Thursday, February 28, 2013

Al-Qaeda members detained in Istanbul

Attack against U.S. Embassy in Ankara
Al-Qaeda members detained in Istanbul, planned to attack synagogues and churches: report

11 al-Qaeda members have been detained in Istanbul following a raid by Turkey’s special forces, reported Sabah newspaper on Thursday.


The terrorists reportedly planned to launch attacks on the U.S. embassy in Turkey in addition to a number of synagogues and churches in the country.

Some 22 kilograms of explosives, five guns and five handguns were seized from the detained terrorists.

A full investigation is yet to be launched.

February saw an attack take place against the U.S. embassy in Ankara. The explosion, which took place on Feb. 1, killed an embassy security guard and left one visitor injured.

The leader of the subversive operation, a member of the Marxist terrorist group Turkish People’s Liberation Party-Front, Ecevit Shanli was also killed.

from  AL ARABIYA
Last Updated: Thu Feb 28, 2013 13:21 pm (KSA) 10:21 am (GMT)

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Feb. 28., 2013. - ISAF Joint Command Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani high-profile attack facilitator and detained two other insurgents during an operation in Pul-e Alam district, Logar province, today.

The facilitator is believed responsible for transporting and facilitating weapons in multiple provinces across Afghanistan, to include both home-made explosive material and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices for use against Afghan and coalition security forces.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout
Afghanistan:

South

An Afghan and coalition security force killed one insurgent and injured another during an operation in Marjeh district, Helmand province, yesterday. The security force positively identified the insurgents and engaged them with a precision strike, killing one and injuring another.

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Feb. 28., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces killed three insurgents and detained six suspected insurgents during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Feb. 27.

Kapisa province
Coalition forces killed three insurgents during an operation in Tagab district.

Khowst province
Afghan and coalition forces detained two suspected insurgents in Khowst district. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Paktika province
Afghan National Security Forces detained four suspected insurgents in Giyan district. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

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Message to the Department of Defense from Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel


IMMEDIATE RELEASE     No. 113-13
February 27, 2013

Message to the Department of Defense from Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel

            To All Department of Defense Personnel:

            Earlier today I was privileged to take the oath of office to become the 24th secretary of defense.  I am humbled by and grateful for the opportunity that President Obama and the Congress have given me to once again serve our nation.

            I am most especially grateful for the opportunity to work with all of you.  Every day you work to defend America.  The noble cause of your profession, your individual sacrifices, and your service inspire us all.

            As your leader, I will always do my best for our country and for all of you -- and your families.  As with my friends and predecessors Leon Panetta and Bob Gates, your safety, success, and welfare will always be at the forefront of my decisions.  I will build on the strong foundation of teamwork built by Secretaries Gates and Panetta, as we work together.  Leadership is a team business.          

            I have long believed that America must maintain the strongest military on earth; we must lead the international community, with a steady and sure hand to confront threats and challenges together as we work closely with our allies and partners to advance our common interests and build a more hopeful world.  We must use all tools of American power to protect our citizens and our interests; and America must engage -- not retreat -- in the world, but engage wisely.

            This is a defining time for the United States military and for our nation.  We are emerging from more than a decade of war, yet the threats facing us are no less dangerous or complicated.          

            Despite these challenges, I believe an historic opportunity exists to help build a safer, more prosperous, and more secure world.  But to achieve this goal we must ensure that we are ready, trained and equipped to fulfill our role of protecting the country and standing firm against aggression.  To that end, the strength, well-being and readiness of our all-volunteer force will be my top priority.  This will require 21st century agility and flexibility.  We must take care of our people, and working with the VA and other institutions, I will ensure that you and your families get the health care, job opportunities, benefits, and education you have all earned and deserve.  My life and career have been about helping our service members, veterans and their families.  One of my proudest accomplishments in the U.S. Senate was coauthoring with my fellow Vietnam veteran and friend, Jim Webb, the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill.

            As I assume this office, I am mindful of the sacrifices that you and your families have made for more than a decade, and continue to make every day.  In Afghanistan, where 66,000 of our troops remain in a tough fight, we have a clear and achievable objective to fully transition security responsibility to the Afghan National Security Forces by the end of 2014.  As you know, Afghan forces will step into the lead for security operations across the country this spring, and over the next year another 34,000 of our troops will come home.

            As we turn the page on more than a decade of grinding conflict, we must broaden our attention to future threats and challenges.  That means continuing to increase our focus on the Asia-Pacific region, reinvigorating historic alliances like NATO, and making new investments in critical capabilities like cyber.

