Photos by Marielle van Uitert
(You can read here the first part)
The ANP (Afghan National Police) Post in Nyiazi plays a key role in driving away the Taliban
Second part: Throwaway soldier: The ANP (Afghan national Police) has to reconquer the state control on the Taliban and to offer security to its citizens. Working for the ANP is a very dangerous job. Many ANP outposts are attacked by insurgents. Besides they receive very little money which is often not paid within a year. Nevertheless most men take the risks for granted and try to get the country more stable.
Coalition Forces are surprised by a sand storm during their patrol in Ali Shirzai
During a house search in Nyiazi the old man is trying to explain he is not cooperating with the Taliban. The Coalition Forces guard the entrance of the quala
The ANP is having a hard time because their local leaders are not providing them with sufficient materials like guns and bullets for protecting the inhabitants of Nyiazi
In a dark corner of the quala the local leader of the ANP post near the notorious cemetery hill in Chora keeps a guarding dog for their safety. The post was attacked by the Taliban.
National Police is preparing for their foot patrol with the international coalition forces.
The ANP post in Tarin Kowt is safe for women dressed in burqas. They are not searched in contrast with the local males.
Despite the dangerous life of the ANP, they are making the best of it together.
Portrait of a member of the Afghan National Police.
Women in front of an ANP post in Tarin Kowt. Even though she is not searched, she tries to be invisible for the foreign coalition forces.
The leader of the ANP post in Nyiazi has to both keep peace with the coalition forces and the local population while being attacked and doomed by the Taliban.
Because of the dangerous job as a policeman they have to cover up their face in order to not being recognized by the locals.
During a house search near the cemetery hill in the Baluchi Valley which is notorious for its insurgents, fingerprints and iris-scans are taken by the coalition forces on suspicious people.
The desired future for Afghanistan is the departure of the foreign coalition forces where the locals have taken over control over the country. They are now trained in order to reach this point and ANP is trained to guard the streets.
About the author:
Marielle van Uitert (b. 1973 Netherlands) is a freelance photographer who is specialised in war and social engaged documentary. She went to Afghanistan, both embedded with the Dutch army and unembedded dressed in a burqa. She made a documentaries in Iraq and in the West Bank. Her work has been published in several Dutch/English magazines, newspapers and on TV and in the Guardian.
