Candy, Children, and Counterinsurgency

 On January 7, 2010, in a heavily populated area of Rodat district in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, an explosive device was handed to a child by an unknown person.  The child carried the device into a crowd who had gathered to watch ISAF personnel inspecting a reconstruction project.

The explosive device blew up killing the child, along with another child and a policeman.  Up to 15 others were injured including 9 ISAF soldiers and personnel.

Anti Government Forces, (AGF) immediately took advantage of the tragedy sending a press release, probably through cell phones, reporting that Coalition forces had intentionally thrown the device into the crowd.   Unrest raced though the countryside like a Kansas prairie wildfire.  Within one hour, mobs sprouted up along highways in Rodat, blocking passage for other Coalition convoys moving through the area.  In the provincial capital Jalalabad, University students organized demonstrations with shades of Paris in the 60’s.


The incident was reported in the media as another case of civilian casualties caused by U.S. forces.

Thorough investigations were carried out by many groups:   ISAF; the U.S. forces in charge of the Area of Operations; and GIRoA from the provincial level up to the office of Karzai.  Even local elders pulled together a urgent, special Shura discussing how to deal with the situation.  The investigations discovered the facts… that a device had been given to a child.  Observing local customs, Coalition forces gave humanitarian aid to the families of those killed calming the discord in the village. 

The media never corrected their initial reports (though one Afghan media source initially reported it accurately.)

Ten days of unrest because one child with an explosive device walked into a crowd gathered around an ISAF Forces dismount.

Wherever Coalition forces go, mobs of children follow.  Risk is increased by the presence of so many children—for the child and the soldier. 

In Nangarhar it is common to have up to 75 children around one small convoy of U.S. soldiers.   A child can be given a grenade and be told to give it to a soldier; a child can be run over by the gigantic MRAPs, and it is just a matter of time before an older child is convinced to strap on a suicide vest and walk towards a friendly group of ANA and U.S. soldiers on a 'Combined Action' mission patrolling a village.

Aware of the danger, soldiers have many different methods for dealing with the children.  

One Lieutenant with the Missouri ADT would line up the children at reasonable distance from a dismount team and engage the kids in games and questions.  The kids loved the focused attention.  Other soldiers would enforce a ‘No Go’ area keeping the kids 20’ from the vehicles.   Some would toss candy away from the crowd.  This was especially common during Christmas when tons of unwanted candy from the U.S. was sent over.  Most soldiers however, struggle daily to tolerate the mobs of children, gently pushing them back as they move through a village, not wanting to disturb the good rapport they have built.  

A Police Chief from Achin, angered at what happened in Rodat, had been watching for years the habit of U.S. soldiers throwing candy out of turrets from MRAPs.  Not only was it disrespectful and dangerous for the child, it was also a waste, he said.  What the children needed was not candy, but books and pencils.  His suggestion was to give a box of school supplies to the ANP, telling them to keep the children away from the Coalition soldiers.  While the soldiers are conducting their mission, let the police distribute the school supplies.

It would keep the children safe, he said, and would give his policemen specific purpose to connect to the children.

A smart way to interact with the children as thousands of the U.S. military surge move into the country, and as the long fight season starts once again across Afghanistan.

‑‑by Janet Killeen