            In order to accomplish our mission, we also must make wise budget decisions prioritizing our interests and requirements.  Like each of you, I am greatly concerned about the impact that the looming round of automatic budget cuts will have on you and your families, and on military readiness.  As someone who has run businesses, I know that severe budget uncertainty limits our ability and flexibility to manage and plan and use taxpayer dollars in the most efficient manner possible.  I will work within the administration and with Congress to help resolve this uncertainty in a way that does not break America’s commitment to you, your families, and our veterans.

            As I begin my time here at the department I want you to know that I recognize the immense responsibility that I have, and will work hard every day to fulfill my duties as secretary of defense as honestly and effectively as I know how.  You are the greatest force for good in the world.  It is the highest honor to serve alongside you.  I am proud to be part of your team.  Thank you for your commitment and dedication to our country.



On the Web:
http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=15837
Media contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132
     Public contact:
http://www.defense.gov/landing/comment.aspx
or +1 (703) 571-3343

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

American Shabaab fighter urges Muslims to join the 'fronts' of jihad

by Bill Roggio - February 27, 2013. -  LWJ


 A previously unidentified American who fights in the ranks of Shabaab, al Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, appeared on a videotape and urged Muslims to join one of the numerous fronts of the global jihad.

The American, who is identified as Abu Ahmed al Amriki, is seen on a videotape that was produced by Shabaab's media arm and posted on jihadist Internet forums on Feb. 25. The video was obtained and translated by the SITE Intelligence Group.
Abu Ahmed speaks in both English and Arabic, and appears with two Kenyan jihadists, who are identified as Abu Seyf al Kenyi and Abu Khaled al Kenyi. Abu Ahmed's face is digitally blurred in the video. He is seen seated with a group of armed fighters; he is also holding a rifle as he speaks.
In his speech, Abu Ahmed implores Muslims to leave their lives of comfort and wage jihad in Somalia, Mali, Afghanistan, Iraq, or the "Islamic Maghreb" -- North Africa.
"Brothers and sisters, I won't take much of your time, but it's obligatory upon you to leave the lands of [disbelief] and [emigrate]. The fronts, they are all open, whether it's here in Somalia, whether it's in Mali, whether it's in Afghanistan, whether it's in Iraq, or whether it's in the Islamic Maghreb - it's all open," Abu Ahmed says, according to the transcript provided by the SITE Intelligence Group.
He urges Muslims who cannot "emigrate" to "fight the enemies of Allah where you find them ...."
Abu Ahmed claims that the West is losing the war against al Qaeda and its allies, and that a global caliphate will soon arise.
"Victory is coming. Your brothers are gaining strength after strength, victory after victory. The defeat of the [disbelievers] is near," he says.
"America is going down and the Caliphate is rising," he claims.
Abu Ahmed is one of the "Muhajireen" -- the emigrants or foreign fighters who wage jihad in Somalia alongside Shabaab.
Omar Hammami, the American who is better known as Abu Mansour al Amriki, is the most well-known foreign fighter in Somalia. He is feuding with Shabaab, and claims that foreigner fighters are at odds with Shabaab's leaders. Shabaab has disputed the claims, and has countered that Hammami is a narcissistic self-promoter who has taken advantage of his high-profile media presence to sow dissent between the Somali group and foreign fighters. Other than Hammami's claims, there is little evidence to support the assertion that there is a split between Shabaab and the Muhajireen.
Two other prominent Americans waging jihad in Somalia are Abu Abdullah al Muhajir, who is Ayman al Zawahiri's emissary to Shabaab, and Cabdulaahi Ahmed Faarax.
An estimated 50 Somali-Americans are thought to have been recruited in the US to train and fight with Shabaab. At least two Americans have carried out suicide attacks in Somalia, and Shabaab claimed that two other Americans have carried out such attacks.
For more information on Americans and foreigners who are fighting for Shabaab, see LWJ report, American Shabaab fighter and commander pictured together. For more information on Shabaab's links to al Qaeda, see LWJ reports, Somalia's Shabaab vows allegiance to new al Qaeda emir Zawahiri, and Al Qaeda leaders play significant role in Shabaab.

