Friday, April 13, 2012

R.I.P. - Spc. Philip C. S. Schiller

DOD Identifies Army Casualty
            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Spc. Philip C. S. Schiller, 21, of The Colony, Texas, died April 11 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

            For more information the media may contact Joint Base Lewis-McChord public affairs office at 253-967-0152 or 0148.


---
Schiller was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
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Afghan forces kill 25 Taliban militants: official

Kamdesh District in the Nuristan Province in A...
Kamdesh District in the Nuristan Province in Afghanistan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
ASSADABAD, Afghanistan, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Afghan forces have killed 25 Taliban militants over the past two days in Nuristan province, 180 km east of capital city Kabul, spokesman for provincial administration Mohammad Zarin said Friday.

"In the operation backed by NATO-led forces and launched against Taliban in Kamdish district on Thursday, so far 25 insurgents have been killed," Zarin told Xinhua.

Meantime, Taliban purported spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in talks with media via telephone from unknown location confirmed the fighting but insisted 30 Afghan and foreign forces had been killed, a claim rejected by Zarin as baseless.

Mujahid also stated that eight Taliban fighters had been killed in the battle.

The mountainous Kamdish district has been under mounting pressure by Taliban over the past couple of weeks; while Afghan government is trying to ensure lasting peace there.
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Female Engagement Team Deploys, Says Goodbye to Family & Friends

Video by Lance Cpl. Joshua Young
From Marine Expeditionary Force

--
Female Engagement Team 12-1 members say goodbye to their friends and family at Camp Pendleton, Calif. The FET is trained to engage the people of Afghanistan, primarily the females, and build a trusting relationship by providing medical aid, supplies, education and other opportunities that will benefit families.






from DODLive
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Army forces retake strategic town in Yemen's south, 15 killed

Yemen division 2012-3-11 (wikipedia)
ADEN, Yemen, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni army forces retook the strategic town of Umm Ayan in the southern province of Abyan during battles on Friday morning, leaving at least five tribal fighters and ten terrorists killed, a local commander of army forces and tribal chief said.

The al-Qaida militants retreated from Umm Ayan in Lauder town early Friday morning to the mountainous areas after five days of fighting, a local tribal chief told Xinhua on condition of anonymity, adding that three local leaders of the al-Qaida had been captured, two of whom were foreigners.

"After the overnight air raids on the al-Qaida-held posts, the army forces are now advancing. They will have full control of the suburbs in Lauder and Mudiyah towns," the tribal chief said.

"All the armed tribesmen from villages in Abyan and neighboring Lahj province joined the fight alongside the troops," he added.

Many al-Qaida insurgents were killed in the fighting with pro- government tribesmen in the battles, according to military sources.

Meanwhile, a government official told Xinhua anonymously that battalions of the Yemeni Counter Terrorism Units arrived in Abyan from the capital of Sanaa on Thursday night.

Taking advantage of the one-year-long political conflicts in Yemen, the resurgent al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), locally known as Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), has taken control of several cities and swathes across restive southern provinces.

The AQAP, mainly entrenching itself in Yemen's southern provinces of Abyan and Shabwa, is considered by the United Stated as an increasing threat to its national security.

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Motorbike bomb rocks Afghan southern town of Sangin, 11 injured

Cropped version of a larger map to show detail...
Cropped version of a larger map to show detail around Lashkar Gah (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, April 13 (Xinhua) -- A motorbike bomb rocked Sangin town in the southern Helmand province 555 km south of capital Kabul on Friday, injuring 11 people, an official said.

"The terrorists planted explosive in the cavities of a motorcycle and detonated it by remote control in the bazaar of Sangin district at around 08:00 a.m. local time as a result 11 people were injured," spokesman for provincial administration Daud Ahmadi told Xinhua.

There are one police and a child among the injured and the remaining are adult people, all civilians, he further said.

He also blamed the enemies of peace, a term used by Afghan officials against Taliban militants for organizing the attack. However, the armed outfit fighting Afghan government is yet to make comment.
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Pakistan: Lyari still tense, one killed in grenade attack

The 18 Towns of Karachi
The 18 Towns of Karachi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
KARACHI: A man was killed and six injured in hand grenade attack and firing incident in Lee Market area of Lyari while the security forces were also attacked by the angry protesters, Geo News reported Friday.

