Monday, April 30, 2012

One killed, 15 injured in Nairobi grenade attack (+video)

NAIROBI, Kenya – One person was killed and fifteen others wounded after a grenade was hurled inside a church in Nairobi’s Ngara area on Sunday morning.
Police said the incident occurred at about 9 am shortly after the Sunday service kicked off at the God’s House of Miracles International Church.

by
from CAPITALFM.CO.KE

Witnesses interviewed told Capital FM News they heard a loud blast before they saw smoke billowing out of the church that is located near Ngara Girls High School.
“I was in my kiosk then I heard a loud blast and smoke coming out of the church. I rushed there immediately and found people screaming for help,” Samuel Kimani who runs a kiosk near the church said.
He said his children attend a church service there but they had not arrived at the time of the attack.
“What came in my mind immediately is my children because they go to church there, but when I arrived there I didn’t find them but there were other people who had been injured and we started helping them out,” he said.
Those wounded are people who had gone for the first service that starts at 7 am and runs up to 9 am.
Worshippers interviewed said they saw a man walk in and sat in their midst.
“He clearly appeared a stranger to me and most of us because the people who attend the morning service are known to each other, but we had no reason to suspect him,” one worshipper who identified himself as Kim said.
Moments later, he said, the man walked out and came back that is when he threw the grenade and ran out.
Some of the people who attempted to pursue him said he whipped out a pistol and pointed it at them.
“He ran very first and kept brandishing a pistol to scare away people, no one could go closer to him,” Elijah Mwangi, who was part of the people who chased the attacker said.
Those injured were admitted to the Guru Nanak and Kenyatta National Hospitals, some with critical injuries.



Nairobi Deputy Police chief Moses Nyakwama said they were working closely with crucial witnesses and church members to get the proper description of the attacker.
“We are confident he will be found, the public is assisting us,” Nyakwama told journalists at the scene
He did not immediately link the attack to the notorious Al Shabaab terror group but said “we cannot rule out anything.”
No suspect had been arrested by Sunday afternoon but detectives involved in the investigation revealed there were crucial leads they were pursuing but they did not give details.
Some of the officers told Capital FM News they will also investigate if the attack was linked to a land dispute.
The incident comes a week after the American Embassy in Nairobi warned of an impending terrorist attack in the capital city.
The Embassy had warned of an attack on government buildings and hotels, warning its nationals to be extra vigilant.
Nairobi has been hit by a series of unclaimed attacks since late 2011. The deadliest blast, on March 10, struck a bus terminal, killing nine people and injuring roughly 60 others.
Kenyan police have blamed the strikes on Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab Islamists or their sympathisers, claiming the attacks are a response to the Kenyan army’s incursion into Somalia, launched in October.
Nairobi sent troops into neighbouring Somalia following a spate of kidnappings in Kenya, which it blamed on the Islamists.
The operation aimed to curb the Al Shabaab influence in Somalia, where they control much of the south and central region in a country that has lacked a stable government for two decades.


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German jihadist killed by US in March drone strike


A German jihadist is thought to have been killed in an airstrike carried out by US drones on March 9 in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of South Waziristan.
The German, a known "Islamist" from Aachen, has been identified at Samir H., according to a report in Der Spiegel. Samir was one of 13 Taliban and "foreign fighters" who were killed in the March 9 strike in Makeen, South Waziristan. In that strike, the remotely-piloted US strike aircraft fired missiles at a pickup truck transporting Taliban fighters.
Samir was the "son of a Tunisian father and a German mother" and was "born and raised in East Germany," according to Jih@d, a website that tracks European jihadists. Samir "traveled to Pakistan in October 2009 with his wife and two children, and joined the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). In November 2009 Samir´s sister, at the age of 18, followed her older brother and made her way to the Waziristan tribal region."
The town of Makeen is in an area under the control of Hakeemullah Mehsud, the leader of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, which is closely allied to al Qaeda. The US has struck targets in Makeen four other times, in 2008 and 2009. One strike in June 2009 killed Khwaz Ali Mehsud, a top aide to Baitullah Mehsud, the former leader of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan. Baitullah himself was killed shortly thereafter by a drone strike in August 2009 in nearby Ladha.
In a controversial follow-up strike in Makeen at the funeral for Khwaz Ali, US drones killed 83 Pakistanis, including 30 "militants." Senior terrorist leaders, including Haqqani Network commander Mullah Sangeen Zadran, and Baitullah and his deputy Qari Hussain Mehsud, were thought to be attending the funeral.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/04/german_jihadist_kill.php#ixzz1tWqdGTrI
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Boko Haram kills four in Nigeria church attack: police