Read more at: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/02/american_shabaab_fig_1.php#sthash.p0DHRZUy.dpuf
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Ansar al-Sharia returns to Benghazi

(AFP/Intel Center) Once forced out of Benghazi by public anger,
Ansar al-Sharia is now resuming security patrols
The radical militia suspected of carrying out the terrorist attack on the US consulate is now back in Benghazi, residents say.


Five months after Benghazi residents drove out extremist militias from the city centre, members of the Islamist Ansar al-Sharia brigade are now returning.

Patrolling hospitals and manning checkpoints, Ansar al-Sharia elements are back at their old posts. The Islamist militia was driven out of its main bases in eastern Libya' s main city last September following public outrage over the terror attack on the US consulate in Benghazi.

"Ansar al-Sharia elements are back to secure vital areas in Benghazi without being asked to," 36-year-old employee at Benghazi Medical Centre Marawan al-Jahani said.

"However, they are still not wanted in the streets of Libya. Truthfully, Libyan people are religiously moderate, open minded and don't accept any extremism," he added.
Some members of the extremist militia were also present during celebrations marking the February 17th revolution, securing vital areas in place of police.

The militia also resumed outreach programmes in an effort to win over a local populace wary of the continued presence of rogue revolutionaries.

According to The Globe and Mail, Ansar al-Sharia has picked up where the weak interim government left off, filling a security vacuum and providing local humanitarian services. But many Libyans remain sceptical of the Islamist aid.

24-year-old water company employee Ahmed Mansour called for serving the country and loving it warmly. "However, the fact that Ansar al-Sharia offers their services free of charge makes us wonder why Ansar al-Sharia in particular works with this spirit," he said.

"In my opinion, they have another purpose and are trying to proactively win people's trust. This group knows quite well that using direct force in Benghazi is not in its interest. Therefore, I believe that they have a hidden agenda that simple people can't see," Mansour continued.

"I don't want to cast doubts over their intentions, but it is still too early to praise anyone who wants to offer something to the nation and Benghazi without anything in return," he added.

Benghazi has been plagued by intermittent turmoil in recent months, with assassinations of security officials and sporadic bombings. While Ansar al-Sharia has denied culpability, Libyan authorities have been unable to curtail the violence or arrest those responsible for the attack on the US consulate.

The inaction over the Islamist violence comes despite intelligence and reconnaissance support from Libya's international partners. Drone over-flights are now a common occurrence in eastern Libya, where the aircraft provide information on the al-Qaeda threat for Libya and other countries.

Political scientist and former National Transitional Council member Fathi Baja told The Globe and Mail that "nobody" had authorised Ansar al-Sharia to resume operations or take up a security role.
"It's a tactic for returning to Benghazi. The government doesn't want a confrontation with them," he said.
 A specialised committee has been set up to monitor the various groups in charge of security in Benghazi, according to Mohammed al-Tayeb, the person in charge of the security file within the city's local council.
"We're only overseeing the process without interfering in the responsible entities' tasks," al-Tayeb told Magharebia.
Members of the Islamist Rafallah al-Sahati battalion are also reportedly returning to their old positions within Benghazi.
Faraj al-Mejbri, an employee in the administration of Rafallah al-Sahati, said his group never expected to be driven out of the city in the public rage over the consulate attack.
"We didn't imagine that we would be treated like al-Fadheel Bou Omar battalion was treated when the young people rose against it during the revolution and the obscene words used to describe us," al-Mejbri said.

"After that, there were many events and these Fridays never stopped. All of their demands were to remove the revolutionaries from the protection of state institutions although we are under state's legitimacy," he added.
He said that the militia was surprised by the reaction, saying they helped secure the congressional election.
"We're under the legitimacy of the defence ministry, unless the ministry itself doesn't have legitimacy in the first place," the Rafallah al-Sahati official added.
"Libyan army chief Youssef al-Mangoush is telling us that he can't form an army before three years, taking into consideration that the forces now on the ground are those of the revolutionaries," he added.

By Asmaa Elourfi for Magharebia in Benghazi – 26/02/13
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Swiss woman kidnapped by al-Qaida freed in Yemen

SANAA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- A Swiss woman kidnapped by the al- Qaida wing in Yemen for one year was released on Wednesday, an official of the Yemeni Interior Ministry told Xinhua.

"Sylvia Abrahat, the Swiss teacher who worked in an English- language school in the western port city of al-Hodayda and was snatched by al-Qaida militants in March last year was freed Wednesday by a tribal mediation," the official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"Abrahat was handed over to the government authorities in the southeastern province of Shabwa, where the negotiations took place, " the official said, declining to clarify what were the demands of the al-Qaida.

