War News for Thursday, May 17, 2012

Overnight U.S. drone strike kills 2 al-Qaida leading members in Yemen


Reported security incidents
#1: A group of suicide bombers armed with explosive-laden vests, automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades stormed a government compound Thursday in western Afghanistan, killing at least seven people, officials said. One of attackers first blew himself up at the gate of the governor's complex in Farah province, then three others fought their way inside, said Raouf Ahmadi, the regional police spokesman. An ensuing two-hour gunbattle with the police left all the attackers dead, Ahmadi said. He said six policemen and one civilian were also killed in the attack, while another 12 people were wounded.

#2: Elsewhere, Taliban militants attacked a NATO supply convoy overnight in Herat province. Provincial police spokesman Raouf Ahmadi said one police officer, two security guards and a militant were killed in the fighting.

#3: Two police officials were killed while two were injured on Thursday morning when unknown assailants opened fire on them on the Eastern Bypass in Quetta. According to a police official, the deceased – both police constables – were identified as Murtaza and Sanaullah, while ASI Muhammad Hussain and Constable Deen Muhammad were injured. The officials were on a routine patrol when the attack took place. The assailants fled the scene after the attack.

#4: Afghan defense ministry following a statement on Thursday announced at least 5 Afghan national army soldiers were killed or injured in three separate incidents. The statement further added an Afghan national army soldier was killed following armed attacked by militants at Wardaj district of north-eastern Badakhshan province. In a separate incident two Afghan national army soldiers were injured following militants attack at Mano district in eastern Kunar province and another Afghan soldier was injured in southern Helmand province, the statement added. Afghan defense ministry officials following the statement also said Afghan national army soldiers killed a roadside bomb planter in eastern Khost province.

#5: Afghan Interior Ministry officials following a statement on Wednesday announced at least 14 Taliban militants were killed following clashes with the Afghan national police forces in eastern Paktia and north-eastern Badakhshan provinces of Afghanistan. The source further added the clashes took place at Haji Aryoub district around 1:30 am local time between Taliban militants and Afghan border police forces. Taliban militants ambushed a patrol convoy of the Afghan national police forces and at least 9 militants were killed in cross fire, Afghan interior ministry official said adding that Afghan security forces also seized 9 AK-47 rifles and some other weapons and ammunitions.


DoD: Staff Sgt. Israel P. Nuanes

War News for Wednesday, May 16, 2012

100 Canadian soldiers to leave Afghanistan

As Trained Afghans Turn Enemy, a U.S.-Led Imperative Is in Peril


Reported security incidents
#1: A suicide attacker was killed before arriving to his target by police of Kandahar security directorate yesterday. Interior ministry press office said to BNA, a suicide attacker wanted to explode his explosive device in the bazaar of Zheri district of Kandahar province was identified by police forces, and came under gun fire and killed.

#2:  An Afghan policeman was killed and five others injured Wednesday in a roadside bombing in northwestern Afghan province of Badghis, a provincial official said. "A roadside bomb was detonated through a remote control device at about 9 a.m. local time along a road in Muqur district when a police convoy was passing by the area," Deputy Provincial Governor Abdul Ghani Sabiri told Xinhua. He said a policeman was killed and five other police officials including district police chief Hajji Syia Khan was injured in the attack.

#3: Separately, three local elders were killed and one other injured Tuesday when a gunman riding a motorcycle opened fire in neighbouring Herat province. "A group of people including several tribal elders were holding a meeting in an open area over a dispute in Shindand district late on Tuesday but the crowd was attacked by a terrorist," a provincial government spokesman Mohiddin Noori told Xinhua on Wednesday.

#4:  A total of 18 Taliban insurgents have been killed in operations launched by Afghan forces and NATO-led coalition troops within the past 24 hours, the Afghan Interior Ministry said Wednesday. "Afghan police, army and NATO-led coalition forces conducted 17 joint cleanup operations in nine provinces across the country over the last 24 hours, killing 18 armed Taliban rebels besides detaining three other suspects,"the ministry said in a statement.

