This research, carried out in cooperation with the international coalition Control PMSC, is an analysis based on a case study on the use and activities of PMSCs in a conflict situation and, in particular, is focused on how territorial states where these companies operate, as Afghanistan, are responding to the challenge of the regulation and control of these armed groups. One of the most important conclusions in the research is that part of PMSCs will remain in Afghanistan as an armed element surviving the withdrawal of foreign military forces planned for 2014. These companies are important actors that perpetuate a militarized society model and can have potentially destabilizing effects in the transition stage of the country.
Being the greatest exponent of the global war on terrorism, the Afghan conflict (2001-present) is also, along with Iraq, one of the first examples of the contemporary privatization of war. The use of private contractors in conflict situations was not exactly a new policy by the time the war of Afghanistan began. However, the scale in their use and the scope of their activities experienced a drastic turn during the conflict. From 2001 to 2007, the estimated number of PMSCs present in Afghanistan ranged from 60 to 140 companies, with around 18,000 to 28,000 troops. In addition, these companies have done all kinds of military and security services. Such as training and restructuring of national armed forces – i.e. the Afghan National Army (ANA) –, operational support services including maintenance and operation of weapons and combat-related goods (including drones), as well as demining and eradication of poppy fields.
In this regard, the report highlights the need for international regulation of PMSCs to serve for regulation at the time of their arrival in countries at war. From a human rights perspective, this could mean that regional states have a real commitment to fulfilling its obligations to protect human rights and ensure respect for humanitarian law under its jurisdiction.
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