Faine Greenwood | July 24, 2012 11:05 | Global Post
An Afghanistan police commander and a number of junior officers have defected to the Taliban
and handed over their weapons and equipment, reported the BBC today, in an incident that may be
the largest Afghan police side-switch in recent memory.
There are conflicting reports about their numbers: Reuters claims that 12 junior officers defected along
with the senior commander, while the BBC reports that 13 junior officers left the force.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=uu.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/uu.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
It's a major embarrassment for the Afghan government, reports Bilal Sarwary of the BBC, especially
as the Taliban has now received a major influx of much-needed — and useful — equipment.
According to the BBC, the equipment includes "rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine-guns, radios
and police vehicles, including two Humvees."
The BBC reports that Humvees are a potent status-symbol for Taliban commanders. In 2008, Taliban
fighters attacked a US convoy and made off with two of the massive military vehicles, reported CNN.
Although this incident occurred on Sunday, details of the commander's defection were only released today,
reported the BBC — and its timing, soon before a planned 2014 Western security handover, is worrisome
in the extreme.
An Afghanistan police commander and a number of junior officers have defected to the Taliban
and handed over their weapons and equipment, reported the BBC today, in an incident that may be
the largest Afghan police side-switch in recent memory.
There are conflicting reports about their numbers: Reuters claims that 12 junior officers defected along
with the senior commander, while the BBC reports that 13 junior officers left the force.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=uu.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/uu.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
It's a major embarrassment for the Afghan government, reports Bilal Sarwary of the BBC, especially
as the Taliban has now received a major influx of much-needed — and useful — equipment.
According to the BBC, the equipment includes "rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine-guns, radios
and police vehicles, including two Humvees."
The BBC reports that Humvees are a potent status-symbol for Taliban commanders. In 2008, Taliban
fighters attacked a US convoy and made off with two of the massive military vehicles, reported CNN.
Although this incident occurred on Sunday, details of the commander's defection were only released today,
reported the BBC — and its timing, soon before a planned 2014 Western security handover, is worrisome
in the extreme.