At least 4 Afghan national army soldiers were killed or injured in various incidents at southern Helmand, eastern Paktia and western Herat provinces of Afghanistan during the past 24 hours. According to a statement released by Afghan defense ministry at least 2 Afghan national soldiers were killed following a roadside bomb explosion at eastern Paktia province and another Afghan national army soldier was killed at southern Helmand province. The statement further added another Afghan national army soldier was injured in a separate incident at western Herat province of Afghanistan.

#5: In another development, nine suspected Taliban fighters were killed in an air attack launched by NATO-led forces in Jaji Mangal district of eastern Paktia province overnight, an official said Wednesday. "Nine armed militants were placing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along a road in Jaji Mangal district last night to target security forces but based on intelligence, Afghan forces called in a precision air strike killing all insurgents on the spot,"a spokesman for provincial government Ruhollah Samoon told Xinhua.

#6: According to local authorities in southern Uruzgan province, a tribal elder was shot dead by unknown gunmen in this province. The officials further added the incident took place on Tuesday afternoon at Herawood district after unknown gunmen riding a motorcyle opened fire on Jilani Khan. Provincial security chief spokesman Farid Ayel said tribal elder Jilani Khan was crossing the area along with his son and was killed by unknown gunmen.

DoD: Sgt. Brian L. Walker

DoD: Pfc. Richard L. McNulty III

War News for Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Appleton soldier death in Afghanistan ruled suicide

Local Afghan police fall short, study finds

At least 32 killed in new Yemen offensive on militants


Reported security incidents


DoD: 1st Lt. Alejo R. Thompson

DoD: Sgt. Wade D. Wilson

D0D: Spc. Alex Hernandez III

War News for Monday, May 14, 2012

The DoD is reporting a new death previously unreported by the military. Petty Officer Second Class Jorge Luis Velasquez died from a non-combat related incident in Manama, Bahrain on an unreported date. News reports that he fell off a balcony, He was supporting OAF.

Reported security incidents
#1: An explosion in Afghanistan's northern Faryab province has killed nine people, including a provincial council member. Police say the blast in the Ghormach district of Faryab was triggered by explosives planted on a bicycle.

#2: At least five Afghan soldiers have been killed and two others wounded in a roadside bomb explosion in eastern Afghanistan, Press TV reports. The incident occurred late on Sunday when the soldiers’ military vehicle hit a mine in the Alishing district of the eastern Laghman Province.
#3: Five people were injured Monday in two blasts in Khost city, the provincial capital of eastern Afghan province of Khost, officials said. "A civilian man and four service members with Afghan National Police (ANP) have been admitted in a hospital in Khost city Monday afternoon," head of provincial health department Amir Padashah Mangal told Xinhua. "Initially, an explosion took place at about 12:30 p.m. local time near the provincial education department, causing no casualties but at the same time, as a police unit arrived at the scene to investigate the incident, another blast occurred leaving five people wounded," a police official in the city told Xinhua.

#4: Afghan police, backed by army and NATO-led coalition forces, have eliminated 18 Taliban militants within the past 24 hours, the country's Interior Ministry said on Monday morning. "Afghan National Police (ANP) in collaboration with army, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) or intelligence agency and NATO-led coalition forces launched nine joint cleanup operations in Kabul, Badakhshan, Helmand, Zabul, Wardak, Ghazni, Khost, Paktika and Paktia provinces, killing 18 armed Taliban insurgents over the past 24 hours," the ministry said in a statement.

#5: According to local authorities in eastern Ghazni province at least 7 people were killed following armed clashes between Taliban militants and private security guards escorting NATO supply convoy in this province. The officials further added the incident took place at Andar district of eastern Ghazni province after Taliban militants ambushed a convoy of the NATO supplies. Andar district chief Sher Khan Yousufi said the clashes took place at Nani area on Monday morning, killing 4 private security guards and 3 civilians. He also said two Afghan kids and an Afghan men were killed following the clashes which took place in a residential area.