According to sources, tension gripped troubled Lyari areas where a man was killed and six others wounded in clashes between protesters and security forces.

The residents protested violently against the police operation in the area and pelted stones at them. They also attacked the forces with hand grenades and exchanged fire. Police resorted to shelling to disperse the crowd.

Due to protesters’ firing, a man was injured who was shifted to the nearby hospital while another man lost his life in grenade attack in the vicinity of Eidgah police station of Old City Area. The victim was later identified as Anees.

Three persons were also injured near Lyari General Hospital who were shifted to Civil Hospital for treatment.

Residents of the area are bound to stay indoors due to the volatile situation of the area.

Earlier, a man was gunned down in Mera Naka area of Lyari who was later identified as Gul Ayaz. Tension soon gripped the area while severe aerial firing was reported in Lee Market that forced the businesses to close down.

Unknown men also blocked the Lyari road by pelting stones and burning tyres.

Transport was suspended amid disturbance while protesters continued clashing with the security forces. Rangers and police cordoned off the area to conduct search operation.

On the other hand, unknown miscreants opened fire at a car in Korangi 51-C area and killed one man while the other was wounded in the incident.
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Apr.13., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation in Kunduz district, Kunduz province, today.

The leader was planning a suicide attack against an upcoming gathering of local Afghan civilians in Kunduz province.

As the security force approached the Taliban leader’s suspected location, they were confronted by an insurgent armed with an AK-47. The armed insurgent prepared to fire and was killed by the security force, and the Taliban leader was wounded in the arm.

The security force provided medical treatment to the Taliban leader and later evacuated him to a coalition medical facility. He is expected to fully recover and will be detained.

The security force detained several other insurgents as a result of this operation.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

East

In Gardez district, Paktiya province, an Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation today. The leader coordinated suicide bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district. He also provided weapons and ammunition to insurgents in the area. The security force detained one additional insurgent as a result of this operation.

An Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Taliban leader in Sayyidabad district, Wardak province, today. The leader supervises the construction and emplacement of roadside bombs used to attack Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district. He also facilitates the movement of Taliban fighters from Pakistan into Afghanistan. The security force detained several suspected insurgents and destroyed more than 330 pounds (150 kilograms) of bomb-making material as a result of this operation.

In Khugyani district, Ghazni province, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Taliban leader today. The leader plans kidnappings and conducts attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district. He also supplies local insurgents with weapons and equipment. The security force detained two suspected insurgent as a result of this operation.

Afghan security forces supported by coalition troops conducted an operation in Achin district, Nangarhar province, yesterday. The operation resulted in the recovery of 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) of ammonium nitrate and one 115 mm rocket. The seized material was transported to a secure location and safely destroyed.

South

Finally, in Shah Wali Kot district, Kandahar province, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Taliban leader today. The leader directs roadside bombing and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces in Shah Wali Kot and Khakrez districts. The security force detained multiple suspected insurgents as a result of this operation.

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Yemeni air raids kill 18 al-Qaida militants in south

ADEN, Yemen, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Fighter jets of the Yemeni air forces bombed bases of the al-Qaida militants in the southern province of Abyan on Thursday, killing at least 18 terrorists, as army forces backed by pro-government tribesmen continued their offensive against the terrorist group for the fourth day, a military official told Xinhua.

Three air raids were carried out by the air forces against targets of the al-Qaida group in Umm Ayan region in the outskirts of Lauder town, about 150 km northeast of Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan, leaving at least 18 terrorist killed, the local military official said on condition of anonymity.

"The successful air bombing destroyed three fortifications of the al-Qaida, killing a wanted leader of the group along with 17 others around the entrances of Lauder town," the official said.

Local residents and tribal leaders, who are attacking the al- Qaida militants alongside the army forces, confirmed the air strikes to Xinhua, saying that two military aircrafts had dropped several bombs and rockets on the al-Qaida sites and arms caches.

"We heard sounds of the jets hovering above our region and huge explosions. We learnt later that the al-Qaida fighters were killed, " they said.

"Also military planes are flying over the neighboring town of Mudiyah, but the area had not witnessed any air raids," they added.

Meanwhile, severe clashes raged between dozens of al-Qaida militants and army-backed tribesmen outside Lauder town after a reinforcement convoy of the terrorist tried to storm the town, according to a tribal chief.

"The militants are still shelling the village, trying to break into it," the tribal chief said, adding that "four militiamen were killed during the confrontations."

