrol the streets. But Angus Stewart, a diplomat who is spending two years as Musa Qala's political officer, isn't sure whether what has happened here can be replicated elsewhere in this troubled province. That is partly because of its geography - which helps protect the town - and its tribal make-up. ‘There are many factors that have come together in Musa Qala,’ he says. ‘Just one of those is a tribal structure prepared to engage with central government, and I'm not sure that's the case across Helmand.’ ‘We also have very effective local Afghan security forces.’ That does not mean that the guns have fallen silent. Only this week, British troops launched a fresh offensive against insurgents several miles to the north of the district centre in Karimanda - aiming a deafening 105mm light gun at their position. British convoys and outlying patrol bases remain a target for roadside bombs, and in all, some 21 British lives have been lost in Musa Qala over the past three years.” (BBC, 12. März 2010)

Der britische Nachrichtensender Sky News erwähnt in einem Beitrag vom März 2010, dass Musa Qala eine relativ sichere Stadt mit einem belebten Basar sei:

“British troops are pulling out of Musa Qala in southern Afghanistan, after driving out the Taliban twice and losing 23 soldiers in the process. […] Musa Qala became a watchword for everything that was wrong with Helmand province in the eyes of the West. Now, after UK forces purged the area of Taliban, the town is being handed over to US forces. […] Musa Qala was one of the first places British soldiers faced down the Taliban when they moved into Helmand Province in 2006. After taking the town they moved on when local chiefs said they could run the place themselves. But 143 days later the Taliban were back, so British forces had to fight for control of Musa Qala again. They did, and they won, and learned a valuable lesson about not only taking ground in Afghanistan but holding it. The 'Musa Qala experience' has not been allowed to happen again, but it was an expensive lesson to learn. Some 23 British soldiers died in the town. Today Musa Qala is thriving, with a busy Bazaar and relative safety. It will be up to the Americans to make sure that continues.” (Sky News, 11. März 2010)

Die britische Zeitung The Times berichtet im März 2010 über den Tod zweier britischer Soldaten bei einem Bombenanschlag 20 Kilometer nördlich von Musa Qala. Drei Wochen zuvor sei ein weiterer Soldat bei einer Bombenexplosion innerhalb der Stadt Musa Qala verletzt worden und später seinen Verletzungen erlegen:

“Three British soldiers from the same battalion have died in the past three days after bomb blasts in and around a notorious town in Helmand that Britain will soon hand to US control. Two of the men from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, part of the Household Cavalry Regiment Battle Group, were killed in a roadside bomb to the north of Musa Qala. The third soldier died from wounds sustained in a separate bomb blast inside the town last month. […] In the latest casualties to hit the British mission, two soldiers were killed yesterday afternoon when a bomb detonated in their path about 20 km north of Musa Qala as they were on an operation to clear the area of insurgents. Barely three weeks earlier on February 21, the third soldier was wounded in a bomb blast inside Musa Qala. He was flown back to Britain but died on Monday night in Selly Oak, the main military facility for soldiers wounded on the frontline.” (The Times, 17. März 2010)

Die Zeitung Guardian berichtet im Jänner 2010 über den Tod eines Bombenentschärfungsexperten der britischen Armee bei einer Explosion im Gebiet Musa Qala:

“A British bomb disposal expert died following an explosion in Afghanistan today, the Ministry of Defence said. The soldier, from 11 EOD Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, was killed as a result of an explosion in the Musa Qala area in northern Helmand province this morning.” (Guardian, 11. Jänner 2010)

BBC berichtet im November 2009, dass drei afghanische Soldaten im Bezirk Musa Qala durch eine am Straßenrand versteckte Bombe getötet und zwei weitere verletzt worden seien:  

“Three Afghan soldiers were also killed in a separate incident on Sunday by a roadside bomb in Helmand province, Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior said. It said two other Afghan National Army soldiers had been wounded in the Musa Qala district by the same roadside bomb that had killed their three colleagues.” (BBC, 24. November 2009) 

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