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LOWY KARIZ, Afghanistan—Lt. Col. William Clark, Squadron commander, 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, attended a Shurah, Jan. 25, with Afghan Border Patrol Col. Abdul Razziq, 4th Afghan Border Patrol Directorate commander, and local Mulah's at an ABP outpost overlooking the village of Lowy Kariz, Zabul province, Afghanistan.
Shurah's of this caliper happen every month in Lowy Kariz, but are not always as civil or well attended as this one.
The main topic of the Shurah was security in the area and how locals can contribute alongside coalition and Afghan forces to institute a more stable environment in the valley, expressly the main road to Lowy Kariz.
"What we were hoping to accomplish was to meet with the local leaders of Lowy Kariz, and propose a coalition checkpoint on the main route that leads to the highway. We were looking for them to acknowledge that they have a responsibility for the security posture of that environment," said Clark.
A "neighborhood watch" program was also proposed, through which the locals of the insurgent-fractured community can form a united front with Afghan National Security and US Forces against insurgent raids and IEDs.
Clark said they also spoke of a potential common outpost for ANSF and US forces to be built somewhere near Lowy Kariz, although the site of the future outpost is still under discussion.
Sgt. Nathan Carlysle, Personal Security Detail, 8-1 Cav, accompanied Clark to a previous Shurah last November when the convoy was attacked by an IED placed on their return route during the Shurah.
"This one went quite well. The locals' attitude and demeanor has changed. You can see that they want to work with us now.
'There have been a lot of IEDs on the route that they use to get to their village and they've seen that we clear that route, so they're more receptive now and looking for help," said Carlysle.
There were no IEDs this time and even more Mulah's attended the Shurah than have attended any previous Shurah's there.
"The leaders of that area are very open to the checkpoint concept for that road," said Clark, "They acknowledge that we all have to cooperate and work together to improve the security situation out there."
In the last two weeks, there have been multiple IED attacks on the road to Lowy Kariz and multiple IEDs found on US patrols.
Lowy Kariz's proximity to the Pakistan border makes it a historically insurgent trafficked area as insurgents move IEDs and contraband from Pakistan through Kandahar.
"We are looking to reduce the insurgent influence in that area and increase overall security. By doing that we can help to improve the governance and development there," said Clark.
Col. Razziq helps with that. He holds a great deal of influence in Lowy Kariz and that was made apparent during the Shurah by the number of locals who gathered around him during an agreed "break" to rehydrate and stretch.
Fifty to sixty men, most of whom seemed twice Razziq's age, gathered in a dense, horseshoe-shaped throng around him to hold counsel, during which Razziq had to stand on a hill to acknowledge and confer with the crowd in its entirety.
Clark spoke amiably with Razziq through an interpreter for the length of the Shurah, which concluded with handshakes and what Clark says were signs of a long awaited interest in cooperation in local stability.
"I think we have a great opportunity here between coalition forces, ANSF Forces, the government [Afghan], as well as the local populous. I think we all want the same thing and understand the need to work together to establish the security. Then we can work on the development of that area. I was pleased to see the people understand that, and agree that they want that as well," said Clark.
"It all comes back to the same thing. You have to have the people working alongside you to be successful."
| Date Taken: | 02.01.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 02.01.2010 11:52 |
| Story ID: | 44735 |
| Location: | LOWY KARIZ, ZABUL PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 354 |
| Downloads: | 300 |
This work, Coalition forces and ABP meet for governance and progress, by SGT Casey Collier, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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