On Wednesday night, a U.S. drone killed at least 14 suspected al-Qaida militants and wounded 10 others in Abyan, a governmental official told Xinhua.

Dozens of people have been killed in the ongoing fighting since Monday around the strategically important town of Lauder in Abyan.

U.S. drones and Yemeni fighter planes have regularly targeted al-Qaida militants in southern Yemeni regions, which were seized by the group in May 2011, killing and injuring scores of terrorists.

Taking advantage of the one-year-long political conflicts in Yemen, the resurgent al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, locally known as Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), has taken control of several cities and swathes across the country's restive southern provinces.
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Danish warship stops Somali pirate vessel, 12 hostages freed

Map showing the extent of Somali pirate attack...
Map showing the extent of Somali pirate attacks on shipping vessels between 2005 and 2010. Français : Carte montrant l'étendue des attaques de pirates somaliens sur des navires de transport entre 2005 et 2010. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
COPENHAGEN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A Danish warship has apprehended a suspected pirate ship off Somalia's coast, and released 12 hostages held on board, the Danish naval command said here Thursday.

The warship Absalon, which is part of NATO-led anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, stopped the pirate mother ship in waters off Somalia's east coast on Wednesday.

Sixteen suspected pirates were arrested and are now detained on board the warship, the navy said in a press statement.

Twelve persons, said to be from Iran and Pakistan, and who were held hostage on the pirate ship for over a month, were released from captivity following the action. They are now sailing home, the statement added.

No shots were fired during the operation and no casualties are reported, the navy said. Danish authorities are now examining whether the suspected pirates can be prosecuted, it added.

This is the second time since February that the Absalon has stopped a pirate mother ship, arrested pirates and released hostages.

According to Danish broadcaster TV2, Danish warships have captured a total of 280 pirates off Somalia's coast, but only 37 have been delivered for prosecution, with the rest set free.

Without a functional government since 1991, Somalia has become a haven for pirates who are believed to make millions of dollars by capturing and ransoming commercial and private ships and crews.

The shipping industry and world governments spend around 7 billion U.S. dollars annually to avoid, combat, or mitigate Somali piracy in the Indian Ocean, the U.S.-based One Earth Foundation said in a report earlier February.

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Nigeria: 10 Killed As Gunmen Attack Borno Town

Location of the four cities in north eastern N...
Location of the four cities in north eastern Nigeria where the Boko Haram conflict took place. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Maiduguri — At least 10 people, among them a policeman and an Immigration officer, were reported killed when gunmen launched an attack Tuesday night on Banki town on the Borno State border with Cameroon.

Authorities said five of those killed were among the attackers, while three other civilians were also shot dead.

Locals said about 30 gunmen invaded the town around 7pm, setting fire to the Customs and Immigration services outposts in the area.

They then attempted to overrun a divisional police station but were repelled.

Sale Modu, a resident, told Daily Trust on phone yesterday that there was pandemonium as people run for safety when the gunmen fired shots into the air.

Borno State police commissioner Bala Hassan and spokesman for the Joint Task Force Sagir Musa confirmed the attack to newsmen yesterday.

Hassan said the gunmen attempted to attack a police station in Banki but were repelled by the officers on duty.

He added that the policemen killed five of the attackers, who he called hoodlums, during a shootout.

They also recovered two AK 47 rifles, 12 rounds of live ammunition and one of the operational vehicles of the gunmen, he added.

The JTF spokesman, for his part, confirmed the killing of three civilians, a policeman and an Immigration officer in the attack.

He said the gunmen shot sporadically to cause panic before the attack on Immigration and Custom outposts, and that they also attempted to attack the Divisional Police Station.

Banki is in Bama Local Government Area, which is among the five Borno LGAs under a state of emergency declared by President Jonathan in December, following Boko Haram violence.

Bama is hometown to Habibu Bama, one of the key suspects in the Christmas Day bombing at Madalla, claimed by the Boko Haram sect. He was declared wanted by the SSS in February.

The security agencies did not blame any particular group for the Tuesday attack in Banki.


from allAffrica

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Faryab: 2 protestors shot dead by police

MAIMANA (PAN): Two people were killed and another 25 injured during a clash with police after a protest over the killing of a seminary teacher by a joint Afghan-coalition force turned violent in northern Faryab province, officials said on Thursday.

