Taliban Attack on NATO Base (Dispatch)
Video Transcript:
Video Transcript
The Taliban launched a complex attack on Camp Bastion, a NATO base in Helmand province. The attack caused significant damage to the base, but such insurgent attacks require a lot of time and resources and often do not achieve similar levels of success. The Taliban will continue to stage such attacks as it seeks to pressure NATO both on the battlefield and on the negotiating table.
Early on the morning of Sept. 14, fifteen insurgents wearing U.S. military uniforms and armed with assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and suicide vests launched an attack on NATO aircraft parked at Camp Bastion. The attack was preceded by indirect mortar and rocket fire, which likely suppressed the base’s defenses and facilitated the attack.
The insurgents, organized into three teams of five, penetrated the perimeter fence at a single point and were able to destroy six Harrier warplanes and caused other significant damage. The Taliban’s ability to rapidly organize and attack expensive and valuable equipment shows that they had considerable intelligence. It is therefore very likely that they received comprehensive inside information on the layout of the base before the attack.
The attack is a symbolic victory for the Taliban. It shows that the insurgents are still able to mount complex assaults even as NATO withdraws its surge forces. Helmand province is also a key traditional stronghold of the Taliban, and they are attempting to make a comeback as NATO forces withdraw many of their troops from the province.
The Taliban has launched similar attacks in the past. In June 2012, the insurgents used a large VBIED to breach the perimeter fence of Salerno Base in Khost province. A number of insurgents wearing U.S. and Afghan security uniforms then penetrated the base before being eliminated. The attack caused over a hundred American casualties, most of whom sustained minor wounds.
In August 2010, the Taliban also attacked the Salerno base and the nearby Camp Chapman. Some of the insurgents wore U.S. military uniforms and were equipped with suicide vests. In this attack, however, the insurgents were not able to cause significant damage and dozens of insurgents died in the attempt.
The Taliban cannot greatly accelerate the number of its complex attacks. These attacks require substantial time and resources to be successful. The assault force has to identify a weak point in the security, train and familiarize itself with the target, gather weaponry and munitions, and arrange its logistics.
NATO also reacts to such attacks by studying them and adapting their defensive procedures. The attack on Camp Bastion, particularly due to its success, will be heavily studied to see what went wrong. NATO forces will adapt tactics, techniques and procedures to prevent a similar attack.
The Taliban can be expected to continue to launch complex attacks on NATO bases in Afghanistan, even if most will not be very successful. Besides the operational aspect of such operations, these large scale and highly symbolic assaults also have an effect on the current negotiations. It is important for the Taliban to continue to demonstrate that they are a capable force, a force that the U.S. should take seriously on the negotiating table.
