Kunar Province

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Map showing Kunar province in Afghanistan

Kunar (Persian: کُنَر, also spelt Konar) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country and on the border with Pakistan. Its capital is Asadabad.

1 Ethnic Makeup and Geography
2 Security Situation
3 Hunt for Bin Laden
4 Districts
5 Politics

[edit] Ethnic Makeup and Geography

Pashtuns makes up the vast majority of the province and maintain a very strong tribal identity, some even going so far as to identify the province, and the eastern edge of Afghanistan in general, as "Pashtunistan".

Kunar is a tiny and sparsely populated province that is heavily mountainous and forested, being embedded in the Hindu Kush mountain range. As Kunar is populated by mainly Pashtuns, it will be useful fo know that local people pronounce the name as Kunar or کونر.

[edit] Security Situation

During both the Soviet occupation, and the more recent conflicts involving U.S., Afghan and NATO forces, Kunar has been a favoured spot of insurgent groups. Its impenetrable terrain, extensive cave networks and border with the semi-autonomous Pakistani Northwest Frontier Province provides several advantages for militant groups. The province is informally known as "Enemy Central" by American troops.

Like many of the mountainous eastern provinces of Afghanistan, the groups involved in armed conflict vary greatly in strength and purpose. Native Taliban forces mingle with foreign Al-Qaeda fighters, while mujahadeen militias, such as Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's Hezbi Islami, continue to operate as they did in the anarchic post-Soviet years. Another strong militia in the region is the Hezbi Islami faction of the late Mulavi Younas Khalis, who had his headquarters in neighbouring Nurestan Province.

Compounding the problems of the province is an extensive criminal trade in smuggled lumber and other natural resources. This criminal activity is often organized along tribal lines, and has led to intense deforestation in some areas.

In lieu of an effective civilian police force, Hamid Karzai controversially approved the recruitment of tribal militias to patrol the Pakistani border and provide security for the province.

[edit] Hunt for Bin Laden

Osama bin Laden has often been rumoured to be in the province, or close by. In an intensive military operation in summer 2005, called Operation Red Wing, American forces undertook a massive hunt for bin Laden and other senior Al-Qaeda leaders. While attempting to rescue four stranded Navy Seals during the operation, 19 American Forces were killed when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down, representing the single biggest lost of American forces since their invasion of the country.