Thursday, August 16, 2012

7 Afghan soldiers killed following blast in Baghlan province

According to local authorities in northern Baghlan province of Afghanistan, at least 7 Afghan national army soldiers were killed following a roadside bomb explosion in this province.

Gen. Janullah Safi commander 3 regiment in 209 Shaheen Afghan national army commandment confirming the report said the incident took place early Thursday around 2 am local time after a vehicle of the Afghan army soldiers struck with a mine, killing 7 Afghan army service members.

In the meantime an Afghan national army official speaking on the condition of anonymity said at least two Afghan army service members were also injured following the blast.

A spokesman for the Taliban militants group Zabiullah Mujahid cliamed responsibility behind the incident.

Baghlan province located in northern Afghanistan is considered to be a relatively region however Taliban militants have recently increased their insurgency activities in a number of its districts.

from KHAAMA
By Sajad - Thu Aug 16, 2:35 pm

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Afghan, coalition service members die in ISAF helicopter crash today

Afghan, coalition service members die in ISAF helicopter crash

2012-05-C-031
For Immediate Release

KABUL, Afghanistan (Aug. 16, 2012) — An ISAF helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan today.

The crash resulted in the deaths of four International Security Assistance Force service members, three United States Forces-Afghanistan service members, three members of the Afghan National Security Forces, and one Afghan civilian interpreter.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

It is ISAF policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities.

---
Crashed helicopter was UH-60 Black Hawk

Department of Defense confirmed on Thursday that 7 American soldiers were killed in the incident.
DoD official told NBC that the helicopter was completely destroyed in the crash impact.

UH-60L Blackhawk helicopter flies a low-level ...
UH-60L Blackhawk helicopter flies a low-level mission over Iraq (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Suicide assault team attacks Pakistani airbase in Punjab

Map of Pakistan
Map of Pakistan (Photo credit: Omer Wazir)

A suicide assault team attacked a Pakistani airbase in Punjab province that is known to house nuclear weapons.

The assault team, which is reported to have up to six members, attacked the Kamra Air Force Base in Attock district in Punjab at 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 16, according to Dawn. The terrorist team was wearing military uniforms and was "armed with automatic weapons, grenades and suicide vests."

The gunmen opened fire after being stopped at a checkpoint and then reportedly fought their way to the airstrip, where some 30 fighter and attack aircraft are kept, according to reports. Pakistani Army commandos and Air Force security personnel engaged and killed six members of the suicide assault team, according to SAMAA. One of those killed was said to be a "foreigner," but his identity and country of origin have not been disclosed. Two Pakistani soldiers were killed and an Air Commodore was wounded during the fighting.

While no group has claimed credit, the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan and the Punjabi Taliban are the prime suspects. On Aug. 1, The Express Tribune reported that Hakeemullah Mehsud, the leader of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, had allocated funds to attack "PAF base Lahore, the Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and the Counter Terrorism Department office in the province."

The Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan has conducted numerous attacks against government installations in Punjab in the past. In July, the group executed two attacks in Punjab against security personnel. On July 12, the Taliban claimed credit for an attack that day on a police facility in Lahore that killed eight policemen, as well as a July 9 attack in Gurjat that killed six soldiers and a policeman.

The attack at Kamra Air Force Base is similar to another assault, which took place on May 22, 2011 at Pakistani Naval Station Mehran in Karachi. During that assault, the Taliban destroyed two US-made 3C Orion maritime surveillance planes and damaged another, and killed 10 Pakistani troops.

Another brazen attack took place at Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Oct. 10, 2009. A suicide assault team stormed the facility and took control of several buildings before being killed. Six Pakistani soldiers, including a brigadier general and a lieutenant colonel, and four terrorists were killed during the siege.

The Taliban have conducted an attack once before at Kamra Air Force Base, in December 2007. A suicide bomber wounded seven Pakistani personnel in that attack. Additionally, suicide bombers have conducted attacks at a nearby weapons facility thought to be associated with Pakistan's nuclear program.

