Whether the killings were planned or not, the violence has proved to be a disturbing gauge of the depths of Taliban influence in this progressive northern city, and of its potential to foment unrest.
Perhaps most unsettling for Western and Afghan officials, former Taliban fighters who were supposed to have switched loyalties as part of an American-financed program were among those who snatched weapons from guards at the United Nations compound that was ransacked, police officials said. Three who were living under police protection just a few blocks away have been arrested.
That former Taliban fighters may have been involved raises serious questions about the American-backed reintegration program, which is an important element in the strategy to wean Taliban fighters from the insurgency and for President Hamid Karzai to forge peace…
Diplomats say the horror and scale of the attack in Mazar are a turning point in the relationship between the government and its Western backers, with many questioning Mr. Karzai’s ambivalent support for the international effort. “One day we will have to analyze why the protests only took place in Afghanistan,” said Staffan de Mistura, the head of the United Nations mission in Afghanistan.
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