Meanwhile, a specialist on al-Qaida issues confirmed the " successful negotiations" that led to the release of the Swiss woman.

"I was informed tonight from sources close to the tribal mediators and al-Qaida militants that the negotiations over the release of the Swiss hostage has ended successfully earlier Wednesday," Abdelrazak al-Jamal told Xinhua by phone.

"No information about the details of the agreed deal has yet been available," he said.

Foreigners are frequently kidnapped in Yemen by al-Qaida militants or tribesmen who asked for ransoms or the release of their jailed fellows. Most of the kidnapped have been freed unharmed.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida wing, the most active terrorist network in the Middle East, is also holding a Saudi diplomat captive for almost one year, as well as three Europeans, a Finnish couple and an Austrian, for nearly two months.

On Tuesday, Yemeni government officials said that tribal chiefs began mediation efforts to secure the release of three Europeans held hostage by the al-Qaida wing last December.

"The act came after President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi received a phone call from European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, during which the president promised to run mediation efforts on all levels to free the hostages," an official of the Presidential Palace told Xinhua on Tuesday.

Officials said they demanded a ransom of millions of euros during talks over the past month to release the Europeans, while al-Qaida stipulated the release of jailed women in Saudi Arabia in return for the release of the Saudi diplomat.

The Finnish couple and their Austrian friend, who studied Arabic language in a school in the old city of the capital Sanaa, were snatched on Dec. 21, 2012 from a busy street in central Sanaa.

from XINHUA
2013-02-28 05:58:39
Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Afghan police officer drugs, kills 17 colleagues

An Afghan police officer drugged 17 colleagues and shot them dead on Wednesday with the aid of the Taliban, police said, the latest in a series of so-called "insider", or green-on-blue, attacks involving Afghan security forces and the Taliban.
The attacks have undermined trust between coalition and Afghan forces who are under mounting pressure to contain the Taliban insurgency before most NATO combat troops withdraw by the end of 2014.

The killings, the worst in a string of similar attacks in recent months, occurred at a remote Afghan Local Police (ALP) outpost in the eastern province of Ghazni.

"An infiltrated local policeman first drugged all 17 of his comrades, and then called the Taliban and they together shot them all," the chief police detective for Ghazni, Mohammad Hassan, told Reuters.

Seven of the dead were new recruits still undergoing training, officials said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a text message by spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

The rapidly growing ALP program is an American-designed initiative designed to recruit local men as security officers for their area. - See more at: http://www.arynews.tv/english/newsdetail.asp?nid=70592#sthash.gYvmXd6V.dpuf

from ARY NEWS
Updated :   Wednesday  February  27 , 2013  7:17:39 PM

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Suicide blast rock capital Kabul, 8 injured

A heavy explosion rocked capital Kabul early Wednesday morning.

The incident took place in Kart-e-Seh area in west of Kabul city near Sara-e-Ghazni area.

Preliminary reports suggest the explosion took place as a result of a suicide bomb blas and the target of the bomber was a vehicle convoy of the Afghan army.

In the meantime Gen. Zahir Azimi, spokesman for the Afghan defense ministry said the incident took place after a vehicle carrying Afghan army officers was targeted.

He said only 6 Afghan army officers have reportedly been injured following the blast and there no are reports if army officers were also killed following the blast. He also did not disclose further information if the explosion took place due to a suicide bomb attack.

Afghan interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi confirming the report said at least 8 people were injured following the blast.

Mr. Sediqi further added the suicide bomber detonated his explosives in the sixth district of capital Kabul city and he was looking to target the vehicle of the Afghan army officers.

He said at least 6 Afghan army officers were injured along with two other Afghan civilians.

from KHAAMA
By Mirwais Adeel - 27 Feb 2013, 8:31 am

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Seven Killed in Northern Mali Suicide Bombing


A suicide bombing has killed at least seven people in the northern Mali town of Kidal, near the scene of heavy fighting between French troops and Islamist militants.
The MNLA, a Tuareg separatist group now working with the French, says a bomber in a four-by-four vehicle blew himself up at one of its checkpoints late Tuesday. The MNLA says the attack killed seven of its fighters and wounded several others.

Other sources confirmed the attack but put the death toll at six.

Kidal is on the edge of the Ifoghas mountains, where Islamist militants retreated after a French-led offensive drove them out of northern Malian cities last month.

