The Long War Journal (Site-Wide)

---

• Northern offensives conducted by Afghan Army achieve impermanent gains
• DoD releases Afghan district data, continues to withhold other key information
• US officials estimate Taliban strength at a minimum of 60,000 fighters
• Resolute Support claims ‘human error’ led to withholding district control data from SIGAR report

Northern offensives conducted by Afghan Army achieve impermanent gains Posted: 31 Jan 2018 12:57 PM PST Sources claim the offensive killed between 60-80 Taliban fighters, but with other reports suggesting the Taliban quickly retook the targeted territory, it appears the offensive is in line with past short-term strategies that fail to fully deny the Taliban strategic footholds in the region.

DoD releases Afghan district data, continues to withhold other key information Posted: 31 Jan 2018 12:15 PM PST The district control data shows that the Taliban continues to slowly wrest control of Afghan districts from the government. SIGAR is still not authorized to released key information on district and population control as well as the Afghan security forces.

US officials estimate Taliban strength at a minimum of 60,000 fighters Posted: 30 Jan 2018 09:01 PM PST The estimate has tripled from 20,000 a few years ago. However, one US official somehow remains "hopeful many fighters are not ideological and will eventually lay down their arms," despite the fact that the Taliban has demonstrated a commitment to the fight for over 16 years.

Resolute Support claims ‘human error’ led to withholding district control data from SIGAR report Posted: 30 Jan 2018 03:19 PM PST SIGAR countered with evidence that shows how Resolute Support marked elements of the draft report that it did not want disclosed as "not releasable to the public," and followed up with the US military on the classifications.