Tarinkot

Tarinkot ترين کوټ
Tarinkot Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates: 32°37′36″N 65°52′24″E / 32.62667°N 65.87333°E / 32.62667; 65.87333Coordinates: 32°37′36″N 65°52′24″E / 32.62667°N 65.87333°E / 32.62667; 65.87333
Country	Afghanistan
Province	Urozgan Province
District	Tarinkot District
Elevation	4,321 ft (1,317 m)
Population
• Total	10,000
Time zone	UTC+4:30

Tarinkot or Tarin Kowt (Pashto: ترين کوټ‎) is the capital of Urozgan Province (also written "Uruzgan") in southern Afghanistan in the Tarinkot District. It has a population of about 10,000, with some 200 small shops in the city's bazaar.

In Tarinkot district, two major Pashtun tribal confederations are represented, Durrani tribes: Popolzai, Barakzai, Nurzai, Achakzai; and the Ghilzai tribes: Tokhi, Hotak, Suleiman-Khel. There are no medium or large-scale economic enterprises in the city. The provincial governor, currently Asadullah Hamdam, lives and works in a compound adjacent to the bazaar. There is also a population of about 2000 Arabs^{[citation needed]} mainly of Iraqi origin in the town.

History

Historically, this locale remained a seat of some of the Tarin (or Tareen) Pashtun tribal sardars, as early as the 15th-16th centuries AD;^[1] and some of them later migrated to the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal-Safavid War (1649-1653).^[2] It became part of the Durrani Empire in 1747.

Recent history

Tarin Kowt is some what isolated: its only airstrip is on the major military base of the NATO-led ISAF Provincial Reconstruction Team on the outskirts of the town. Tarin Kowt's only ground access to the outside is a road to the regional center of Kandahar to the south, which can be subject to Taliban attacks sometimes and washouts.

This town in southern Afghanistan was of significant strategic value to the Taliban in 2001. On November 16, the citizens here rose up against their Taliban governor, which marked the first organized Pashtun resistance against the Taliban. Hamid Karzai, then an obscure statesman, was in the region at the time trying to build an insurgency/army while accompanied by an 11-man U.S. Special Forces team, known as ODA 574.^[3] The Taliban launched a counterattack, confronting Karzai and his militia who dug in to defend the town. With the help of U.S. air power, the U.S. and militia force drove the Taliban back from Tarin Kowt.^[4] This victory is regarded as the turning point for Karzai— the single battle which gave him credibility in Afghanistan's southern provinces, and among the Taliban opposition forces (including the Northern Alliance) as a credible war leader.^{[citation needed]}

The defeat of the Taliban at Tarin Kowt was an important victory for Karzai, who used the victory to recruit more men to his fledgling guerrilla band. His force would grow in size to a peak of around 800 men. On November 30, they left Tarin Kowt and began advancing on Kandahar.

An American base called FOB Ripley, named after U.S. Marine John Ripley was built in Tarin Kowt in 2004.^[5] It was established by a Joint Task Force made up mainly of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (22ndMEU SOC), US Army Civil Affairs, and the Florida and Iowa National Guard Task Force 168 in May 2004. In autumn 2001, the region was the last stronghold of Taliban regime. Subsequently other foreign military forces have operated at the base outside Tarin Kowt.

After the 22nd MEU SOC led Operation Mountain Storm, most of the Taliban forces moved to the mountainous region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. As NATO's ISAF mission assumed responsibility for security in Afghanistan's south, Dutch NATO troops built Kamp Holland in August 2006.

Beginning in March 2007, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)^[6] began construction of a road from Tarin Kowt westward to Deh Rahwod and then to Shahidi Hassas District, in the western areas of Oruzgan province. At the same time, the USACE also started paving and bridge construction to improve the road to Kandahar.

U.S. Army soldier watching Afghans pass during a logistics inspection in Tarinkot.

In 4 July 2010, U.S. soldiers from 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment assumed responsibility over operations in Tarin Kowt and Deh Rahwod in the wake of the Dutch withdrawal from Oruzgan.

