Afstan: Mujahedin militias to the, er, rescue at Kunduz

Well, the Germans haven't been terribly effective in the area. Carlotta Gall of the NY Times reports:

Afghans Answering the Call to Fight

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan — Bakhtiar Ludin looks like a rogue, with a roughly tied checkered scarf for a turban, a Kalashnikov and a band of similarly tough, armed men for company.

But much of the hopes of Afghan and American officials to turn around the eight-year war here rests with him and those like him.

Mr. Ludin and his band are part of a push to raise local militias to help stop the Taliban from spreading to new areas, like here in the north, where the insurgents advanced quickly in the past 18 months.

Moises Saman for The New York Times

A Pashtun member of Mr. Ludin’s militia manned a checkpoint in Khanabad. More Photos »

Not long ago even police cars could not drive down the eastern approaches to the city of Kunduz, for fear of rocket attacks from Taliban insurgents. No more.

“Bakhtiar is really good,” said Noor Muhammad, the police captain who commands a small post on the edge of town. “He secured the area.”

Supported by American Special Forces troops, and led by Afghan intelligence officials, the effort has been building for six months and is now gaining traction in some rural areas where Afghan and NATO forces are too thinly spread to stop the Taliban’s encroachment.

As security deteriorated here in Kunduz Province, the governor and intelligence chief enlisted the help of former resistance fighters like Mr. Ludin, called mujahedeen, who had fought against Soviet invaders and the Taliban in the past.

Opponents of the plan warn that resurrecting the mujahedeen would give power back to the warlords after long efforts to disarm them.

Although the Americans have said they will not provide weapons to the militias, the Afghans gave them guns. They also provide critical backup when needed, including transportation, communications and medical treatment, Afghan security officials said.

The militias, working alongside Afghan and NATO forces, recently helped clear several areas of insurgents. The gains may not be permanent, but they have dealt a setback to the Taliban, the officials said...

A post from late November on the broader militia issue:

If Afghan government security forces aren't doing it...

Which led to yet another post about our delightful media:

Afstan militias: Secret? Really?