Provincial Profiles

The CAPS team creates provincial profiles that provide an assessment Specific province.  These provincial profiles are done by the CAPS research team and include a preliminary study of the province through available material, conducting interviews with local experts and scholars as well as influential people of the region. Having a general understanding of the province, the team then moves onto field research, traveling to the province and conducting research on the ground. This includes interviews with local civilian leaders, tribal elders and other influential members of society, as well as conducting surveys and engaging the local population. The team also interviews local government officials, representatives of the international community, coalition forces and Afghan National Security forces. Aside from conducting interviews and surveys, the CAPS research team also investigates the ground realities of governance by conducting their own fact-finding missions about the facts and figures of the province.  A further round of research is conducted on the district level. This is then compiled into a written profile of the province that is divided into several categories: History, Demographics, Governance, Informal Local Governance, Development and Security. The final product is submitted to the IDLG with policy recommendations to help improve local governance. Thus for caps has completed seven profiles

( Maidan wardak, Logar, Badghis, Faryab, Kapisa, Kandahar, and Ghazni )

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Violent Actors
CAPS maintains a unique and detailed record of all suicide terrorist attacks as well as military operations across Afghanistan. Using this data, the Center is able to offer detailed insights into the changing patterns and tactics of armed groups and the developing nature of the conflict.

The study of the conflict in Afghanistan also requires an understanding of key actors, such as the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and others engaged in the conflict.  What and where are their logistical, moral and financial bases of support? Who are their partners and who are their enemies? This knowledge is vital in order to understand the background of the key leaders and assess the group’s strengths and weaknesses. By carrying out this research and analysis CAPS is able to produce threat assessments that offer guidance for different interest group with an interest in, or operating in, Afghanistan.

Media in Conflict
Armed groups in Afghanistan, just as in the Middle East and Pakistan, use the media to propagate their message, solicit both moral and financial support, and provide distant training and exchange of logistical information required to launch successful operations.

The role of media in conflict expansion, and subsequently mitigation, requires a deeper understanding beyond simply studying the role of the Internet within conflict environments. This has been a popular research topic amongst researchers in recent years. However, the changing conflict situation demands a more lateral approach examining the numerous media outlets used by violent actors. CAPS’ media and conflict project includes analysis of DVDs, audio cassettes and CDs, news papers as well as the Internet. The Centre has one of the most up to date archives of propaganda produced by armed groups in Afghanistan and the region. Through detailed and continuous analysis of these sources CAPS is able to produce solid research and analysis of the growing use of media in conflict.

Drugs, Security and Development  
The drug economy is often labeled as the financial driving force behind the ongoing insurgency in Afghanistan. Although it is not certain precisely how much of the money produced by the narcotics trade goes into fueling the conflict, it is clear that the production of drugs will continue for as long as there is insecurity in Afghanistan. Incidentally, much of the current insurgency is taking place is the poppy growing areas in the South. Since the fall of the Taliban, more and more provinces are turning to poppy cultivation.

Therefore, it is crucial that a better understanding of this situation is developed. What are the causes behind this development? Precisely how much of the drug trade is channeled to fund violence? How does money from poppy farming flow to the insurgents? What can be done to prevent drug-financed conflict in the near future?

The objective of this research project is to answer these questions and identify short, mid and long-term viable developmental alternatives to the drug economy. The project will study the role of drugs in the ongoing insurgency; the consequences of current policies at drug eradication led by international and national forces and present potential alternatives including farming options, education opportunities and job creation in new markets.

Study of Suicide Terrorism in Afghanistan
Suicide terrorism, a phenomenon that was entirely alien to the region, has become a routine tactic of the insurgents and militant groups. Research analysts at CAPS regularly monitor suicide attacks in Afghanistan and have developed the most up to date database of suicide attacks starting from the first attack against commander Ahmad Shah Massoud on September 9th, 2001.  CAPS continues to analyse the patterns and trends of this phenomenon for better understanding of developments.

CAPS Pre Deployment Training (PDT) Program

The standard PDT program is designed to provide education and orientation for civil servants, diplomats, military personnel and other interested parties before they arrive in Afghanistan. The PDT consists of five pillars:

• Current and Relevant Operating Picture (CROP) – Using data and insights from CAPS projects such as the assessment of violent actors in Afghanistan; the role of narcotics in the current insurgency and the role of media in conflict, as well as the staff’s detailed understanding of Afghan history and culture, the centre is able to provide a detailed and up to date description and analysis of the CROP.

• Historical Understanding – Understanding both the recent and colonial history of Afghanistan is vital for all those working here. This section of the training provides an overall history of Afghanistan examining key events such as early settlements in modern Afghanistan, ‘Great power politics’ between Russia and Britain, Afghanistan as a nation state, the Soviet invasion (1979-89), the Najibullah regime (1989-92), the Afghan civil war (1992- 96), the rise of the Taliban (1996-2001), and present day Afghanistan (2001 – present).

While this understanding is crucial, Afghanistan cannot be fully appreciated until the effects of historical events are understood at the provincial level where much of Afghanistan’s politics traditionally takes place. To this end, CAPS is also able to provide training on the history of specific provinces or regions where trainees may be operating.   

• Culture – Afghan society consists of numerous, complex and overlapping social and cultural relations. Being able to interact with these in a culturally sensitive way is crucial for gaining the support and respect of the people and hence is vital to all those working here. CAPS local staff are able to offer a unique training covering norms and taboos of urban and rural areas; different ethnic groups; social structure; clothing and food; social etiquette; interaction between genders; respect; honor codes.

• Religion – The unity of religion and the state in Islamic countries demands that all those operating in Afghanistan have a basic understanding of its religion. CAPS training covers key concepts / practices / branches of Islam as well as differentiation between cultural and religious practices.

• Language – Afghanistan has two widely used languages. For those operating in Central / Northern Afghanistan, CAPS teaches words and phrases commonly encountered in Dari (Afghan Persian). For those working in Western / Southern and Eastern Afghanistan the same training is provided in Pashto.

Current and Relevant Operating Picture (CROP) (7)

Session 1 – Introduction to the course followed by an update of CAPS’ security, narcotics and media    campaigns in Afghanistan.

Session 2 – Lessons learned from 50 years of Counter-insurgency: From Malaya to Iraq.

Session 3 – The Taliban: 10 years on.
Session 4 – Al-Qaeda: franchising global jihad.
Session 5 – Suicide Terrorism: A case study in Afghanistan.
Session 6 – NATO’s operations in Afghanistan.
Session 7 – Afghanistan and the importance of Strategic Communications.

Historical Aspects (4)

Session 1 – History and Revolutions: tough terrain, tough history, tough people (Roots of the struggle: from 1979 to present).

Session 2 – Challenges of Southern Afghanistan: Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan.

Session 3 – The current balance of power in Afghanistan.
Session 4 – The economics of Afghanistan.

Culture (3)

Session 1 – Multi-ethnic society (differences, friction, outlook).
Session 2 – Understanding the Afghan mindset and code of honour.
Session 3 – Everyday culture (hospitality, food, relationships, norms and taboos).

Religion (3)

Session 1 – History of Islam and commonly used terms.
Session 2 – Schools of Islam (Sunni, Shi’ites, Sufi, Salafi), theology, philosophy, beliefs and practices.
Session 3 – Islam in Afghanistan (what’s culture, what’s religion).

Language (3)

Session 1 – Greetings and basic courtesy.
Session 2 – Basic questions and directions.
Session 3 – Emergency phrases.