Afghanistan: Suicide attack in Helmand province August 23

Event

A suicide vehicle bomber killed five people and injured another 42 near a police station in the town of Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern province of Helmand, on Wednesday, August 23. According to local officials, the attack targeted a group of Afghan soldiers lining up to collect their pay. Security conditions in the region have deteriorated to the extent that banks affiliated with the government have taken to establishing branches inside police stations.

Context

The terrorist threat from the Taliban is high in Lashkar Gah, as the city is seen as strategically important and key to holding Helmand province. Taliban fighters launched an offensive against security forces in the province on January 31 and have promised to increase attacks against US troops following US President Trump’s recent announcement to increase US involvement in the country.

The Taliban has made gains in various parts of the country since most foreign combat troops withdrew from Afghanistan at the end of 2014. The US-led coalition has redeployed hundreds of troops to Helmand, however, to train and advise Afghan forces, as well as provide occasional air support.

As of August 2017, the Taliban controls ten of Helmand’s 14 districts.

Advice

Individuals in Helmand province are advised to avoid the attack site and to monitor the situation. As a reminder, many Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the country due to a high threat from kidnapping, terrorism, and frequent and widespread lethal attacks against Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, domestic and international political and civilian targets, and individuals working in the humanitarian and reconstruction fields. Travel to the country should only be undertaken with proper security protocols in place.