In August 2008, two Taliban suicide bombers killed 70 Pakistani employees when the bombers detonated outside the gates of the Wah Cantt. And in October 2009, a suicide bomber struck at the nearby Kamra Air Weapon Complex, killing four civilians. The Kamra facility is one of three military industrial production facilities in the Wah Cantt and is believed to be connected with Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. Components for nuclear weapons are thought to be stored at the facility disassembled, and can be assembled within hours of needed use.

Suicide bombers have also conducted an attack at the Sargodha Air Force Base, in November 2007. In that attack, a suicide bomber drove his motorcycle into a bus carrying military and intelligence officers at the air base, killing eight Pakistanis. The Sargodha Air Force Base is the headquarters of the Central Air Command and houses nuclear-capable F-16 strike aircraft and ballistic missiles. Nuclear weapons are also thought to be stored at the base.

In the past, the Pakistani government and the military have issued multiple statements assuring the Pakistani people and the West that the country's nuclear weapons are safeguarded and incapable of falling into the hands of terrorists. The US government has alternated between expressing confidence and voicing concern over the security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/08/suicide_assault_team_13.php#ixzz23hPMKkD3

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Senior security official killed in Maidan Wardak province

Districts of Wardak.
Districts of Wardak. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
According to local security officials in Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan, a senior government official was killed following a roadside bomb explosion in this province.

A local security official speaking on the condition of anonymity said director of provincial security research director Gen. Tahir was killed following a roadside bomb blast in Pul-e-Surkh area.

The source further added a remote controlled bomb went off while Gen. Tahir was defusing an improvised explosive device that was planted by militants.

In the meantime provincial governor spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said he was unaware of the incident.

He said there are no reports regarding the death of Gen. Tahir.

This comes as militants activities have tremendously increased in certain regions of central Maidan Wardak province.

Shahidullah Shahid said militants have specifically increased their operations in Mullah Khel and Zeulat villages in Jalrez district.

from KHAAMA
By Sadaf Shinwari - Thu Aug 16, 11:21 am

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Aug. 16., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search of a group of insurgents in Nizam-e Shahid district, Herat province yesterday.

When the security force found the insurgents, they engaged them with a precision airstrike. After the strike, the force conducted a follow-on assessment and confirmed the strike had killed multiple insurgents. The security force also confirmed the strike had not injured any civilians or damaged any civilian property.

The insurgents, who belonged to an insurgent cell controlled by Abdulla Akbari, were planning a large scale attack against Afghan government officials and Afghan security forces in the Herat.

Akbari leads a group of insurgents responsible for improvised explosive attacks throughout the province and rocket attacks against Herat Airfield.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

North

In Ishkamish district, Takhar province, yesterday, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to find Mullah Anwar, a senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader. During the operation, the security force was attacked by a group of insurgents. The force returned fire and conducted a precision airstrike. After the strike, the force conducted a follow-on assessment and confirmed the strike had killed multiple insurgents including Anwar. Anwar is the senior IMU military leader in Burkah district, Baghlan province and was involved in the assassination of the Ishkamish district mayor on Monday. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized multiple weapons and explosives during the operation.

South

An Afghan and coalition force arrested two suspected insurgents during an operation in search of a Taliban weapons distributer in Washer district, Helmand province, today. The Taliban weapons distributer is in charge of acquiring weapons, ammunition and funds for Taliban fighters in Washer district.

Afghan and coalition officials confirmed today that the insurgent killed by a precision airstrike in Panjwa’i district, Kandahar province, Tuesday, was the Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. Shah provided heavy weapons and explosive components to insurgents operating in the region. He also coordinated and directed insurgent attacks, frequently using improvised explosive devices to attack security forces.