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Drian reported heavy fighting in the mountains on Tuesday. He said France and its allies are targeting an area where "the most radical terrorist groups" have gone.

French troops entered Mali in January to push back militants moving toward the capital and have since been joined by African troops in backing the Malian army.

Le Drian said the operation has regained control of almost all of northern Mali but that the hardest portion of the fighting remains.

France has said it plans to begin withdrawing its ground forces and hand over military operations to the Malian army and a West African force.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.

from VOA News
February 27, 2013

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In Several Joint Clearance Operations, Three Armed Taliban Killed (Feb.27.2013.)



Publish Date: Feb 27, 2013
In Several Joint Clearance Operations, Three Armed Taliban Killed

Counterterrorism:
In past 24 hours, Afghan National Police conducted several joint clearance operations with the cooperation of Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces to clean some of the areas from terrorists and enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan.

The operations were conducted in Kabul, Baghlan and Herat provinces, as a result three armed Taliban were killed and three other armed Taliban were arrested by Afghan National Security Forces.

Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated some amount of light and heavy rounds ammunitions.

During the same 24 hour period, Afghan National Police discovered and defused four anti-vehicle mines placed by enemies of Afghanistan for destructive activities in Faryab, Uruzgan, Khost and Helmand provinces.
 
Counter Crimes:
The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained seven suspects accused of theft and using fake documents in the 5th, 8th and 11th Districts of Kabul-City.
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Feb. 27., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces discovered one weapons cache and cleared two improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Feb. 26.

Parwan province
Coalition forces discovered a weapons cache during an operation in Bagram district. The cache contained 20 rockets and six cases of gunpowder.

Nangarhar province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED in Bati Kot district.

Khowst province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED in Nadir Shah Kot district.

Operations in RC-East are ongoing.

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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Taliban return to Baghlan-i-Markazi

PUL-I-KHUMRI (PAN): Amid growing concerns among residents over increasing insecurity, six insurgents, including a commander, were detained in the Baghlan-i-Markazi district of northern Baghlan province, officials said on Tuesday.

Identified as Azizullah, the rebel leader was detained along with three accomplices in Laiqa village, the town's police chief, Brig. Gen. Ghulam Sakhi Rustaqi, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He accused the detainees of planning militant activities in the area, hoping that the arrests would help improve the security situation.

In Kabul, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed the arrest of six armed rebels, including a commander, in the district by a joint Afghan-international force.

Meanwhile, residents complained that the guerrillas had once again stepped up their activities in many parts of the Baghlan-i-Markazi after the security responsibility transitioned to Afghan forces in the Mangalha area of the town.

Shamsul Haq, who lives in Kandahari village, said that the Taliban had started sneaking into villages soon after Afghan security forces replaced NATO troops three weeks ago.

from Pajhwok
By Habibur Rahman Sherzai Feb 26, 2013 - 16:15

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In Several Joint Clearance Operations, Eight Armed Taliban Killed (Feb.26.2013.)



Publish Date: Feb 26, 2013
In Several Joint Clearance Operations, Eight Armed Taliban Killed

Counterterrorism:
In past 24 hours, Afghan National Police conducted several joint clearance operations with the cooperation of Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces to clean some of the areas from terrorists and enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan.

The operations were conducted in Logar, Parwan, Samangan, Zabul, Uruzgan, Ghazni and Khost provinces, as a result eight armed Taliban were killed and 12 other armed Taliban were arrested by Afghan National Security Forces.

Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated some amount of light and heavy rounds ammunitions.

During the same 24 hour period, Afghan National Police discovered and defused four anti-vehicle mines which were placed by the enemies of peace and stability for destructive activities in the main road of Bati Kot district of eastern Nangarhar province and Nowzad district of Helmand province.
 
Counter Crimes:
The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained four suspects accused of theft, using fake banknotes and selling alcoholic beverages in the 1st, 2nd and 6th Districts of Kabul-City.
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Feb. 26., 2013. - ISAF Joint Command Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan and coalition forces confirmed today the death of a Taliban leader, Anwar, during an operation in Hisarak district, Nangarhar province, Sunday.

Anwar was responsible for directing and participating in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He exercised operational control of a significant number of insurgents.

During the operation, the security force engaged Anwar and four other militants with a precision strike, killing five.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

North

During an operation Monday in Baghlan-e Jadid district, Baghlan province, an Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader and detained five other insurgents. The Taliban leader is alleged to be responsible for controlling multiple insurgent fighters in Baghlan-e Jadid district. He was a known improvised explosive device expert, and provided financial support and weapons to insurgent forces. The security force also seized multiple weapons and ammunition as a result of the operation.