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria - Mon Apr 30, 2012(Reuters) - Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram killed four people in an attack on a Sunday church service in the northeast town of Maiduguri, police said on Monday, adding to the death toll from a separate shooting in the country's second largest city Kano.

Gunmen killed at least 15 people and wounded many more at a Christian service in Kano on Sunday, the latest round of violence which has seen hundreds killed in the mostly-Muslim north of Nigeria this year.

No group took responsibility for either attack and it was not clear if they were coordinated. But both strikes bore the hallmarks of the Boko Haram sect, which has used bomb and gun attacks in its push to carve out an Islamic state in Africa's most populous nation.

"Boko Haram who were six in number came in a Volkswagen Golf car and shot the pastor and three others while they were about to administer the Holy Communion to worshippers," Maiduguri police spokesman Samuel Tizhe said.

Maiduguri is the capital of northeast Borno state, Boko Haram's home region and the location of the majority of its attacks, which mostly target the police and military but have also hit churches and drinking spots.

In the attack in Kano on Sunday, gunmen arrived on motorbikes at a university lecture theatre used for Christian services and threw small homemade bombs into the building before shooting fleeing worshippers.

"President Goodluck Jonathan condemns the murderous terrorist attack on the Bayero University Campus in Kano yesterday and the brutal killing of innocent worshippers at the University by vicious assailants," a presidency statement said.

Jonathan has been criticized by Nigerians and foreign diplomats for failing to get a grip on the sect's wave of violence, which has gained momentum since his presidential election victory a year ago.

Most of Boko Haram's attacks focus on authority figures it believes have wronged the group by arresting or killing its members.

Nigeria's more than 160 million population is split roughly equally between a largely Christian south and a mostly Muslim north.

(Reporting by Ibrahim Mshelizza; Additional reporting by Felix Onuah in Abuja; Writing by Joe Brock; editing by Patrick Graham)
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US drone strike kills 4 'militants' in North Waziristan


Today the US launched its first drone strike in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency in nearly a month. The strike in North Waziristan targeted an abandoned school that is known to be used by foreign fighters.
The unmanned Predators or the more heavily armed Reapers fired a pair of missiles at the abandoned high school for girls that is located in the bazaar in Miramshah in North Waziristan. Four "militants" were said to have been killed in the strike, SAMAA reported, but their identity was not disclosed.
"We don't know about their identity and nationality but those living in the girls' school were mostly Arabs," the official said, according to SAMAA. Another Pakistani official told AFP that the school was occupied by Uzbek and Tajik militants, which is likely a reference to the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. The IMU is closely allied with the Haqqani Network and is known to conduct operations with the group in eastern Afghanistan. During a raid in the eastern Afghan province of Wardak on April 25, Coalition special operations forces attempted to capture a senior Haqqani Network operative linked to the IMU's leadership cadre in Pakistan.
A Pakistani security official said today that intelligence officials intercepted communications between the militants that included a request for "four coffins for the slain men." More than two dozen fighters were believed to be occupying the school before it was struck.
Miramshah serves as the headquarters of the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani Network, a powerful Taliban subgroup that operates in both Afghanistan and Pakistan and is supported by Pakistan's military and its Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate. The Haqqani Network is one of four major Taliban groups that joined the Shura-e-Murakeba, an alliance brokered by al Qaeda late last year. The Shura-e-Murakeba also includes Hafiz Gul Bahadar's group; Mullah Nazir's group; and the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, which is led by Hakeemullah Mehsud and his deputy, Waliur Rehman Mehsud. The members of the Shura-e-Murakeba agreed to cease attacks against Pakistani security forces, refocus efforts against the US, and end kidnappings and other criminal activities in the tribal areas.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/04/us_drone_strike_kill_3.php#ixzz1tWSjj3eF
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14 armed insurgents killed, 2 wounded and 16 others arrested by ANP

