NATO military and Afghan security uniforms for sale in Kabul bazaars make it easy for Taliban to carry out 'friendly' killings-BBC

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10/5/13, "Taliban tactics: Stealing the enemy's uniform," BBC, by Kawoon Khamoosh

"For years insurgents have had access to and used the uniforms
of Afghan army and police as well as Western forces to evade security checks or to get bombers close to their targets. In the June attack, they even had fake ID cards.
This tactic appears to be on the increase as the Taliban focus their attacks on fellow Afghans serving in the security forces and high-profile targets in the capital.

This is a countrywide problem: earlier this year militants in uniform also killed 12 policemen in the southern province of Uruzgan and attacked the governor's compound in Panjshir province. 

And in the latest attack in September, two men dressed as Afghan policemen attacked a Shia mosque armed with AK-47 assault rifles, knives and explosives. 

But in the Afghan capital you don't have to look far to find a ready source for army outfits. 

The Pul-e-Kheshti area, the busiest and noisiest part of the city, is home to Kabul's old bazaar, famous for its black-market traders.

I quickly found different types of military clothing, ranging from Afghan police uniforms to those of Nato forces. 

But when the traders saw my camera and reporting equipment, they stuffed their wares away hastily. In the blink of an eye, any trace of the black market trade had disappeared. 

In one specialist tailor shop for military clothing, an Afghan policeman told me that he bought his uniform from a trader in the area. 

"He didn't ask for anything, no ID card, no military documents, nothing, he just asked for money," Abdul Rahman says while waiting for his trousers to be mended. 

Mr Rahman says that on the black market, a military uniform costs about 500 Afghanis ($10; £6.50). A policeman's salary starts at about $200 a month."...



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