Critical Infrastructure Protection Force CIP

The Ministry of Interior has planned to dissolve Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) forces throughout the country.(20111227)

Background:
The CIP ( Irregular Police Force) are currently active in Balkh, Kunduz, Jowzjan, Sar-e-Pul ,Faryab, Laghman and Baghlan provinces. An ISAF spokeswoman said CIP had 1544 members.(20111227)

The ICIP was officially set up in August 2011 by Regional Command North, was organised in part to fill a security gap, but it also appears to have been an effort to get control of the scores of often lawless militia groups that intimidate residents in the region.

CIP was financed by the American military. Some members of the force are former militiamen and thugs known as much for extorting money from ordinary citizens as for intimidating insurgents and upholding the law.