Maimana, the capital of Faryab province, Afgha...
Maimana, the capital of Faryab province, Afghanistan ... 3 U.S. soldiers among dead in northern Afghanistan (Wednesday, 04.04.12) ... (Photo credit: marsmet511)
More than 1,000 people took to the streets in Maimana, the provincial capital, against the overnight operation that resulted in the death of madraasa teacher Qayamuddin in Arab Khan Mina. Two of Qayamuddin’s brothers and a cousin were arrested by the joint force.

The ISAF media office in Kabul said the slain individual was responsible for military supplies to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and suicide attacks in northern provinces. It said the man was killed after he opened fire at the joint force from the rooftop of his house.

Carrying the victim’s coffin, the protestors marched on the governor's house, chanting slogans against the US and Afghan governments. They called for the immediate release of the detainees.

Witnesses said the protestors attacked police in Sanayee square, injuring two of them and seizing their weapons. One protestor was killed and 20 others injured in retaliatory fire from police, they said. Police also fired into the air to disperse the angry crowd.

Afghanistan Ulema council member Maulvi Nasir Ahmad said five protestors were killed and 30 others injured during the violence.

Public Health Director Dr. Abdul Ali Halim confirmed receiving 25 injured people, saying two of them died of serious injuries.

Hours before the demonstration, Governor Abdul Haq Shafaq said he had contacted officials in Kabul to discuss the release of the detainees with foreign troops.

The rally ended at around 4:30, but the protestors remained inside a mosque in the city, saying they would not offer funeral prayers for the victim until his killers were punished.

from Pajhwok


Releated articles:
http://sgt-jim.blogspot.com/2012/04/imu-facilitator-killed-during-night.html
http://sgt-jim.blogspot.com/2012/04/apr12-2012-isaf-joint-command-evening.html

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Suicide blast kill and injure 10 people in Kunduz province

According to local security officials in northern Kunduz province, at least 10 people were killed and injured following a suicide bomb explosion in this province.

The officials further added the incident took place on Thursday evening after a suicide bomber detonated his explosives, killing at least 3 Afghan civilians and 2 Afghan police forces.

A spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry Sediq Sediqi confirming the incident said, at least 5 people including 3 civilians and 2 Afghan police service members were killed following the explosion. He also added, at least 5 other civilians were also injured during the incident.

No group including the Taliban militants have so far claimed responsibility behind the incident.

This comes as another suicide bomber targeted a convoy of the International Security Assistance Force in northern Faryab province on April 4, killing at least 12 people including 3 NATO service members.

from KHAAMA
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IMU facilitator killed during night raid in Afghan north

Districts of Faryab.
Districts of Faryab. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
By Bill Roggio - April 12, 2012 - LWJ

Last night Coalition and Afghan special operations forces again targeted the leadership cadre of the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan during a raid in the northwestern province of Faryab. The IMU facilitator who was killed in the raid had previously been in Afghan custody for murdering two members of a Provincial Reconstruction Team and two civilians, but spent only six months in jail before being released.

The combined special operations team killed Ammar Sahib, who was also known as Qyamuddin, during a raid in the district of Maimana. The International Security Assistance Force said Ammar Sahib was shot and killed by Afghan soliders after he "confronted them with an AK-47." Two of his associates were detained "and are scheduled to be turned over to National Defense Security officials."

ISAF described Ammar Sahib as "a senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan ... facilitator" who "provided weapons, ammunition, and equipment to IMU terrorists across northern Afghanistan for attacks against Afghan and Coalition security forces." ISAF again described the IMU as "a terrorist organization closely linked to al Qaeda and the Taliban."

Ammar Sahib "also recruited suicide bombers for attacks against Afghan officials and coordinated with IMU leaders in Pakistan for newly trained fighters." ISAF said he was involved in the April 4 suicide attack in Maimana that killed three US soldiers, five Afghan civilians, and four Afghan policemen.

Ammar Sahib also "worked" with Makhdum Nusrat and Osmani Sahib; both had served, respectively, as the IMU's top commander in Afghanistan before their deaths during raids in Faryab over the past three weeks. Makhdum Nusrat was killed in the Shirin Tageb district on March 26, and Osmani Sahib was killed in the same district on April 7.

ISAF said that the IMU facilitator killed today had been in custody in 2006 for "a bombing in Faryab province that killed two Afghan civilians and two members of the local Provincial Reconstruction Team."

