War News for Tuesday, October 22, 2012

UK to double number of drones in Afghanistan


Reported security incidents
#1: At least 10 police officers and servicemen were killed in a shootout with Taliban fighters in Herat Province in the west of Afghanistan on Tuesday, local police reports say. The skirmish that erupted after Taliban militants attacked a police convoy continued for several hours. Security officers who arrived on the scene killed three militants.

#2: Casualties are feared in a bomb blast that hit a military convoy belonging to the US-led forces in Afghanistan, Press TV reports. The incident took place in Mihtarlam district of eastern province of Laghman on Tuesday. A tank belonging to foreign forces was destroyed in the attack. There have been no official reports of casualties, but witnesses told Press TV that foreign choppers evacuated the wounded from the scene of the attack.

#3: Maj. Bismillah and his subordinates, who were coming to the rescue of a relief convoy, were killed in the rebel ambush attack on Monday evening, the governor's spokesman said. Mohiuddin Noori told Pajhwok Afghan News the convoy came under attack on its way from Oba town to Chasht-i-Sharif district. Police spokesman Col. Abdul Rauf Ahmadi said the assault took place 35 kilometres from the Oba district centre. He added the fighters were also harmed in the clash. A local official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed the counterterrorism police officer for Chasht-i-Sharif district was among the dead.

#4: An improvised explosive device (IED) fixed along the road was diffused in Bara Sheikhan area near Peshawar Tuesday, FP News desk reported. According to sources, the bomb disposal squad found the explosives fixed along the roadside in Bara Sheikhan area during a search operation. The squad diffused the bomb on time that was planted to target a police patrolling team.

#5: Earlier in the morning, three FC personnel were wounded when explosives stored in a room went off at Badaber in the outskirt here. Police sources said that FC personnel were on duty near an under construction house on Frontier Road, when suddenly a blast occurred in the house under construction, wounding three of them. Police said that the explosives were stocked in a room of the under construction house, which is being investigated.
 
#6: According to local authorities in eastern Nuristan province of Afghanistan, heavy clashes between Afghan security forces and anti-government armed militants started in this province early Tuesday morning. The officials further added the clashes started in Barg-e-Matal district and the militants are still resisting Afghan security forces. Provincial security chief Ghulamullah Nuristani said militants started attacking Afghan security forces in cooperation with the Pakistani military. Mr. Nuristani further added militants are fighting Afghan security forces and are armed with modern and heavy military equipments.

#7: According to local authorities in eastern Laghman province of Afghanistan, a relatively heavy explosion rocked Mehtarlam city in this province early Tuesday morning. Provincial governor spokesman Sarhadi Zwak confirming the report said the incident took place in Basram village while a convoy of the coalition forces were crossing the area and were attacked by Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers. The NATO troops convoy were moving from Noor Gram district to Mehtarlam city when the incident took place. Coalition security forces did not suffer any casualties following the incident, provincial governor spokesman Sarhadi Zwak confirmed. This comes as Mr. Zwak earlier said a NATO vehicle was damaged following the blast however there is no report regarding the casualties. Sarhadi Zwak said the area has been cordoned off and NATO aircrafts are moving on the area.


AU/DoD: Corporal Scott James Smith