Reasons Behind the high rate of insurgency in Afghanistan

(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) By
Hamayun Khan

The
word 'Afghanistan' abruptly captures one's mind when the very term 'Terrorism'
comes up. Afghanistan has been a battlefield and a strategic roadmap that
bridges a gap for the regional powers to reach their targets. a report
published in the year 2018 says that Afghanistan has bypassed Iraq to become
the world's deadliest country for terrorism, the report further describes the
total death toll in the country since 2017 is one-quarter of the whole world.

There are many reasons behind the surged terror
activities in the country but the following are considered to be the key
drivers behind the perennial war and terrorism in Afghanistan:

The strategic location of
Afghanistan:

A
landlocked country bordering with 7 countries with no access to the ocean, yet
being rich with plenty of groundwater and natural resources connecting Central
Asia with South Asia and Europe with Asia. the geo-political and geo-economical
significance of Afghanistan make the country a focal point for the great
powers, whereas the country itself has become a battlefield suffering for
decades, it has been said that if Afghanistan is seized it is as if the whole
Asia is controlled because of the geopolitical and geo-economic advantages the
country has such as an ancient silk road passing through the heart of
Afghanistan which connects China and other South Asian countries with Europe
this makes Afghanistan a lucrative transit hub. 

Therefore,
history witnesses the failed struggles by the great empires to capture Afghanistan,
i.e. (several invasions of the British empire on Afghanistan with the intention
of precluding the Soviet empire to reach warm water, the then Soviet invasion
of Afghanistan in the late 70s and the recent U.S war of Afghanistan, started
in 2001 which is still going on).  Afghanistan's abundance in natural resources
such as minerals grabs the attention of the great powers that seize the
country. According to a study conducted jointly by the Afghan and American
Geologists reveals that deposits of copper, mercury, rare-earth elements,
sulfur, chromite's asbestos, potash, graphite, and sand and gravel were found
in over 20 mineralized areas of Afghanistan, the study further reveals that the
total copper resources in Afghanistan range up to 60 million metric tons of
which the sediment-hosted copper deposits at Aynak are estimated to contain
nearly 30 million metric tons.

Afghanistan
is also rich in uranium and various other natural resources, such excessiveness
of unused natural resources entices powerful nations of the region and the
world to grab control over Afghanistan to acquire those resources, as China has
launched various mineral extraction projects in the mountainous regions located
in north-eastern Afghanistan. to intercept china from geopolitical interference
in Afghanistan its rival nations use various techniques for example; bailout of
different militant groups in those areas is one of them which leads to the
emergence of terror activities, also recruiting young Afghans to join those
groups.

Increased Level of Unemployment:

Increased
level of unemployment in the country is another key driver forcing the young
Afghans to go for illegitimate activities of which joining the insurgent groups
best exemplifies it. According to the data published by Trading Economics
journal the current unemployment rate in Afghanistan is 8.90% since 2018 which
is expected to trend around 8.80% in 2020. Due to the sprint in the level of
unemployment people finds it strenuous to provide livelihood facilities for
themselves, therefore most of the youngsters in Afghanistan are compelled to
join terrorist groups, become drug addicts or escape to western countries
through smuggling to find jobs and solve livelihood problems.

Conflict over water with Pakistan:

Afghanistan
has abundant water resources. a recent study reveals that It produces 80 billion
cubic meters of water every year, pumping 60 billion cubic meters of it to the
neighbor countries specifically Pakistan. The Kabul River supplies  26 %
of the annual flow of water in the country, rising in the Hindu Kush and
flowing along the borders of 11 provinces before draining into the Indus River
near the city of Attock in Pakistan. The river and its tributaries provide an
important source of livelihood for nearly  25 million  people
living around the basin.

The
Afghan government to avert the water flow to Pakistan has several times
attempted to outset construction projects to build an electric dam having been
made deals with foreign construction firms, but due to the blatant interference
of Pakistan causing security issues the projects have been failed. Since 2012
Pakistan Army has launched hundreds of thousands of rocket attacks on Kunar
Province of Afghanistan trying to preclude the projects, it is reportedly said
that if an electric dam is constructed over the Kunar river Pakistan will face
a shortage of water which will cause inflation and agricultural complications.
Also, Pakistan is accused of being a safe shelter for the terrorist group
fighting in Afghanistan.

What should be done?

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