East

Afghan and coalition forces confirmed today the arrest of a Taliban leader along with detaining two other insurgents during a security operation in Pul-e ‘Alam district, Logar province, Sunday. The leader is believed to be responsible for improvised explosive device and small-arms attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. In the past, he was involved in harassing the Afghan public by kidnapping individuals for ransom and establishing illegal checkpoints throughout the district.

During an operation Sunday in Hisarak district, Nangarhar province, an Afghan and coalition security force killed five insurgents. The security force positively identified the insurgents and engaged with a precision strike, killing five.

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Feb. 26., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces killed one insurgent, detained two suspected insurgents, and cleared three improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Feb. 25.

Kunar province
Afghan and coalition forces killed one insurgent during an engagement in Tsowkey district.

Khowst province
Afghan and coalition forces detained one suspected insurgent during an operation in Khowst district. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Nuristan province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED in Nurgaram district.

Paktya province
Afghan and coalition forces detained one suspected insurgent during an operation in Chamkani district. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Ghazni province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED in Ghazni district.

Wardak province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED in Chak dstrict.

Operations in RC-East are ongoing.

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In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 29 Armed Taliban Killed (Feb.25.2013.)



Publish Date: Feb 25, 2013
In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 29 Armed Taliban Killed

Counterterrorism:
During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces launched several joint clearance operations in Nangarhar, Laghman, Badakhshan, Kandahar, Zabul, Logar, Ghazni, Paktiya, Herat, Badghis and Helmand provinces.

As a result of these operations, 29 armed Taliban were killed, 29 wounded and six others were arrested by Afghan National Security Forces.

Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated some amount of light and heavy rounds ammunitions.

During the same 24 hour period, Afghan National Police discovered and defused 10 different types of mines which were placed by the enemies of peace and stability for destructive activities in Kunar, Kapisa, Faryab and Zabul provinces.
 
Crimes:
The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained eight suspects accused of theft in the 5th and 8th Districts of Kabul-City.
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R.I.P. - Staff Sgt. Jonathan D. Davis

DOD Identifies Marine Casualty

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

            Staff Sgt. Jonathan D. Davis, 34, of Kayenta, Ariz., died Feb. 22 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, 32nd Georgian Liaison Team, Regimental Combat Team 7, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

            For more information media may contact the 1st Marine Division Public Affairs Office at 760-725-8766.

---

from utsandiego:
By Nathan Max
12:46 p.m.Feb. 25, 2013

 A Camp Pendleton-based Marine has been killed while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced Monday.

Staff Sgt. Jonathan D. Davis, 34, of Kayenta, Ariz., died Friday in Helmand Province. He was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, 32nd Georgian Liaison Team, Regimental Combat Team 7, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

Davis enlisted in the Marine Corps on Oct. 21, 1997, and he served as a motor transport operations chief.

During his more than 15 years in the Marine Corps, he was awarded a Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATA Medal-ISAF Afghanistan, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal.

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Monday, February 25, 2013

Shrine blast leaves 4 dead in Southern Pakistan

English: Location of Sindh in Pakistan.
English: Location of Sindh in Pakistan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least four Sunni Muslims were killed and over 15 others injured as a bomb went off in a shrine in Pakistan's southern district of Shikarpur on Monday night, local media reported.

Geo TV said the sectarian blast targeting the Sunni Muslims occurred when over 50 people were gathering in a congregation hall of the shrine for religious ritual.

Some unknown militants left an explosive laden bag inside the shrine and later exploded it by a remote control, said the report.

The injured people were shifted to Civil Hospital Shikarpur where several of them were in critical conditions.

Walls and roof of the shrine were partially destroyed in the blast in Shikarpur, a main district in the country's southern Sindh province.

The blast was followed by a protest by Sunni Muslims in the district.

Sahabzada Fazal Karim, the leader of the country's prominent Sunni group, "Sunni Itehad Council", condemned the blast and asked his followers to remain calm.

He also demanded government to arrest those responsible for the attack.