DoD: Petty Officer Second Class Jorge Luis Velasquez

MoD: Corporal Brent John McCarthy

MoD: Lance Corporal Lee Thomas Davies

News of the Day for Sunday, May 13, 2012

Two British servicemen shot dead by Afghan police in Helmand province on Saturday. MoD says one was from the 1st Battalion Welsh guards and the other the RAF. They were providing security for a meeting with Afghan officials. One of the attackers was killed, the other is at large.

An Afghan peace council member is killed in a drive by shooting in Kabul. "Arsala Rahmani was a former Taliban official who had reconciled with the government and was active in trying to set up formal talks with the insurgents."

High ranking NATO, Pakistani and Afghan military commanders meet to discuss border control after a break of several months. Pakistani General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, ISAF commander General John Allen, and Afghan armhy chief Sher Muhammad Karimi met in Rawalpindi ahead of a meeting of the Pakistani Defense Committee of the cabinet, which will discuss reopening NATO supply routes through Pakistan.

 

Six de-miners are abducted in Nangarhar. Not clear whether they are Afghan nationals.

 

Two ISAF troops killed by IED in eastern Afghanistan. No further details at this time.

 

Afghan Interior Ministry issues a press release claiming 18 Taliban killed in the past 24 hours. They have taken to routinely issuing these body counts. No way of knowing whether it's true, there are usually no details. -- C

 

Iraq Update

 

U.S. may abandon multi-billion dollar program to train Iraqi police that the Iraqis never wanted in the first place. Sounds like a plan to me. -- C Sayeth Tim Arango of the NYT "The training effort, which began in October and has already cost $500 million, was conceived of as the largest component of a mission billed as the most ambitious American aid effort since the Marshall Plan. Instead, it has emerged as the latest high-profile example of the waning American influence here following the military withdrawal, and it reflects a costly miscalculation on the part of American officials, who did not count on the Iraqi government to assert its sovereignty so aggressively."

 

Four killed in attacks on security forces in Ramadi and Baghdad.

 

U.S. officials are furious as Iraqi court frees Ali Musa Daqduq, a Hezbollah commander from Lebanon who worked with a Shiite militia in high profile attacks on U.S. forces and the abduction of British contractors.

 

And Colin Powell is still a liar and a war criminal.

 

 

War News for Saturday, May 12, 2012

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an insurgent attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Friday, May 11th.

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an non-combat related injury in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, May 12th.

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an IED blast in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, May 12th.

MILITARY: U.S. troops wounded in Afghanistan edges near 16,000

Afghan commanders show new defiance in dealings with Americans


Reported security incidents
#1: A remote-controlled bomb exploded as a police van carrying four prisoners passed by an abandoned tin of vegetable oil in Peshawar city on Saturday, killing one policeman and wounding 17 others," local police official Mohammed Asif said. A woman and four policemen were among those wounded.
 
#2: A taxi driver was killed when a mortar bomb hit his cab in the upmarket Hayatabad area of Peshawar on Friday night, police official Tahir Ayub said. Mr Ayub said the headquarters of the paramilitary Frontier Constabulary in the area was apparently the target of the mortar bombs fired from the neighbouring Khyber tribal region. "However, three mortars landed in open spaces while three others hit a house, a taxi cab and a shop," he said, adding that at least four people were wounded in the attack.

#3: Elsewhere, the spokesman for the governor of the northwestern province of Badghis says four police officers were killed Saturday when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Qadis district.

#4: In a separate incident, 11 Taliban militants, an Afghan soldier and a policeman were killed Friday during a clash following Taliban attack on police checkpoints in Musa Qala district of southern Helmand province, a spokesman for provincial government said. "The fighting took place in Musulmani and Khowja Daad areas of the district and lasted for several hours," spokesman Daud Ahmadi told Xinhua on Saturday, adding "Security forces have also captured nine injured militants after the clashes,"

#5: Afghan defense ministry officials following a press release on Saturday announced, an Afghan soldier was killed following roadside bomb explosion at Musa Qala district of southern Helmand province on Friday. The source further added, another Afghan soldier was injured in a separate incident at Panjwai district of southern Kandahar province on the same day.

