The extravagant signing-event of US/Taliban in Doha was brilliant PR. The War on Terror in Afghanistan seemed almost over. The Taliban are now 'friends'. Now, lets look at the province Uruzgan, who again started killing in the last couple of days? (1)

Knowing the area since 2008, it's not who you think they are. My friend and I, who have reported on these fights for so long, see - instead - a deadly vicious circle, where (personal)grief is an dominant motivator to fight. (2)

And that is the saddest thing. Years ago an extravagant event in Doha was not necessary for peace, if we had searched the important answer to 'why' these people in Uruzgan fight. (3)

Most of the incentives for fighting is/was exclusion/power play. It had less to do with ideology or anti-Western arguments. One police man said yesterday: i have no salary, and no support from Kabul but i continue fighting, because the others killed two of my brothers. (4)

Talking/diplomacy/conflict resolution is better suited for these incentives then military tactics. But Westerners continued the in DC created War on Terror. But like in Vietnam, the 'problem solvers' in DC had no knowledge abt Afghanistan, as the "Afghanistan Papers' confirmed. 5

NATO-allies like The Netherlands who were in Uruzgan knew better, and realised the lack of strategy. But we should not expect truth finding by these bureacracies. Their alliance with the US is more important and makes them compromise. (6)

And there we are. For us, this war is now more then ever a far away event. Some Americans who might vote soon, will only remember the coverage of Doha, and the positiveness of that 'historical day'. (7)

But the unnecessary war continues. There aren't many civilian casualties in Uruzgan, but heavy fighting continues. (8)

Last night the fighting concentrated in Naichin, a village with alliances in the government with Barakzai-tribes, 7 km north from the capital Tarin Kowt. The Taliban in Uruzgan are mostly from from Mirabath and Deh Reshan... (9)

...since '01 (violently) excluded ereas from government because of tribal politics. These soared relations have created enmity. Now the excluded are strong, and claim to be Taliban. (10)

The grievances have only become bigger after 0911, and that will not easily be resolved. Even with peace, personal revenge will be a big factor for attacks. This is a deadly vicious circle. Every fight in Uruzgan has to be seen in this context. (11)

The foreign troops prefer to leave, but a quagmire like this is not easily left behind. The US troops came back briefly earlier this year, joining a fight they think is 'terrorism'. But as history in this country has now shown, daily aerial bombings do not the wished for change12

Last night these Taliban attacked a police post in Naichin. The village is empty, and the houses are confiscated by the police. Both Taliban and Afghan police push families from their houses, and use it for fighting.
5 Afghan police got killed. (13)

The night before there were also attacks in Naichin. The Taliban surrounded the empty houses/commando posts with explosives, and blew it up. 6 Afghan police got killed. There are also Taliban killed, some say 17. (14)

The night before more police and Taliban got killed. And the night before... We will now try to continue updating you on the fighting incidents in Uruzgan. (15)

@AusAmbSE just followed me. Welcome! Bernard was with the Australians who were also active in Uruzgan.. Not sure if you have the time, now promoted to ambassador in Sweden, but Bernard if you want to comment, let me know.

Last night, around midnight, a post in Spin Landay - maybe 1 km from Naichin - got attacked. 2 police and 1 ANA killed. The post - a former family house - got destroyed. We now figured that the Taliban try to hide their casualties in order to look strong. We try to find out.(16)

Last night, there were no attacks in Uruzgan as far as we know.

Last night another night of quietness in Uruzgan. It might have to do with Ramadan. (In an earlier tweet I said Eid, my apologies. It's interesting though: I got some very angry responses, as if making mistakes isn't human? Reverse the situation?)

Despite Ramadan attacks restarted, while I type. Its again in Naichin (see earlier tweets). Loud explosions can be heard, which is artillery of ANA coming from airport in Tarin Kowt city. Now B52 in the air. In South, near airport.

Earlier tonight, government planes in air for 1 hour, North of Tarin Kowt, bombing 4 times. This was in Kowt Wal area, which is very close to the capital. This is the area of Ibrahim Akhundzada, a very close ally of Karzai.

He left the area much earlier because Taliban have taken over this place, and its considered a 'front line'. Targets were a school and private houses, confiscated by Taliban. They say the Taliban saw planes coming, and fled.

If you want to read more about Ibrahim Akhundzada, see my Karzai-book. He is Popolzai, and was part of civil war in Uruzgan before Taliban. After 0911, he supported the surrender of Taliban to Hamid Karzai, an actual peace opportunity in Afghanistan, which was ignored by the US

The Naichin-fighting we reported on last night has resulted in 4 killed Taliban, and two police posts/family houses destroyed. 4 Police were killed. 3 wounded. Two sources in police told us some of their colleagues gave up.