War News for Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The British MoD is reporting the death of a British ISAF soldier at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Selly Oak, England on Tuesday, August 25th. He was wounded in an IED blast near Sangin, Helmand province, Afghanistan on Saturday, August 15th.


Mass. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy dies at age 77: (It's a sad day indeed - whisker)


Aug. 20 airpower summary: Aug. 21 airpower summary: Aug. 22 airpower summary: Aug. 23 airpower summary:

Iraq aims to increase oil production by four times:

Powerful Iraqi Shiite leader has died in Iran:

Taliban deny role in southern Afghan attack:

Radio Free Afghanistan Reporter Beaten By Police:

U.S. helicopter accidentally dumps Afghan ballot boxes:

Report Shows Tight C.I.A. Control on Interrogations:

No immunity in any CIA abuse cases-UN rights chief:

Pipeline key to West’s interest in Afghanistan? (I haven't see any discussions on this topic since the start of the conflict years ago but this in theory was one of the major factors behind the invasion. The article isn't the greatest, but in conceptual theory remember "follow the money train." -- whisker)


Reported Security incidents:

Baghdad:
#1: Four policemen on Tuesday were injured in an explosive charge blast in Baghdad, according to a local police source. “A roadside improvised explosive device (IED) went off on al-Nidal St., downtown Baghdad, while a police patrol vehicle was passing the location.

#2: An unknown gunmen on Tuesday night opened fire on a convoy of the Planning Ministry in central Baghdad. “An unknown armed man opened fire on the convoy in Arsat al-Hindiya street in al-Karada region in central Baghdad,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency, noting that security forces cordoned off the region and started searching for the gunman.
He did not give further details.

#3: At least five persons were wounded in a car bomb explosion on Wednesday in eastern Baghdad, a police source said. “A booby-trapped car went off near a police checkpoint at Wahran intersection in eastern Baghdad, injuring three policemen and two civilians,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#4: Tuesday One civilian was injured by an adhesive bomb that was stuck to his car in Saidiyah in south Baghdad around 6 p.m.

#5: Four members of the national police were injured by a roadside bomb in doura neighbirhood in south Baghdad on Tuesday evening.


Diyala Prv:
#1: One policeman was wounded on Tuesday in a bomb explosion in Baaquba and six suspected gunmen were arrested after the incident, a security source said. “An improvised explosive device went off Tuesday (Aug. 25) near a joint checkpoint of Sahwa and police forces in al-Mafraq region in Baaquba, injuring a policeman,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: A roadside bomb targeted and killed a farmer in his orchard in Buhruz, 4 km to the south of Baquba Wednesday morning.

#3: Two bodies were found in Imam Mansour, Baladruz district, 45 km to the east of Baquba, Wednesday.


Amarra:
#1: Three explosive charges were defused and 17 wanted men were arrested in Missan, local police chief said in a statement Tuesday. “Anti-explosives department defused three bombs; one in al-Muaalamen neighborhood, central Amara, the second was defused on the Amara-Kahlaa road and the third was planted near the second one,” said the statement received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Kirkuk:
#1: One policeman was wounded in a sticky bomb explosion in southwestern Kirkuk, a security source said Wednesday. “A bomb, stuck to a policeman’s car, went off on Wednesday morning (Aug. 26) in al-Waseti neighborhood in southwestern Kirkuk, injuring him and destroying his car,” Colonel Kamel Ahmad, deputy chief of al-Muqdad police, told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Mosul:
#1: Two civilians were killed Wednesday in a bomb explosion in eastern Mosul, a security source said. “An improvised explosive device went off Wednesday (Aug. 26) while a police vehicle patrol was passing in al-Faisaliya region in eastern Mosul, killing two passing civilians,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: Gunmen stormed a bus and shot dead one of its passengers in Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, police said


Al Anbar Prv:
#1: Two Iraqi soldiers were wounded Tuesday when a roadside bomb went off targeting their patrol in northern Falluja, said a source from the city’s police. “The incident took place this noon,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: Police forces on Tuesday found a booby-trapped car on the highway in eastern Falluja city, according to a local police chief. “The vehicle was loaded with TNT explosives, a number of explosive charges and an amount of C4 explosives,” Col. Mahmoud al-Issawi told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.“The driver, who was wearing an explosive belt, was arrested,” the colonel indicated.

#3: A police force defused two roadside bombs east of Falluja and arrested four suspects within the same area, said a source from the city’s police. “The bombs were planted by unknown gunmen,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.“The roadside bombs were defused without causing casualties or damage,” he said.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: Pakistani jets and helicopter gunships pounded militant positions in South Waziristan on Wednesday, officials said, in a fresh assault on Taliban rebels in the lawless tribal belt. The strikes hit about 40 kilometres (24 miles) east of South Waziristan's main town Wana, security and military officials said, with a handful of troops and militants killed in the bombing and clashes. "This is basically a road clearance operation. Gunships and heavy artillery are taking part. Jet fighters also bombed their positions," a military official based in the main northwest city Peshawar told AFP. A security official said paramilitary forces were clearing about 20 kilometres of road from South Waziristan to the neighbouring Dera Ismail Khan district to make it secure for paramilitary and military movement. "We are facing some minor resistance, militants are firing rockets and using other weapons," the security official said. The military official in Peshawar said: "Two paramilitary troops were martyred and seven injured during two days of operations. Several militants have been killed and an unknown number of them injured in the operation."

#2: Eighteen militants were killed and 13 others arrested in ongoing operations in northwest Pakistan during the last 24 hours, local officials said Wednesday.

#2: Tuesday the Islamist rebels were blamed for setting off a truck bomb in the heart of southern city Kandahar, killing up to 43 people and injuring 65, almost all civilians. The bomb blew up near a Japanese construction company, a guest house used by foreigners and government offices.

#3: A bomb attack on Wednesday in Kunduz killed the head of the justice department in the northeastern province, Qari Jihangir, said police. "The bomb was placed in his car. We're investigating the incident right now," said regional police chief Abdul Razaq Yaqoubi.

#4: Clash between Taliban militants and an Afghan army officer have left four persons including the officer and three rebels dead in Wardak province of central Afghanistan, a press release of Afghan Defense Ministry said Wednesday. "Taliban rebels on Tuesday attacked an army officer Captain Lutfullah in Wardak province and the officer resisted, as a result the officer and three insurgents were killed," the press release added.

#5: One Pakistani engineer was killed and two were wounded when unknown gunmen attacked their vehicle as they were travelling through northeastern Baghlan province, provincial security official Majid Khan said.

#6: A roadside bomb killed one Afghan soldier and wounded two in Mohammad Agha district of Logar province, south of the capital, Kabul, on Monday, the Defence Ministry said.

#7: Four policemen were injured in motorcycle bomb blast in southwest Pakistan Wednesday, local TV channel reported. A remote controlled bomb was planted in the motorcycle and it went off to target police truck near Quetta in Balochistan province, the Private AAJ TV reported.