Security up at porous Afghan border

The militaries coordinate their movements so that insurgent escape routes are cut off: Pakistan's role is to block Afghan insurgents from fleeing into Bajaur, and US forces are to stop Pakistanis from escaping into the neighboring Afghan province of Kunar. 

When US commanders receive word that the Pakistani Army is operating in a particular area, they send troops to the Afghan side of the border, Colonel Spiszer explains. "At this point, this means [sending] a four-vehicle patrol, but it's better than nothing."

US forces also communicate often with their counterparts across the border, and field commanders on both sides meet to exchange information and discuss tactics.

Commanders are also reinforcing troop strength along the border. A new US battalion recently arrived in Kunar, part of a likely escalation of US forces here.

Over the past year, US forces helped initiate a recruiting drive for the Afghan Border Police (ABP). In Afghan provinces near Bajaur, the ranks of the ABP have almost tripled, according to US military officials.

While the winter months usually see a lull in fighting in Afghanistan, as guerrillas head to warmer climes in Pakistan, the tightened border may be keeping more fighters in the country. Insurgent-initiated attacks in Kunar more than doubled in January compared with the same period last year, says Sami Kovanen, a security analyst in Kabul.

In addition, most of the attacks failed to kill US troops, who have low casualty rates in Kunar despite the high levels of violence there. Spiszer suggests that guerrillas may be having a harder time bringing casualty-inducing heavy artillery into the country.

At the same time, tensions still exist between the allies. The CIA and Special Forces – which operate outside the US military command that is cooperating with Pakistani forces – have repeatedly fired missiles into Pakistani territory, an issue that inflames lawmakers and locals there.

Some US officials say Pakistan covertly supports certain militant groups that are active in Afghanistan. These groups are not at war with Islamabad and instead reserve their fire for American troops. Such groups include the Haqqani network, which has a strong presence in southeastern Afghanistan, and Lashkar-e-Taiba (blamed by India for the Mumbai attacks), which is very active in Kunar.

Military officials say that such tensions are primarily political and don't affect combat operations. 

Longstanding frictions also exist between Kabul and Islamabad. But officials say that the greater military cooperation on the border has brought the Afghan and Pakistani militaries closer together as well.

"Whereas the Afghan border police and the Pakistani [forces] once had significant disagreements, they are now sitting down and having tea together," says Capt. Benjamin Brink, an officer involved in coordinating border activities. "They realized over the last year that there is a common foe."

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