Watch Out

Daud himself admitted that his predecessor had made his life difficult. “Akhundzada has been trying his best to become governor again ever since he was removed,” he said.

He added that he had been due to launch a “self-eradication” programme next month in order to give farmers a chance to grow an alternative crop. “There are no incentives in terms of cash or other things but we have told them that if they don’t eradicate then we will use spraying, which destroys other things, not just poppy.”

Although he said security had improved in the past two months, he admitted it was worse than before the British troops arrived on the scene earlier this year: “It’s worse than before they came. The problem is there was a gap between when the Americans left and the British arrived and that left a vacuum and the terrorists seized that opportunity.”

Although the number of British troops in Helmand has been increased to 4,000, Daud insisted that more were needed. “They are doing a good job but compared to the demand for maintaining security in such a big province and with 160km of border with Pakistan, it’s just not enough.”

He warned that the Department for International Development (DFID) was being too slow in carrying out reconstruction: “This is not just a military issue. I keep telling the British they must increase their development activities, particularly DFID. If we have no development, we cannot create jobs or do anything and it’s difficult to gain the support of local people. Without that, they will not succeed.”

Marines accused

British military commanders defended the Royal Marines yesterday amid a growing storm over allegedly indiscriminate shooting after a suicide bombing in Kandahar last Sunday.

Afghan eyewitnesses claimed that one person was killed and several wounded when Royal Marines opened fire after a suicide bomber drove into a military convoy. At least two Afghans and six others, including three marines, were wounded in the suicide attack, British officials said.

British troops then fired “warning shots” to keep other vehicles away from the scene.

Local MPs accused the marines of opening fire on innocent bystanders, but a British spokesman said this was “absolutely not the case”.

The results of an initial investigation are now with Brigadier Jerry Thomas, the British military commander in southern Afghanistan.

Civic leaders dismissed the inquiry. Haji Habidullah Jan, one of Kandahar’s MPs, said: “This is not the first time that civilians have been hit by troops. How many investigations have they made so far and what is the conclusion? Nothing.” Marines accused

Explore World News

• World Agenda

• Iraq News

• US & Americas News

• Europe News

• Middle East News

• Afghanistan News

• Asia News

• Africa News

• Ireland News

Times Recommends

• Should Knox’s trial even have reached the courtroom?
• 'Was it real?' The US bailout nightmare
• Iranian opposition plays the long game