▁also ▁to ▁eliminate ▁tree ▁lines ▁where ▁ins urg ents ▁could ▁hide , ▁blow ▁up ▁out build ings , ▁fl atten ▁agricult ural ▁walls , ▁and ▁car ve ▁new ▁" mil it ary ▁roads ." ▁ ▁Mine - clear ing ▁line ▁charges ▁and ▁H IMA RS ▁art illery ▁ro cket ▁systems ▁were ▁also ▁used ▁extens ively ▁to ▁destroy ▁houses . ▁▁ ▁Re actions ▁and ▁controvers y ▁ ▁The ▁off ensive ▁in ▁K and ah ar ▁and ▁associated ▁home ▁and ▁farm ▁demol itions ▁were ▁opposed ▁by ▁local ▁leaders , ▁and ▁caused ▁res ent ment ▁among ▁Af gh ans ▁who ▁fled ▁the ▁off ensive ▁or ▁remained ▁in ▁their ▁villages . ▁Other ▁tact ics ▁causing ▁anger ▁among ▁local ▁people ▁included ▁night ▁ra ids ▁and ▁mass ▁arr ests ▁in ▁villages ▁from ▁which ▁American ▁forces ▁received ▁small ▁arms ▁fire . ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁Nick ▁Carter , ▁British ▁commander ▁of ▁US - N AT O ▁troops ▁in ▁southern ▁Afghan istan , ▁supported ▁the ▁demol itions ▁policy , ▁as ▁did ▁American ▁L t . ▁Gen . ▁James ▁L . ▁Terry ▁and ▁general ▁David ▁Pet ra eus , ▁who ▁argued ▁that ▁the ▁policy ▁was ▁forced ▁on ▁NAT O ▁by ▁the ▁Tal ib an . ▁ ▁The ▁scale ▁of ▁destruction ▁in ▁Kh os row ▁Sof la ▁has ▁been ▁cont ested , ▁with ▁one ▁article ▁from ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁reporting ▁that ▁" only ▁ 1 0 ▁comp ounds ▁and ▁orch ards ▁were ▁dam aged ." ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁has ▁also ▁maintained ▁that ▁most ▁houses ▁and ▁comp ounds ▁destroyed ▁were ▁previously ▁abandoned