Counterterrorism: U.S. Agencies Face Challenges Countering the Use of Improvised Explosive Devices in the Afghanistan/Pakistan Region

Abstract

I am pleased to be here to discuss the collaborative efforts of U.S. agencies to detect and prevent the smuggling into Afghanistan of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) fertilizer produced in Pakistan. Approximately 80 percent of the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan contain homemade explosives, primarily CAN smuggled from Pakistan. These IEDs have been a major source of fatalities among U.S. troops in Afghanistan and have been used by various insurgent groups in Pakistan to kill thousands of Pakistani civilians and members of Pakistani security forces. U.S. officials recognize the threat posed by the smuggling of CAN and other IED precursors from Pakistan into Afghanistan, and various U.S. departments, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), are assisting Pakistan s government in countering this threat. My remarks today are based on our May 2012 report on this issue.1

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 12, 2012
Accession Number
ADA564137

Entities

People

  • Charles M. Johnson Jr.

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter IED

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan
  • Civil Defense
  • Commerce
  • Congress
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Explosive Devices
  • Explosives
  • Governments
  • Homeland Security
  • Improvised Explosive Devices
  • Law
  • Materials
  • Pakistan
  • Security
  • United States
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Aviation Safety Risk Assessment.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.