War News for Saturday, March 01, 2014

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an IED blast in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Friday, February 28th.

Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: At least five militants were killed while eight others were wounded in a military operation in Afghanistan's western province of Herat, a police chief said on Saturday. "The military raid was carried out by army and police in Obe district, west of the provincial capital Herat city. No soldier was hurt in the operations, he noted.

#2: Militants killed 12 members of the security escort for a polio vaccination team in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, detonating a roadside bomb before opening fire on their convoy, according to officials. The attack lasted an hour and when rescuers approached the scene the gunmen also attacked them, according to Khan Faraz, an official in the Jamrud area of Khyber, a rugged tribal region bordering Afghanistan. Around a dozen wounded were taken to hospital, but others died on the road waiting for help to arrive, he said. Another official, Assistant Political Agent Jehangir Azam, said all the casualties were members of the levies or Khasadar, both locally recruited government-backed militias. They were providing security for the health workers.

#3: Ten militants were killed in fresh military operations since early Friday, said the Afghan Interior Ministry on Saturday. "In the past 24 hours, several anti-terrorism operations were conducted by the Afghan National Police, the army and the National Directorate for Security (NDS) in Kunar, Nangarhar, Baghlan, Sari Pul, Jawzjan, Logar and Helmand provinces. As a result 10 armed Taliban members were killed, one wounded and five others were arrested," the ministry said in a statement.

#4: Three security personnel were killed and six injured in a blast that targeted their vehicle in Balochistan province of Pakistan today. The Dawn online reported the security personnel were on a routine patrol in Kalat district, when a remote controlled bomb targeted their vehicle.

#5: Elsewhere, a security official said six insurgents were killed in Sui area of the (Balochistan) province in a clash with paramilitary troops.

An army spokesman told Al Jazeera on Saturday that the fighters were planning to blow up gas pipelines in the restive area.

#6: Afghan forces have launched a military operation in northern Baghlan province to clear insurgents before the holding of the April elections, local officials said on Saturday. The military operation began in Dushi district of the province and very soon the operation will begin in other parts of the province, said Gen. Aminullah Amarkhil, Provincial Police Chief.

#7: Four members of the Taliban insurgent group were detained following a night raid operation in northern Afghan province of Takhar overnight, the provincial police spokesman said on Saturday.

#8: At least 5 suspected militants were killed following a drone strike by coalition forces in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan, local officials said. The air raid was carried out in Ghaziabad district where at least 21 Afghan soldiers were killed during an attack by Taliban militants last week.

#9: Coordinated suicide attacks and explosions were foiled by Afghan intelligence in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan.