War News for Thursday, June 14, 2012

The British MoD is reporting the death of a British ISAF soldier from a small arms/grenade (rpg?) attack in the north of Nahr-e Saraj district. Helmand Province, Afghanistan on Wednesday, June 13th. Here’s the ISAF release.


French Afghanistan pull-out starts 'within weeks': Hollande

Iraq bombs kill 72 Shia pilgrims, police

Pakistanis blame CIA for fresh polio cases

U.S. expands secret intelligence operations in Africa


Reported security incidents
#1: A US drone today targeted a building in the heart of the restive North Waziristan tribal region of Pakistan, killing at least three militants, officials said. The unmanned spy planed fired two missiles at the building in the market of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan Agency, described by US officials as a hub for Taliban and Al Qaeda elements. Officials were quoted by TV channels as saying that three militants were killed. A local journalist said on phone from Miranshah that the US drone carried out the attack at 3.30 am. The building was destroyed and the strike damaged a nearby hotel and several other structures. The identity of the militants killed could not immediately be ascertained. This was the second drone strike in the same region in nearly 10 hours. Four militants were killed when a drone attacked a vehicle near Miranshah yesterday evening.

#2: AN Australian soldier has been wounded in Afghanistan after the vehicle he was travelling in struck a roadside bomb. According to Defence the soldier, from Mentoring Task Force-Four, was wounded during a coalition supported patrol in the Charmestan Valley of Uruzgan province on 12 June. Acting Chief of Joint Operations Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore said an Australian Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle struck the improvised explosive device which was concealed on the track.

#3: Army Spc. Matthew Krumwiede  was near Kandahar, an area she said has been described to her as a hot zone during recent days. According to information she received Wednesday evening, Matthew was on patrol Tuesday morning local time when there was some enemy contact. While his outfit was setting up some kind of security he stepped on a the pressure plate of an improvised explosive device.

#4: An explosion rocked Jowzjan province of northern Afghanistan on Thursday morning, leaving 11 people injured, according to Afghan police. "A remote control bomb was set off in Karte Dostom area of Sheberghan, capital of Jowzjan province, at around 7 o'clock local time today, leaving 11 people injured, " Azizullah, police chief of Jowzjan province, told Xinhua, adding that the explosion was apparantly targeting Haji Dastagir, a tribal elder in the area who is among the injured with his two sons.

#5: At least 11 Afghan national army soldiers injured across the country during the past 24 hours. Afghan defense ministry following a statement on Thursday announced, 11 Afghan national army soldiers were injured in militants’ attacks and roadside bomb explosions in various provinces of Afghanistan. The source further added Afghan national army soldiers were injured in militants attack at three main provinces of Afghanistan including Kunar, Ghazni and Kandahar provinces of Afghanistan.

#6: In a separate statement ISAF announced Afghan and coalition forces killed three insurgents and detained five during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, June 13. Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed three insurgent during a small arms engagement in Watahpur district of eastern Kunar province.