The Afghanistan fighting season refers to the cyclical restarting of fighting every spring during the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) due to weather and economic factors. It generally ran from April to October and saw more combat deaths than the off-season.[2] The Taliban, who were the main insurgent group during the War, would annually call their post-winter fighting restart as their spring offensive.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Factors
editAfghanistan has a harsh winter and a poor transportation system, leaving many parts of the country snowbound until spring. Many routes into Pakistan, where recruits and weapons come from, are similarly impassable for months.[9]
Opium poppies are planted beginning in October and harvest begins in April.[10][11] Manpower that was tied up in the opium trade is freed up for fighting between April and October.[citation needed]
Madrassas in Pakistan go on recess during the spring. New recruits subjected to religious and military training often volunteer to fight in Afghanistan.[12][9]
See also
edit- Fighting Season - an Australian drama about the Australian War in Afghanistan
References
edit- ^ "Operation Enduring Freedom". iCasualties.org. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ^ Matsumoto, Riki (19 March 2019). "Afghanistan: "The Fighting Season" & Detecting Seasonality Using Facebook's Prophet (Working Draft)". Medium. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ Deutsche Welle (www.dw.com). "Taliban announce spring offensive as Afghanistan peace talks continue | News | DW | 12.04.2019". DW. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ Ahmed Rashid (4 December 2019). "Taliban announces spring offensive amid Afghan peace talks | Asia News". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "Afghan Taliban announce spring offensive". BBC News. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ Graham-Harrison, Emma (15 April 2012). "Taliban's 'spring offensive' reminds Kabul of insurgents' reach". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ "Taliban Launches Spring Offensive Attacks, As Promised". NBC News. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ "Taliban vow spring offensive". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ a b "The End of Afghanistan's Spring Fighting Seasons and the Demise of the Afghan National Security Forces?". Small Wars Journal. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "Grain field crops" (PDF). afghanag.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 24 February 2021.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Poppy growing season begins in Afghanistan after last year's record opium sale". The National. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "'Madrassas are emptying' for final US fighting season in Afghanistan". TheHill. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2021.