Bill Roggio, Author at FDD's Long War Journal

Ghazni City remains under assault, despite RS assurances

Bill Roggio | August 12, 2018

Resolute Support initially described the attack on Ghazni City as a “failed attempt” that would be used by the press to generate sensational headlines. Two days later, Afghan forces are still battling entrenched Taliban fighters inside the city, and the vital Kabul-Kandahar remains severed. Battles such as the one in Ghazni, reveal a disturbing pattern of misinformation and deception by Resolute Support when it comes to assessing and reporting on the Taliban’s attacks on major cities as well as its assaults on district centers.

Ghazni City up for grabs after coordinated Taliban assault

Bill Roggio | August 10, 2018

Both the Afghan government (and Resolute Support) and the Taliban claim they control the city. The Afghan government and Resolute Support have proven unreliable in the past when it denied that the Taliban twice took control of Kunduz City, as well as Farah City earlier this year.

Afghan forces target al Qaeda commanders in Helmand and Nangarhar

Bill Roggio | August 7, 2018

The raids in Helmand and Nangarhar indicate that al Qaeda’s leaders are not focused on its survival. Al Mesri was focused on manufacturing IEDs to support the Taliban’s insurgency in Helmand, while Rahmatullah and his cohorts were operating in Nangarhar’s provincial capital.

Taliban suicide bomber kills 3 Czech soldiers

Bill Roggio | August 5, 2018

The Taliban remains active in Parwan, where it contested five of the provinces 10 districts. One American and two Afghan soldiers were also wounded in the suicide attack.

Taliban says Islamic State has been ‘completely defeated’ in Jawzjan

Bill Roggio | August 1, 2018

The complex Taliban operation that was designed to eject the Islamic State from Jawzjan highlights the Taliban’s ability to coordinate and mass for attacks in the Afghan north. However it is unlikely that the Islamic State has been “completely defeated” in the north.

Taliban suicide bomber attacks Afghan intel officers in Kabul

Bill Roggio | July 26, 2018

The NDS unit that was hit is reportedly responsible for targeting Taliban units that operate in the contested provinces of Logar and Wardak, just south of Kabul.

Taliban overruns 2 districts in eastern Afghanistan

Bill Roggio | July 24, 2018

The Taliban takeover of the Paktika districts of Omna and Gayan occur as US generals attempt to put a positive spin on the Afghan military’s capabilities.

Afghan military suffers significant casualties since end of government’s ceasefire

Bill Roggio | July 24, 2018

An estimated 150 Afghan security personnel (soldiers, policemen, and militia fighters) have been killed in major Taliban attacks over the past two weeks.

NATO command touts body count of ‘Taliban irreconcilables’

Bill Roggio | July 23, 2018

The press release also described the Taliban who are being targeted and killed as “Taliban irreconcilables.” However, Resolute Support has yet to identify any reconcilable Taliban.

Afghan commandos free 58 from Taliban prison

Bill Roggio | July 17, 2018

The Taliban has been operating prisons in Helmand for at least three years. Raids on Taliban prisons has done nothing to keep the group from expanding its control in Helmand.

Afghan forces suffer heavy casualties in Kunduz

Bill Roggio | July 12, 2018

The Red Unit, the Taliban’s version of special forces that operates throughout Afghanistan and is often at the tip of the spear of assaults on district centers, military bases and outposts, is said to have initiated the fighting in Dasht-i-Archi district. At least 30 Afghan soldiers were killed during the assault.

Pakistani Taliban claims Peshawar suicide attack, threatens more to come

Bill Roggio | July 11, 2018

The deadly bombing is the first major attack executed by the Taliban group since Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud assumed command of the group in late June.

Taliban again equates their Islamic Emirate with the Afghan nation

Bill Roggio | July 10, 2018

The Taliban reiterated that it views itself as the sole representative of the Afghan people, while those who fight for the Afghan government are “puppets” of the United States.

Taliban brands upcoming religious scholar conference as ‘an absolute anti-Islamic US process’

Bill Roggio | July 9, 2018

The Taliban described an upcoming conference of religious scholars that will be held in Saudi Arabia later this week as illegitimate and urged Islamic clerics to boycott the meeting.