On 27 July 2011, a Pakistani suicide terrorist from the Waziristan region of Pakistan was captured by the Afghan National Army and ISAF forces during a raid on the house of Mullah Qasim in the Sur Marghab area near Tirinkot. The would-be bomber named Saifullah was interviewed by Pajhwok Afghan News reporter Ahmad Omaid Khpalwak. In the interview Saifullah said he and 14 other terrorists from Pakistan spent at least two months wandering around the city to select a proper time and place for an attack. "Many times we encountered foreigners, but Mullah Qasim would escape after seeing foreigners and finally we were arrested without carrying out any attack," he said.^[7]

The next day, at around 12 pm, 28 July, three suicide attackers blew up vehicles packed with explosives at the gates of government compounds while other suicide bombers equipped with heavy weapons entered the buildings and began killing everyone inside. After the shooting ended at least 19 people were killed and 37 others wounded. The dead included Pajhwok reporter Khpalwak, 10 children, 2 women and 1 member of the Afghan National Police.^[8] Khpalwak was shot 20 times in different parts of his body.^[9] By 29 July the number of dead were raised to 21. Major General Angus Campbell, commander of Australian troops deployed to the region, said "Hard-line elements of the insurgency continue to pursue their campaign through violence and attempted targeted killings. Yesterday they paid a heavy price for their ambitions with all insurgents killed while failing to achieve their mission."^[10] Afghan National Army spokesman Hekmatullah Kuchi said "There were two blasts at the deputy governor's office. One was detonated by a suicide bomber and the other was caused by an ANA (Afghan army) soldier shooting another suicide attacker."^[11]

On March 1, 2011, U.S. soldiers from 4th Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment assumed responsibility of Tarin Kowt and Deh Rawod. On November 23, 2011 U.S. soldiers from the 1st Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment^[12] assumed responsibility over operations in Tarin Kowt.

Geography

Tarinkot is somewhat isolated: its only airstrip is on the military base of the NATO-led ISAF Provincial Reconstruction Team on the outskirts of the town. Tarinkot's only ground access to the outside is a road to the regional center of Kandahar to the south, which can be subject to Taliban attacks sometimes and washouts.

Climate

Tarinkot has a cold desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWk) with hot summers and cool to cold winters. Precipitation is low, and mostly falls from December to March.

See also

• List of cities in Afghanistan

References

1. ↑ Dr SB Panni, Tareekh i Hazara Peshawar, 1969 ed, p. 301
2. ↑ Including some settled near Pishin Baluchistan and some in the Hazara area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, see Panni
3. ↑ http://www.time.com/time/asia/2003/journey/afghanistan.html.  Missing or empty |title= (help)
4. ↑ The United States Army in Afghanistan - Operation ENDURING FREEDOM - October 2001-March 2003
5. ↑ Keith A. Milks (2004-05-10). "22d MEU (SOC)'s FOB in Afghanistan pays homage to Marine hero". Marine Corps News. Archived from the original on 2010-01-24. "'He's a hero to the Marine Corps,' said Colonel Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr., commanding officer of the Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), referring to Col. John W. Ripley, the new FOB's namesake. 'He's a true warrior and an honorable man.' McKenzie puts Col. Ripley with the small group of Marine leaders mentioned prominently in the Corps' proud history." 
6. ↑ Afghanistan Engineer District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
7. ↑ Bombing suspect says Pakistani mullahs brainwashed him
8. ↑ Suicide Attacks Target Afghan Government Compound
9. ↑ Khpalwak's last contact with Pajhwok
10. ↑ 18 civilians killed in Helmand bomb: Afghan police
11. ↑ Uruzgan Attacks Were Suicide Bombings - Afghanistan Army
12. ↑ 14th Cavalry Regiment (United States), 14th Cavalry Regiment
13. ↑ "Trinkot Climate Normals 1972-1982". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 26, 2012. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tarinkot.

• (http://www.onlythingworthdyingfor.com)
• Australian Reconstruction Task Force 3
• FOB Martello, Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability at RMIT University.
• FOB Martello Construction, June, 2006, Canadian Army news.