Afghan officials worried over bold attack in east

KABUL — The deaths of 14 civilians in a rocket attack presumably aimed at military officials and local leaders underscores the inability of NATO to defeat the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan, an official said Tuesday.

Monday's assault in Tagab missed the shura — a traditional meeting called by French officers to explain their operation to local elders— but hit a crowded market area. Fourteen Afghan civilians were killed and dozens more wounded, said Afghan Gen. Paikan Zamaray.

A day earlier, French and Afghan forces launched a major offensive to secure the Tagab valley, moving in with 100 armored vehicles and attack helicopters. It was aimed at taking control of the area and providing security to those living there, but the assault underscored how difficult it is for troops to protect civilians and combat insurgent violence, especially as an increased military presence can draw more violence.

Those concerns are likely to be amplified as Western countries commit more troops to Afghanistan. The U.S. is considering sending tens of thousands more troops, but military officials say that even with more forces, real security is years away.

A provincial council member said that such a bold assault shows that the international forces aren't trying hard enough.

"They have jet fighters that can see everything. They can see the Taliban. But what is the use? They do not stop the attacks," Mohammad Arif Malakjan said.

French Brig. Gen. Marcel Druart stressed that the meeting — which he attended — continued despite the attack to show that the Taliban cannot disrupt NATO's plans in a tense valley where both sides are competing for influence.

"I think it was a kind of desperate course of action because they are not in the situation where they can fight against us, and they can't prevent us from freedom of movement along the Tagab valley," Druart told reporters in Kabul.

But many in Tagab remain unconvinced, and some said that they felt more than ever that the Taliban threat will not go away.

"The security situation in Tagab is so bad this year," said Najibullah Rahimi, a member of the district council. "The people are demoralized by both sides. The foreigners and the insurgents fight but the civilians are the ones who are sacrificed."

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid denied any role in the attack and condemned the civilian deaths, saying international forces must have opened fire. The Islamist extremist group typically does not claim responsibility for attacks that result in civilian deaths.

Rahimi said that it is the repetition of such violent incidents that threatens the valley, because it will prompt retaliation against whoever is deemed responsible.

"If these kinds of incidents happen, it will have consequences in the future because the people are just getting angrier and angrier," he said.