14 armed insurgents killed, two wounded and 16 others arrested by Afghan National Police

Counterterrorism:
During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces launched five joint clearance operations in Kabul, Nangarhar, Zabul, Logar and Ghazni provinces.

As a result of these operations, 14 armed insurgents were killed, two wounded and 16 others were arrested by Afghan National Police.
Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated six AK-47 assault rifles, one rocket launcher, two PKM machine guns, three anti-vehicle mines, 7kg of opium and two motorbikes.
During the same 24 hour period, Afghan National Police discovered and defused 25kg of explosive materials as a result of security operation in the Popalzai region, Nahar Saraj District of Helmand province.

The Afghan National Police dedicate their lives to protecting the people.
Crimes:
The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained six individuals accused of murder, theft, trafficking and assault in the 5th, Bagrami and Saroubi Districts of Kabul-City.
The ANP encourages all citizens to report suspicious activities and criminal acts.
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Apr.30., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (Apr. 30) — An Afghan led and coalition supported security force detained a Taliban facilitator during an operation in Daman district, Kandahar province, today.
The facilitator provided vehicles for suicide attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the province.

The security force detained two additional insurgents and seized multiple weapons as a result of this operation.

In other ISAF news throughout Afghanistan:

East

In Sabari district, Khost province, an Afghan-led security force detained a Haqqani leader during an operation today. The leader directed roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition troops. He also supplied weapons and ammunition to insurgents in the area. The security force detained one additional insurgent as a result of this operation.

West

An Afghan security force, supported by coalition troops, captured a Taliban leader during an operation in Bala Boluk district, Farah province, Saturday. In addition to directing insurgents, the leader is suspected of using intimidation and threat techniques to force locals into aiding the Taliban.
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17 shun militancy, turn a new leaf in Nuristan

(file photo)
JALALABAD (PAN): Seventeen rebels laid down their arms and joined the government-initiated peace process in eastern Nuristan province, officials said on Monday.

Lead by Qari Abdul Khalil, the insurgents surrendered five weapons, a rocket launcher, some explosives and remote-controlled bombs, Governor Tamim Nuristani told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Khalil, an influential Taliban member who was also involved in attacks against government and foreign troops in Waigal district, gave up the insurgency and joined the reconciliation drive. 

Provincial peace process head, Haji Abdul Alim, said Khalil’s decision would help improve the security situation in the province, bordering Afghanistan.

Nuristani added the implementation of socio-economic programmes and   development projects had encouraged the insurgents join the peace process.

from Pajhwok

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Paktika: IED Blast Kills 2 Children

Districts of Paktika Province
Districts of Paktika Province (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Two children were killed by an explosion of an improvised explosive device (IED) buried in the ground in southern Paktika province, the provincial governor's office said Monday.

Two other children were wounded, one seriously, by the blast which happened around at 10:00 am Sunday while the children were playing in the Surobi district.

The seriously-wounded child has been transferred to Bagram Military Base for more intense treatment, while the other who was wounded remains in a provincial hospital, the statement from the governor's office said.

The two children who died in the blast were about 12 years old, according to the governor's office, but no gender was given.

Insurgents frequently use IEDs to target the Afghan and Nato security forces, but most of the victims are civilians.

More than 3,021 Afghan civilians have been killed in the past year's violence, according to a UN report.