Analysis: Pentagon continues to underestimate al Qaeda, downplay ties to Taliban

Bill Roggio | July 5, 2018

The Pentagon and the US intelligence community have been consistently wrong about al Qaeda’s strength in Afghanistan, and evidence of strategic ties between the two groups does indeed exist.

Taliban: We’re ‘another name of the Afghan nation’

Bill Roggio | June 26, 2018

The Taliban continues to state that it and only it is the true representative of the Afghan people. This is at odds with the opinion of some Afghan analysts who advise the US government on policy with respect to a negotiated settlement with the Taliban.

Taliban captures more than 70 Afghan police in attack near the capital

Bill Roggio | June 24, 2018

The Afghan government is maintaining its unilateral ceasefire despite the current Taliban offensive.

Pakistani Taliban appoints new emir after confirming death of Mullah Fazlullah

Bill Roggio | June 23, 2018

The TTP appears to be returning to its roots by selecting Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, a prominent commander from the Mehsud tribe, to lead it. The TTP also confirmed the death of Mullah Fazlullah.

30 Afghan soldiers killed in Taliban assault

Bill Roggio | June 20, 2018

An Afghan official claimed the Taliban used the ceasefire to scout the bases and launch its attack.

Emir of Pakistani Taliban thought killed in US airstrike

Bill Roggio | June 15, 2018

The Afghan Ministry of Defense claims Mullah Fazlullah was killed in a US airstrike in Kunar on June 13. His death has not been confirmed by the US or the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan. Fazlullah’s death, if confirmed, may not be as impactful as US, Pakistani, and Afghan officials would like to believe.

Taliban denies it is in ‘secret talks’ with NATO

Bill Roggio | June 12, 2018

Yet again, the Taliban stated that it will only negotiate after US and NATO forces withdraw from Afghanistan, and that everyone must accept the “ground realities,” meaning that the Taliban will rule the country.

Taliban overruns another district in northern Afghanistan

Bill Roggio | June 12, 2018

The move by the Taliban directly contradicts the top US and NATO general in Afghanistan’s assertion that the Taliban is “no longer attempting to gain new ground.”

Taliban blockade of Ghazni-Paktia highway enters second month

Bill Roggio | June 9, 2018

In early May, the Taliban shut down the main highway that links Ghazni and Paktia provinces in eastern Afghanistan. One month later, the Taliban continues to control the road and tax civilians as Afghan forces have been unable to secure the road.

Taliban operations span the entire country, Afghan Interior Ministry confirms

Bill Roggio | June 3, 2018

The Taliban are operating in all regions of Afghanistan and casualties among Afghan police have increased, according to the Ministry of Interior. This directly contradicts overly optimistic assessments by both Resolute Support and the Pentagon.

Taliban says negotiations are ‘pointless’ as long as coalition forces occupy Afghanistan

Bill Roggio | June 2, 2018

“Talking to impotent parties [the Afghan government] during the presence of occupying forces is pointless,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in an official statement released on Voice of Jihad.

Afghan forces withdraw from district center in Uruzgan as the Taliban attacks

Bill Roggio | May 29, 2018

The security situation in the south continues to deteriorate. An Afghan official admitted security forces abandoned the governor’s compound and police headquarters in Chora district. The Taliban claims it overran all 17 security outposts and controls the district center.

Taliban suicide bomber hits Afghan forces in Helmand

Bill Roggio | May 27, 2018

The Taliban claimed it killed more than 100 Afghan soldiers, policemen, and tribal fighters, while one Afghan official admitted 17 soldiers were killed and 21 more were wounded.

US strike hits Taliban ‘command and control node’ in Helmand

Bill Roggio | May 24, 2018

The Taliban denied that a command center was hit and claimed two civilian homes were destroyed in the strike.

New reports from Afghanistan give false hopes for peace

Bill Roggio | May 23, 2018

As US, European, and Afghan officials cling to the idea that the Taliban will negotiate a peace settlement to end the war in Afghanistan, a recent string of news articles would lead you to believe that the Taliban is actually willing to reach a compromise. However, these stories are highly misleading and give false hope […]

Taliban overruns second district in Ghazni

Bill Roggio | May 20, 2018

Security in Ghazni province has deteriorated rapidly over the past year. Of Ghazni’s 19 districts, the Taliban control five and contest nine more, according to information compiled by FDD’s Long War Journal. The provincial capital is threatened by the Taliban.