No group so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Police cordoned off the area and a probe into the incident has been started.

from XINHUA
 2013-02-26 02:02:45

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Afghan president orders US Special Forces to leave Wardak province

Districts of Wardak.
Districts of Wardak. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

President Hamid Karzai has ordered the Ministry of Defense to eject all "US Special Forces" from the key eastern province of Wardak after accusing the American troops or their local Afghan security partners of committing war crimes. Karzai's order is an ominous development for future US and NATO plans, which are expected to rely heavily on special operations forces to take on a greater role as the bulk of conventional forces are withdrawn from Afghanistan.

"Today, the National Security Council ordered the Ministry of Defense to remove American Special Forces within two weeks from Wardak province," Karzai spokesman Aimal Faizi told reporters, according to TOLONews.

"A recent example in the province is an incident in which nine people were disappeared in an operation by this suspicious force and in a separate incident a student was taken away at night from his home, whose tortured body with throat cut was found two days later under a bridge," he added.

US Forces - Afghanistan, an ISAF subcommand under which some US Special Forces operate, said it was aware of the statement attributed to Karzai and that it is investigating the allegations.

US special operations forces often partner with local Afghan security forces, such as the Afghan Local Police (ALP) at the village level. President Karzai has generally opposed the ALP, and some Afghans fear the local units, currently totaling 19,600 officers and often accused of corruption (as are more traditional Afghan government security forces), will foster a return to warlordism.

Karzai's directive for "US Special Forces" to withdraw from Wardak comes as NATO is working to negotiate and finalize plans for its force structure in Afghanistan after combat forces are withdrawn by the end of 2014. Various draft proposals and statements by US personnel and NATO partners have indicated that a force of 8,000 to 15,500 NATO troops, comprised of up to 9,500 Americans, could remain in Afghanistan. The residual mission is expected to be structured around training Afghan security forces and the continuation of counterterrorism operations targeting high value enemies.
Both tasks rely heavily on US Special Forces (a designation precisely indicating the US Army "Green Berets") as well as the broader category of all US special operations forces.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/02/afghan_president_ord.php#ixzz2LxBwOxGL
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IED blast kill 4 Afghan civilians in Helmand province

According to local authorities in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan, at least ten Afghan civilians were killed or injured following a roadside improvised explosive device blast in Marjah district on Monday.

District chief Fahim Mosazai confirming the report said the incident took place on Monday moring at Shor Shorak area, killing at least four civilians and injuring six others.

He said the incident took place after a civilian vehicle hit an IED device planted by militants.

No group including the Taliban militants has so far claimed responsibility behind the incident. Local authorities blame Taliban group for the incident as Taliban fighters frequently use improvised explosive device to target Afghan and coalition securty forces which normally leads to civilians casualties.

In a separate incident at least two Afghan police officers were killed and three others were injured following an explosion in Tarinkowt city on Monday.

Provincial security commandment spokesman Farid Ayel said the incident took place after a police Ford Ranger vehicle struck with a roadside bomb.

Taliban group claimed responsibility behind the incident and said four police officers were killed following the blast.

from KHAAMA
By Sadaf Shinwari - 25 Feb 2013, 3:03 pm

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AQIM Leader Condemns Destruction of Mali Mausoleums

map by Evan Centanni(www.polgeonow.com)
RFI journalist Nick Champeaux and a journalist from French newspaper Libération have discovered extraordinary papers in which the leader of Aqim, Abdel Malek Droukdel outlines his strategy for Mali.

The documents, dated 20 July 2012, four months after the jihadists took control of northern Mali, were found among others scattered on the floor of the offices of the ORTM national television station in Timbuktu.

The papers were intended to be read by other senior members of Aqmi (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) and Ansar Dine and were headed "Roadmap relating to Islamic Jihad in Azawad [northern Mali]".

Before they fled Timbuktu, the Aqim leaders shredded a number of documents, including lists of names and telephone numbers. Among the papers scattered on the floor, were the 79 pages written by Abou Moussab Abdelwadoud, alias Abdel Malek Droukdel, head of Aqim.

These documents complete a dossier, part of which was found in February by a journalist working for Associated Press.

In the documents, Abdel Malek Droukdel focuses on how to set up an Islamic zone in northern Mali with the Touareg people, without drawing attention to Aqim's presence there.

His solution is outlined in a framework laid out in six chapters.

In the first chapter, entitled "Global vision of the Islamic jihadist project in Azawad", Droukdel condemns the destruction of mausoleums and the stonings carried out by some of his fellow jihadists. "You have made a serious mistake", he writes. "The population could turn against us, and we cannot fight against a whole people. You are in danger of destroying our experiment, of killing off our baby, our beautiful tree."