Taliban-affiliated insurgents were responsible for the majority of the deaths.

from TOLONEWS
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Explosion wounds 20 in eastern Nigeria

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, April 30 (Reuters) - A bomb blast wounded at least 20 people in the eastern Nigerian city of Jalingo on Monday, one day after two deadly attacks in other parts of the country, an emergency agency and a witness said.

"The blast was between the state ministry of finance and police headquarters," Ibrahim Farinloye, local head of the National Emergency Management Agency, told Reuters.

A witness told Reuters the blast could have been targeting the police commissioner who drove past shortly before. He said he saw dead bodies and that at least 20 people were taken to hospital.

Jalingo is the capital of usually peaceful Taraba state.

On Sunday, at least 19 people were killed in two attacks on Christian worshippers elsewhere in Nigeria. A university theatre used for services in the northern city of Kano and a church in northeast Maiduguri, Boko Haram's home town, were attacked by gunmen.

Boko Haram has been fighting against President Goodluck Jonathan's government for more than two years. Its attacks usually target police and government in the mostly Muslim north of Africa's most populous nation.

(Reporting by Ibrahim Mshelizza; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
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Sunday, April 29, 2012

3 killed in U.S. drone strike in NW Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, April 29 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and two others were injured when U.S. drones fired two missiles at a government-run girls high school in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of North Waziristan on Sunday afternoon, reported local Urdu TV channel ARY.


other sources said 2 or 6 killed, several injured
no confirmed reports yet
updates coming up here, as its available

According to the local media reports, the strike took place in Miranshah, a main town of North Waziristan which borders Afghanistan.

Four U.S. drones were seen hovering over the strike area, local media quoted eyewitnesses as saying.

Militants in the area have cordoned off the area following the strike, said local media.

Identities of the victims are not known at this point.

Militants often use schools, even government buildings as hideouts, said local media.

Sunday's U.S. drone strike is the 11th of its kind (counted on daily basis) in Pakistan since this year. Up to date, at least 83 people have reportedly been killed in such strikes in 2012.

The latest strike came at a time when there were reports saying that the talks between Pakistan and the United States to ease the tension between the two countries failed due to differences between the two sides.
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Kidnapped British aid worker found dead in Pakistan

Khalil Dale (telegraph.co.uk)
The Red Cross says a British national working for the organization has been killed by his captors in southwestern Pakistan.

The body of a British employee of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who was kidnapped in January, was found by police in Quetta city of southwest Pakistan on Sunday.

Khalil Dale, a 60-year-old Muslim convert, was working for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Quetta, capital of Baluchistan, one of the most troubled of Pakistan’s regions, when he was snatched. Dale was managing a Red Cross health program in the city when he was seized in January by gunmen.

Media reports said unidentified gunmen had demanded a ransom for the release of Dale but the ICRC had refused to pay.

Local officials said his bullet-riddled body was found on a road outside the city in a bag addressed to the police chief. A note said he had been killed because a ransom had not been paid.

Yves Daccord, Director-General of the ICRC, condemned the killing. He said, “All of us at the ICRC and at the British Red Cross share the grief and outrage of Khalil’s family and friends.”

from KHAAMA
By Sadaf Shinwari
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7 key rebel commanders killed in Helmand

LASHKARGAH (PAN): Seven key Taliban commanders were killed during a police operation in the Washer district of southern Helmand province, an official said on Sunday.

The operation was conducted by the quick reaction police unit in Folad and Sarfolad areas of the district last week, the governor's spokesman, Daud Ahmadi, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He said the dead included Maulvi Abdul Ahad Fazli, brother of the Taliban-designated district chief for Washer, and Maulvi Hamidi, the rebel military commission chief for the district.

Maulvi Abdul Haq, the group’s judge, a mine maker named Zabit and Mullah Abdul Khaliq, a local guerrilla leader, were also killed in the security operation.