East

In Muqer district, Ghazni province, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to find the Taliban leader Jihadmal today. During the operation, the security force engaged and killed an armed insurgent who was threatening them. During the follow-on assessment, the Afghan and coalition force confirmed the dead insurgent was Jihadmal. Jihadmal planned, coordinated and led multiple attacks in the region against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents during the operation.

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Aug. 16., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces killed two insurgents, detained four, located a weapons cache and cleared five improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Aug. 15.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Muqer District.

Khowst Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained two insurgents during engagements in Shamal and Sabari Districts. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Kunar Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained two insurgents during an engagement in Darah Ye Pech District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Nangarhar Province
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared three IEDs, two in Bati Kot District and one in Surkh Rod District.

Paktika Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Zerok District. The cache contained rockets.

A coalition airstrike killed an insurgent in Orgun District who was emplacing an IED.

Parwan Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Bagram District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

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9 killed, 10 injured by attacks in east Iraq

BAQUBA, Iraq, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed and 10 others injured Thursday in separate bomb and gunfire attacks in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, a provincial police source said.

A roadside bomb detonated near an army patrol in Hemreen area, some 110 km northeast of Baghdad, killing four soldiers and wounding two others, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

In a separate incident, two policemen were killed and three others injured when gunmen attacked their checkpoint in Dhouib area, some 15 km south of the provincial capital city of Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, the source said.

In addition, gunmen with assault rifles attacked a police checkpoint at an intersection just west of Baquba, killing one policeman and wounding another, the source added.

Meanwhile, a member of the government-backed Awakening Council group was gunned down by gunmen near his house in Aswad village, some 9 km north of Baquba, he said.

The Awakening Council group, also known as Sons of Iraq movement or Sahwa, consists of mostly anti-U.S. Sunni insurgent militant groups, who turned their rifles to fight al-Qaida network after Sahwa's leaders became dismayed by al-Qaida's brutality and religious zealotry in the country.

Separately, unidentified militants attacked a police checkpoint in al-Rasul village, some 17 km southwest of Baquba. The 15-minute clash resulted in the killing of one of the attackers, he added.

Also in Diyala, a booby-trapped car detonated at the entrance of al-Wajihiyah town, 20 km northeast of Baquba, injuring four civilians, he said.

Diyala province, which stretches from the eastern edges of Baghdad to the Iranian border east of the country, has long been a stronghold for al-Qaida militants and other insurgent groups since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

from XINHUA
2012-08-16 16:53:19

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Iran behind coordinated suicide blasts in western Afghanistan

A number of Afghan parliament members accused Iran for being involved behind deadly coordinated suicide blasts in western Nimroz province.

Afghan lawmakers said a number of suicide bombers who were detained are Iranian citizens.

The lawmakers on Wednesday urged the Afghan government to negotiate the coordinated suicide blasts with the Iranian embassy in Kabul.

Freshta Amini and Aryan Young Afghan lawmakers said, “Based on our information the suicide bombers are Baloch citizens who came from Iran.”

They said, “Iran is behind the coordinated blasts in Nimroz province since they are looking to prevent the implementation of development projects in this province.”

At least 35 people were killed following three coordinated suicide blasts and dozens of others were injured.

Local officials said the incidents took place in a busy market while the local residents were busy with the shopping for Eid days.

The officials further added more than 10 suicide bombers were behind the attack and out of which only 3 of them managed to detonate their explosives.

They said 3 suicide bombers were arrested and 2 others were killed by Afghan security forces before they reach their target.

Afghan lawmakers strongly condemned the coordinated blasts and urged Afghan government for the trial of the detained suicide bombers.

In the meantime a number of lawmakers criticized the international partners of Afghanistan for not assisting the government to improve the intelligence system.

The neighboring countries of Afghanistan specifically Iran and Pakistan have been accused of being involved in growing violence in Afghanistan and supporting militants groups.

from KHAAMA
By Sadaf Shinwari - Thu Aug 16, 10:25 am

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