Long protected by a US base near their villages, residents of Achin district in eastern Afghanistan fear the threat of the Taliban and the Islamic State group since the withdrawal of foreign troops
"When the Americans were there, there were drones flying 24 hours a day," recalls Kameen Khan, who lives near a former US base. "There was no Taliban or ISIS."
But "in the months which followed their departure", the two insurgent groups "resumed their activities",
Dozens of US special forces were deployed to Achin and Haska Mina, another district of Nangarhar province, to combat ISIS, which had established itself in the area in 2015.
For years, ISIS jihadists have terrorized the province, going so far as to behead residents, or force them to sit on bombs before detonating them. They also destroyed clinics and forced schools to close.
The arrival of the Americans was therefore a real relief for many, with a significant drop in attacks as drones and planes pounded extremists.
The Pentagon has allocated significant resources to liberate the area. Washington notably dropped in 2017 its most powerful of its non-nuclear bombs, "the mother of all bombs" (MOAB), on an IS network of undergrounds and caves.
An Afghan soldier at the site of a car bomb, which killed at least 15, on October 3, 2020 in Nangahar province, eastern Afghanistan
"Security improved. People were happy," said Rizwanullah Basharmal, Governor of Haska Mina.
According to Haji Gul Shinwari, a resident of Achin, the American presence had allowed farmers to return to cultivate their fields.
"But since they left, we can't go out at night anymore, because we're afraid the Taliban or IS will return," he laments.
The presence of American troops had also stimulated trade, and provided the stability necessary for the development of industries such as talc.
Several nearby mines have closed today, according to Hayatullah, whose relatives were involved in extracting the mineral used in products ranging from baby powder to paint.
“For years traders came here to invest in the mines, but when the US forces left, they left too,” said Hayatullah, who, like many Afghans, uses only one name.
The withdrawal of American troops is a flagship promise of President Donald Trump, whose administration signed an agreement with the Taliban to this effect in February, against vague promises by the insurgents.
The text confirms the departure of foreign troops from the country by mid-2021. In return, the Taliban must in particular prevent transnational jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS from operating in Afghanistan.
Last week, Mr. Trump even tweeted that all US forces in Afghanistan "should" be repatriated "by Christmas."
US troops began evacuating bases at Achin and Haska Mina in November 2019, when Kabul declared victory over ISIS in the province. The withdrawals were completed in May and July respectively.
- Limited capacities -
During recent site visits, AFP could still see US flags and US military emblems painted on the walls.
Afghan forces are now in charge of the entire base. But they admit to being limited.
"The US forces had modern equipment like drones and controlled the area from the sky," observed First Lieutenant Hashmatullah, who leads around 60 men at the Achin base. "Unfortunately, we don't have those capabilities."
Despite everything, the attacks have only increased slightly, he said, when the villagers on the contrary witness a significant increase in their number.
"There is always for us the threat of ISIS, because the Afghan forces are not strong enough or well equipped to defend the country", laments Abdul Qadir, a resident of Achin, for whom the American departure was way too rushed.