"He was sentenced to 20 years in prison but only served six months," the press release continued. No reason was given for his early release from Afghan custody. The Afghan government routinely releases prisoners from custody before they have completed their sentences.

Ammar Sahib's death sparked violent protests in Faryab that resulted in the deaths of four civilians and the wounding of dozens more, according to TOLOnews, which described Sahib as a "local Sharia law professor and tribal elder." Local mullahs are said to have organized the protests.

The "Deputy Chairman of the Faryab Clerics Council, Ghulam Nabi Ghafoori, blamed Governor Abdul Haq Shafaq for the death" of Ammar, according to TOLOnews.

ISAF has stepped up its targeting of the IMU's leadership cadre over the past month. Coalition and Afghan commandos have targeted top IMU leaders in 11 raids in Badakhshan, Faryab, Kunduz, and Takhar provinces since Jan. 29. Five of those raids have taken place in Faryab.

The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is a key ally of al Qaeda and the Taliban, and supports operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as plots attacks in Europe. The IMU is known to fight alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan and has integrated into the Taliban's shadow government in the north [for more information on the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, see LWJ report, IMU cleric urges Pakistanis to continue sheltering jihadis in Waziristan].

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/04/imu_facilitator_kill.php#ixzz1rsH9MPcg
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Apr.12., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Evening Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan and coalition security force killed Ammar Sahib, a senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan IMO facilitator, during an operation April 11 in Maimanah district, Faryab province.

Ammar Sahib is also known by the name Qyamuddin.

Ammar Sahib was called out of the building where he was known to be located. He retreated into the building and the Afghan soldiers pursued him up to the roof. When Ammar Sahib confronted them with an AK-47, he was killed.

Ammar Sahib provided weapons, ammunition, and equipment to IMU terrorists across northern Afghanistan for attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces.

He also recruited suicide bombers for attacks against Afghan officials and coordinated with IMU leaders in Pakistan for newly trained fighters.

In 2006, Ammar Sahib was arrested for a bombing in Faryab province that killed two Afghan civilians and two members of the local Provincial Reconstruction Team. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison but only served six months.

He was also a suspect in the April 4 suicide bombing in Maimanah City. That attack killed six Afghan civilians, three U.S. Soldiers, and wounded 26 others.

Ammar Sahib worked with former IMU leaders Makhdum Nusrat and Osmani Sahib, both also killed by Afghan and coalition security forces in Faryab province.

Two others were detained as a result of yesterday’s operation and are scheduled to be turned over to National Defense Security officials within the next 24 hour.

The IMU is a terrorist organization that is closely linked to Al-Qaida and the Taliban and operates in the northern region of Afghanistan among other countries in Central Asia.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

East

In Chaparhar district, Nangarhar province, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Taliban leader today. The leader directs roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district. The security force detained several suspected insurgents as a result of this operation.

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R.I.P. - Lance Cpl. Ramon T. Kaipat

DOD Identifies Marine Casualty

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Lance Cpl. Ramon T. Kaipat, 22, of Tacoma, Wash., died April 11 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

            For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Division public affairs office at 760-725-8766.

---
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Reporter 


The late Marine is the son of Pete Somorang Kaipat and Sinforosa Taisakan Kaipat, both now living in Tacoma, Washington.

“The last time I saw him was in 2005 before he left for the States. I burst into tears. I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t know what to do or think when I heard the news that our nephew was killed. I just wish I was there with my sister during this time,” Kaipat’s aunt Maria Taisakan told Saipan Tribune in an interview shortly before the family was to bury another member of the family on Saipan yesterday afternoon.

Taisakan, 42, is the youngest sister of the late Marine’s mother.

She and their relatives on Saipan were preparing for the funeral of her aunt, Catalina I. Kapileo, a sister of her father, when they got a call late Wednesday night.

“I couldn’t express my feelings because we’re in the middle of preparations for the burial of my aunt when we heard of another death in the family,” Taisakan said in an interview at her late aunt’s house in San Jose.

Taisakan said the late Marine and his family used to live in Garapan before they left for Washington State.
Kaipat is one of three children. He has a younger brother and an older sister.
Taisakan said her nephew attended Oleai Elementary School, Hopwood Junior High School, and Marianas High School.