#6: In the meantime Afghan interior ministry following a statement announced at least 3 militants were killed, 2 of them were injured and 18 others were detained following military operations by Afghan police, Afghan army, Afghan intelligence and coalition securit forces. The statement further added the operations were conducted at Kabul, Helmand, Zabul and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan during the past 24 hours.

War News for Friday, May 11, 2012

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an small arms fire/gunshot wounds when an ANA soldier turned his weapon on ISAF soldiers in an undisclosed location in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, May 11th. News reports that the shooting was at a base in Kunar province killing one U.S. soldier and wounding two others.

EU to spend €50mn on private security in Afghanistan

Civilian deaths in Afghanistan fall 20 percent, says UN


Reported security incidents
#1: A solder from Wilkes County who was seriously wounded in Afghanistan Sunday is scheduled to be flown from a hospital in Germany to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., on Friday. Although Pfc. Chance Cleary is still in a coma from the blast of an improvised explosive device (IED) Sunday in Afghanistan and his long-term prognosis is uncertain.

#2: Four young children were killed on Friday when a mortar slammed into their family's vehicle as they attempted to escape Shalobar area of Khyber Agency, officials said. Two close female relatives were wounded in the incident in Khyber, where the military is fighting against local warlord Mangal Bagh and his Lashkar-e-Islam faction. Syed Ahmad Jan, another government official, said the family was leaving the Shalobar area of Khyber after authorities issued evacuation orders warning that the military was planning to expand its offensive on May 10. "There was an exchange of fire between militants and troops," Khan told, saying that a "stray mortar" had hit the family's vehicle.

#3: A television reporter, his brother and a friend were gunned down by unidentified men in Sindh province of southern Pakistan, according to a media report today. Aurangzeb Tunio, a correspondent for KTN, the most popular news channel in Sindh, was killed with his brother Rustam Tunio and friend Deedar Khaskheli at Lalurounk town of Qambar district last night. Tunio was sitting in his office when a group of 20 armed men arrived there and opened fire, killing the three men instantly, Dawn newspaper reported.

#4: A powerful blast rocked Jalalabad city in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan on Friday.

#5: Eight people, including five children, were killed on Thursday when two roadside bombings went off in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, a provincial police spokesman said. "A roadside bomb was detonated by a remote control in Musulmanai area of Musa Qala district at about 10 a.m. Thursday, killing seven civilian including five children and a woman," spokesman Farid Ahmad Farhang told Xinhua. One man was injured in the incident, he said. He said a Local Police Force (ALP) unit arrived shortly after the blast but another bomb was exploded killing one ALP serviceman on the spot.

#6: Local officials in eastern Kunar province on Thursday announced several Taliban militants were killed following joint military operations by Afghan and coalition security forces. Provincial governor spokesman Wasifullah Wasifi said the operation was conducted at Nanrang district of easern Kunar province to clear the area from the militants. In the meantime Narang district chief confirming the report said dead bodies of two Taliban militants were found in the area and Afghan security forces have launched a search operation to find the remaining militants. Taliban militants confirmed the death of two Taliban fighters following the clashes and said 10 Afghan and coalition forces were also killed during the operation. However local officials denied Taliban’s claims and said Afghan and coalition security forces did not suffer any casualties.

#7: According local security officials in eastern Khost province, two militants who were planting improvised explosive device were killed following an air raid by international coalition security forces in this province. Provincial security chief Mohammad Yaqoob confirming the report said the militants were killed at Sabari district.

#8: In the meantime Taliban militants group claimed at least 4 NATO troops were killed following a roadside bomb explosion at Laknaw district of eastern Khost province. Local security officials confirmed an explosion took place at Laknaw district and said no one was killed or injured followng the incident.