"We must avoid general solutions, which do not take the local environment into account", he suggests in a paper written after the first demolitions of mausoleums, which shocked the people of Timbuktu.

"Sharia law allows lashings of the whip as a punishment for adulterers, but first of all we must get people used to the idea and educate them in Islam, only then can we envisage using such punishments", he proposes.

The document appears to have been written after discussion with other Islamists.

Droukdel expresses support in the papers for the idea of an independent High Council for Islamic Affairs, to ensure the proper application of Sharia throughout the territory under Aqmi control.

The document gives a fascinating insight into how Droukdel intended to use the (secular- minded) MNLA (Azawad liberation movement), but also, to a lesser extent, Ansar Dine, the (Islamist) group led by Iyad Ag Ghali.

Throughout the document, Droukdel laments the split with the MNLA. Before the split, in June, the MNLA had signed an accord accepting the principle of the islamicisation of northern Mali.

"What more can we ask of them?" asks Droukdel only one month later in the document. "We can't ask MNLA members to become salafists and join the ranks of Ansar Dine overnight" he declares.

The Aqim leader apparently plans to attribute most of the ministerial posts to MNLA members, though not key ministries such as Religious Affairs, Justice and Education.

He proposes that the Defence Ministry include all the different political and religious movements.

Iyad Ag Ghali (Ansar Dine) would be given the post of leader of a transitional government, whose job would be to draw up a constitution for the Islamic State of Azawad.

However, jihadists would run the towns and cities, and Droukdel appears to have no intention of involving Ansar Dine in his international terrorist activities.

The overriding aim appears to be to create the broadest possible alliances, in order to resist any military intervention.

"Alliances are essential" he writes, noting that one of the advantages of an alliance is that his movement will not be wholly responsible if it fails in its objectives."

Read or Listen to this story on the RFI website.




from allAfrica/RFi

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Feb. 25., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces detained one suspected insurgent, located one weapons cache and cleared one improvised explosive device during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Feb. 24.

Paktya province
Afghan National Security Forces discovered a weapons cache during an operation in Zormat district. The cache contained small arms ammunition and IED=making materials.

Khowst province
Afghan and coalition forces
detained one suspected insurgent during an operation in Khowst district. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sabari district.

Operations in RC-East are ongoing.

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updates coming up soon...


Sunday, February 24, 2013

Two gunmen killed, four arrested in Nigeria

KANO, Nigeria, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian troops in northwest Kano State on Saturday killed two suspected gunmen and arrested four others in Kano metropolis when the gunmen attacked the checking point.
A security source told Xinhua that the incident happened around 1:10 p.m., local time, at a security check point along Hadejia road, during "a stop and search" on a commercial vehicle at the check point.

"It was in the process when one of the passengers of the vehicle opened fire on the security operatives at the check point, " the source added.

"Soon after the incident security operatives at the check point responded by killing the attacker instantly," the source said.

Spokesman of the Joint Security Task force (JTF) Capt Ikedichi Iweha confirmed the incident and the killing of the two suspected gunmen.

He said the incident happened at a check point when the operatives were carrying out a search at a commercial vehicle when a passenger opened fire on the soldiers.

Captain Iweha said two suspects were killed while four others were also arrested during the incident.

The JTF spokesman said investigation had since commenced to ascertain the identities of the suspects while security had also been beefed up in the area.

Kano State has witnessed waves of violence often claimed by the militant sect of Boko Haram. Thousands of people have been killed in northern and central parts of Nigeria since the sect launched insurgency in 2009.

from XINHUA
2013-02-24 01:36:40

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Heavy explosion rocks Jalalabad city in eastern Afghanistan

Jalalabad District is located in the north-wes...
Jalalabad District is located in the north-west of Nangarhar Province. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
According to local authorities in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan  a heavy explosion took place in the second district of Jalalabad city early Sunday morning.

The officials further added the incident took place near the provincial spy agency department — national directorate of security (NDS) around 7:30 am local time.

Provincial security commandment spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashraqiwal confirming the report said at least two Afghan spy agency officers were killed and three others were injured following the blast.

In the meantime Zabiullah Mujahid Taliban group spokesman said at least 14 Afghan spy officers were killed following the blast and dozens others were injured.

He said the suicide attack was carried out by a Taliban fighter Saqib who is a resident of capital Kabul.

from KHAAMA
By Sadaf Shinwari - 24 Feb 2013, 9:28 am

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