War News for Thursday, February 07, 2013

UN says US killed, held hundreds of children - You won’t see this in any of the western press – whisker

150 Slovak soldiers expected - This will strike the fear into the Taliban – whisker

CNN - Iran claims released footage is from downed U.S. drone

Bring drones out of the shadows

A time to explain the drone campaign

National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of February 5, 2013

 

Reported security incidents
#1: A NATO helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday but there were no fatalities, an ISAF spokesman said, while the Taliban claimed to have shot it down and killed all on board. "I can confirm an International Security Assistance Force helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan today," the ISAF spokesman told AFP. "The cause is under investigation but initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time. The reporting we have at this time is that there were no casualties." He would not give details of the type of helicopter involved or the number of troops aboard, saying the crash was under investigation. A Taliban spokesman told AFP in a text message that the helicopter was shot down by rocket fire in the Tagab district of Kapisa province and burst into flames.

Helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan

#2-3: Two blasts rocked two cities, both provincial capitals in northern region of Afghanistan on Thursday, wounding two people, both civilians, according to officials. In the latest shocking incident which occurred in Pul-e-Khumri city, the capital of Baghlan province 150 km north of Afghan capital Kabul, two civilians sustained injures, police asserted.

#2: “A bomb attack organized by militants and targeted police vehicle in Pul-e-Khumri city at 11:50 a.m. local time today left two people injured, both civilians,” deputy to provincial police chief Mohammad Sadiq told Xinhua. There were no causalities on police, he contended. However, he confirmed that a police vehicle and a civilian car were damaged in the blast which caused panic among citizens.

#3: Earlier, a similar blast in the neighboring Kunduz province 250 km north of Afghan capital Kabul also targeted police van, damaging the vehicle but caused no loss of life, police confirmed. “The blast took place in front of the house of provincial governor at 10:40 a.m. local time damaging a police van but fortunately hurt no one,” police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Hussaini said to Xinhua.

#4: Security forces killed 12 suspected militants in an air raid in Orakzai Agency on Thursday, Express News reported. Fighter jets targeted militant hideouts in the Mamozai are of Upper Orakzai. According to sources, five hideouts were destroyed in the attack. Earlier on February 6, eight suspected militants were killed in a similar raid. It was the fifth such attack on militants this year. According to security forces, the previous four air raids killed around 38 militants, while 11 hideouts were destroyed. However, the exact figures are difficult to verify.

#5: At least three miscreants were killed in retaliatory fire of police when they attacked a police mobile and arms recovered from their possession here in the wee hours of Thursday. According to details, three armed militants attacked a police mobile van when it was on routine patrol in Yaar Hussain locality of Swabi. The attack led to exchange of fire which continued for more than twenty minutes.

#6: Roadside bomb claimed the lives of four people including a district police chief in the northern Balkh province on Thursday, an official said. "A bomb planted by militants on a road in Kashanda district struck the vehicle of district police chief, Mamor Nasim, killing him along with three of his bodyguards on the spot today afternoon, " district governor, Abidullah told Xinhua.

According to local security officials in northern Balkh province of Afghanistan, district security chief for Kushinda was killed along with his four bodyguards following a roadside bomb explosion.

#7: According to lcoal security officials in western Herat province of Afghanistan, a group of Taliban militants attacked fuel installation in Torghondi port on Wednesday night. The officials further added at least one security guard of the fuel installation was killed and another one was injured following the attack. In the meantime another security official speaking on the condition of anonymity said the clashes started around 9 pm local time on Wednesday night while a group of Taliban militants were looking to torch oil tankers and were resisted by Afghan police forces.

#8: According to Pakistan intelligence officials, a uspected U.S. drone fired two missiles at what is thought to be a militant hideout in northwest Pakistan’s North Waziristan region. The officials further added, three people died in the attack in Ghulam Khan Tehsil, near the border with Afghanistan. They said two missiles were fired at the compound located in Bangi Dar area near the Afghan border. Local people retrieved the bodies, the sources said, adding the dead could not be identified