KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan — A fortress built by the Soviet army in the 1980s serves as an outpost for U.S. troops in this hotly contested corner of Afghanistan, and it also serves as a daily reminder to soldiers here that America’s stay in this country has an expiration date. The outpost, manned by Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion 35th Infantry, is only 6 miles from Pakistan’s border in the tribal area that is home to that country’s Taliban fighters. Soldiers here estimate half of the attacks mounted against them originate from Pakistan, with the other half coming from homegrown Afghan Taliban forces.
The American soldiers here are part of Task Force Cacti, charged with securing Chowkay, Narang and Norgul districts of Kunar province. The mission is to keep things relatively peaceful while helping Afghan government forces gain the necessary competency to resist an insurgency that seems to spring from all the rocks, culverts and ridges along this edge of the Sankalay Mountains.
“None of us want to walk away from here without accomplishing what we set out to do,” said Army Capt. Ryan Occhiuzzo, from Kansas City, Mo, “Still, we’re leaving. At some point it will be up to the Afghan security forces to contain the situation and protect the people.”
Insurgents keep up a steady harassment in this area. Members of Pakistan’s Taliban have infiltrated the area and taken shots at Afghan and U.S. soldiers on duty in observation posts with Iranian bolt-action rifles.
Occasionally, the Taliban launch more ambitious, deadly attacks. On June 22, Army medic Spc. Levi Nuncio, 24, of Harrisonburg, Va., was killed by small-arms fire, and another six troops of Charlie Company were wounded. “[Pakistani Taliban] fighters get paid for each attack they conduct. The insurgents will even tape the attacks on us so they have proof to show their commanders,” Occhiuzzo said. The three platoons under his command patrol an area of hundreds of square miles, much of it not accessible except by helicopter. Throughout the area are villages that have had very little contact with the outside world.
The main road in Kunar province is called California Highway by the American soldiers here. Portions of it have been rendered almost impossible to travel by the large number of improvised explosive devices planted by the Taliban.
“There has been a spike in IED attacks along California, it’s a main road for commerce,” said Capt. Bryce Matson. “It’s been difficult for Charlie Company, tough on the platoons who are doing their best trying to secure the area. The main thing for Charlie Company is to get the local Afghan police out there to clean it up — it’s not an easy task.”
It took years of effort supported by the U.S. Army to build up the main road, but from the air deep crevasses can be seen along the route, the damage left over from IED explosions.
The cumulative challenges haven’t discouraged junior officers here. But they understand the time is limited to accomplish tasks that have eluded American forces here so far.
“In a way this is our last hurrah,” said Matson. “We are beginning the drawdown at the end of this year. We have to be strategic about how we plan, where we pull our troops and where we need them most. If we don’t do this right, one day we’ll be back here again. I have no doubt about that.”
Sara A. Carter is The Washington Examiner’s national security correspondent. She can be reached at [email protected].
