Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Sherzai (Afghanistan)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 216
Country: Afghanistan
Date formed: Sept. 15, 2001
    Accuracy of date formed: day
Details of Formation: The group originated in September 2001 as the private militia of a warlord (Sherzai), who was governor of Kandahar before and after Taliban rule.
Date dissolved: Nov. 21, 2007
    Accuracy of date dissolved: day
Details of Termination: Plans for disarmament in Afghanistan did not include guidelines for the termination of this militia and similar ones also commanded by warlords. In 2005 Sherzai was removed as governor of Kandahar and transferred to Jalalabad, but it is unclear how this affected his militia. We code the group as terminated in 2007 due to evidence of President Karzai turning against it.
Termination Type(s): government defects

Former and Successor Group Information

Predecessor group(s): none
Successor group(s): none
Private Military Company? yes
Former Group? no information
    Former Armed Group? no information
Former Rebel Group? no information
    Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: none
PGM Becomes Rebel Group? no information
    Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: none

Government Relation, Support, and Training

Government Relation: informal (type 1)
Created by the Government?: no information
    Main Creating Government Institution: none
Government Link(s): person/minister; sub-national government
    If link to party, name of party: None
Training and Equipment: no information
Shared Information and Joint Operations: yes
Shared Personnel: no information
Type(s) of Material Support: Foreign government; drugs; crime
State Sponsor(s): United States; Canada
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: ethnic; former rebels
Primary Membership: no information
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location: None
Force Strength: [unknown, unknown]
Target(s): rebels, insurgents, or other armed group
Purpose(s): protect state, national or religious institutions

Ethnic Characteristics

Ethnic Target(s): none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: not applicable
Ethnic Membership: Pashtuns (Afghanistan)
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: given
Ethnic Purpose: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: not applicable

Other Information

Other Information: Sherzai’s militia received money from the Canadian and US military. It is presumed to have some ties to private security firms. This private army allowed Sherzai to gain significant control over Kandahar and allegedly enabled him to benefit from Nato convoys and drug trade passing through the city.

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: The group was mainly used to fight the Taliban and tasked with defence duties and the provision of transportation services by the Canadian government. It also protected Nato bases, important routes and supplied intelligence and personnel for US operations.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use unknown

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: The PGM has been accused of human rights abuses and bribed, extorted and stole from civilians.
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: unknown

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no information
PGM Members Paid? no information
Reasons for Membership: It is reported that members were known to bribe and extort people which may be a possible incentive to join the group.
PGM Members Killed? no information

PGM Size

Size:

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training:

Organisation

Organisation: The group was controlled by Sherzai, the former governor of Kandahar, and financially supported by the US and Canada. It also cooperated militarily with US and Nato forces.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Human Rights Watch. 2003. “Killing you Is a very easy thing for us. Human Rights Abuses in Southeast Afghanistan.” Vol. 15, No. 5.

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.

Evidence