“But he completed his high school in Tacoma. Then he entered the Marines,” Taisakan said.
‘Helpful, caring’
Taisakan said her nephew was “very helpful and caring.”

“I miss his smile. Even if you scold him, he’d smile and apologize. We have a tight family. We look after each other; and my nephew was very helpful and caring. We will all miss him,” the teary-eyed Taisakan said.

She said as of yesterday afternoon, her sister, brother-in-law, and Kaipat’s sister and brother were on their way to Maryland to greet the body and bring it to Tacoma, Washington where the late Marine may be buried.

“Now, we are holding the rosary for two of our family members,” Taisakan added.
Her sister, former representative Malua Peter, confirmed Thursday morning that they received the news of Kaipat’s death around 11:30pm Wednesday night, Saipan time.

“I really don’t know what to feel. It’s sad, especially right now I am in the wake of another relative,” Peter, also a former member of Northern Marianas College’s Board of Regents, told Saipan Tribune Thursday morning.
Peter’s younger sister is the mother of Kaipat.

‘A hero’
The U.S. Marine Corps extended its “heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of our fellow Marine who have suffered this loss and is committed to providing full support for their needs.”
Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan (Ind-MP), upon hearing the news, said he’s “saddened to learn of the loss of another of our own in the war in Afghanistan.”

“Marine Corps Lance Corporal Ramon Taisacan Kaipat, a hero, gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. I know that there is little that I can say that will lessen Lance Corporal Kaipat’s family for the pain and grief of a loss so overwhelming, but I extend my condolences and deepest sympathies to the family for the loss of their son and for their own sacrifices.
“May God bless Lance Corporal Kaipat and the Taisacan and Kaipat families,” Sablan added.
Taisakan said that Kaipat was just one of her many relatives serving in the U.S. military.
“In fact, one of my brothers’ son just came back from Afghanistan last month,” she said.

CNMI mourns
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos, upon learning of Kaipat’s passing, said with great sadness and heavy hearts, they join the CNMI people in mourning “the loss of one of our own sons in uniform, USMC Lance Corporal Ramon Taisakan Kaipat.”

Fitial and Inos, in a statement, said Kaipat, in choosing a career in the prestigious U.S. Marine Corps, “demonstrated his willingness and determination to live a life of discipline and personal sacrifice so that all citizens of our country would be able to live in freedom and security.”
“In choosing this noble path in his life, he exemplified his undeniable strength of character and his patriotic courage and fortitude to carry through,” they said.

The governor and lieutenant governor said, “From his humble beginnings as an island boy, to his service on the international warfront, Lance Corporal Kaipat lived his life on the principles of duty, honor, and country.”

“In this time of sorrow, we extend our sincerest condolences and prayers to the family and friends of Lance Corporal Kaipat. Rest assured that his life of service to defend our freedom, our Commonwealth, and our country, will not be forgotten,” Fitial and Inos added.
Rep. Ray Yumul (R-Saipan) said his deepest sympathy goes to the bereaved family. Yumul himself was deployed to the Middle East as a member of the 442nd Division of the U.S. Army Reserve’s 100th Infantry Battalion.

“He sacrificed his life to protect the citizens of Afghanistan and defend against this war on terrorism. We should never forget his sacrifice,” Yumul said.

Besides Kaipat, the 15 other men and women from the CNMI who lost their lives while serving in the wars against terror include: Army Sgt. Yihgyh “Eddie” L. Chen (April 4, 2004), Army SSgt. Wilgene Lieto (Oct. 31, 2005), Army Spc. Derence W. Jack (Oct. 31, 2005), Army Sgt. Jesse J. Castro (Dec. 6, 2006), Marine LCpl Adam Q. Emul (Jan. 29, 2007), Army SPC Leeroy A. Camacho (Feb. 9, 2007), Army PFC John D. Flores (May 3, 2007), Army PFC Victor M. Fontanilla (May 17, 2007), Army Spc. Joe Junior G. Charfauros (June 20, 2007), Navy Seaman Anamarie San Nicolas Camacho (Oct. 22, 2007), Army Sgt. Brian S. Leon Guerrero (July 10, 2008), Army SSgt. Julian F. Manglona (Oct. 9, 2008), and Air Force SrA Audra P.M. Winkfield (June 19, 2009), Marine Cpl. Dave Michael Maliksi Santos (2010), and Sgt. George Joseph Affatica Sablan (Feb. 10, 2012).
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