Helmand Province After the Western Withdrawal

Taliban forces reportedly attacked and beheaded 17 civilians attending a party that involved music and dancing Aug. 27 in the Musa Qala district of Helmand province. The same day, more than 100 insurgents overran a military checkpoint in the province's Washir district, resulting in 10 Afghan soldiers killed, four wounded and five to six missing, the Afghan Defense Ministry reported.

As the remaining U.S. Marines from the 2010 surge withdraw from Helmand, the Afghan National Security Forces increasingly will take the lead in operations there. Despite significant attempts to pacify militant activity, Helmand remains a major hotbed for the insurgency. The withdrawal of the bulk of the Marines and the lack of preparedness on the part of the Afghan armed forces offers the Taliban an opportunity to restore some of the control over the province it lost during the U.S. surge. Whether coalition gains made during the surge hold will be a critical test of the future of the conflict in Afghanistan.