Ahmadi said seven Arab and Pakistani militants were also killed and three others detained. A large cache of weapons and ammunitions was seized.

Dozens of militants were killed in another recent offensive by Afghan and foreign troops in the district. However, he did not reveal the exact causality figure.

from Pajhwok

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R.I.P. - Staff Sgt. Andrew T. Brittonmihalo

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

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

                Staff Sgt. Andrew T. Brittonmihalo, 25, of Simi Valley, Calif., died April 25, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

                For more information related to this release, the media may contact Special Forces public affairs at 910-689-6187.

---
A Green Beret from Simi Valley, Andrew Britton, was killed Wednesday in Afghanistan. Craig Mathias, who with his wife, Danette, cared for him during his senior year at Royal High School, confirmed the news Thursday.
The Department of Defense has so far not released any information or confirmed Britton's death. Britton — known as Andrew Mihalo when he lived in Simi Valley — was 25. He was raised in Simi Valley and stayed on to complete high school there after his mother and stepfather moved out of state.
His mother now resides in North Carolina, while his sister, Michelle Caranza, lives in Simi Valley.
Britton last visited Ventura County in November with his fiancee, Jesse, also a soldier believed to now be serving with the Army in Afghanistan. The couple married in December and they were based at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Craig Mathias said Britton, who was a champion CIF wrestler at Royal and an Eagle Scout, joined the Army Special Forces right out of high school and advanced quickly. He was always fighting for the underdog and very patriotic, fearless but not reckless he said. He was very humble, just a great, great person. We were as close as friends could be. We were like brothers, said Travis Mathias, 24, who knew Britton since he was 9 years old. He was the smallest guy but the hardest worker, he said. He was just the nicest guy in the world and he loved to protect others.

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5 insurgents killed, 1 wounded and 21 others arrested by ANP

Five armed insurgents killed, one wounded and 21 others arrested by Afghan National Police

Counterterrorism:
During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces launched 10 joint clearance operations in Nangarhar, Kunar, Kapisa, Kandahar, Helmand, Khost, Ghazni, Logar, Zabul and Farah provinces.

As a result of these operations, five armed insurgents were killed, one wounded and 21 others were arrested by Afghan National Police.
Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated seven different types of weapons, one PKM machine gun, 174 heavy rounds, 300 light rounds, 14 anti-vehicle mines, 16 hand grenades, 10 magazines, 14kg of opium, two motorbikes and three vehicles.
In the meantime, Afghan National Police arrested one armed insurgent with 16 mortar rounds in the Zazai Aryoub District of Paktiya province, yesterday.

The Afghan National Police dedicate their lives to protecting the people.
Crimes:
The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained 11 individuals accused of murder, theft, trafficking and assault in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th and 17th Districts of Kabul-City.
The ANP encourages all citizens to report suspicious activities and criminal acts.
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Apr.29., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (Apr. 29) — An Afghan-led security force conducted an operation to detain a Taliban leader in Baraki Barak district, Logar province, today.

The leader organized roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the province.

As the Afghan portion of the force moved into the area and conducted a call out, the insurgent leader and an additional insurgent attempted to fire on the force. The Afghan soldiers returned fire, killing the attackers. Multiple weapons and several blasting caps were also confiscated.

In other ISAF news throughout Afghanistan:

South

In Qalat district, Zabul province, an Afghan and coalition security force detained a senior Taliban leader during an operation today. The leader organized attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces in Kabul, Kandahar and Herat provinces. He also coordinated with Taliban leaders in Pakistan to supply the weapons, ammunition and equipment to insurgents. The security force detained one additional insurgent as a result of this operation.

East

An Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a senior Haqqani facilitator in Muhammad Aghah district, Logar province, today. The facilitator provides weapons, ammunition and equipment to insurgents for attacks in Kabul City. He also works with the Haqqani leadership to coordinate resources for attacks similar to the April 15 attack in Kabul. The security force detained multiple suspected Haqqani insurgents as a result of this operation.

In Qarah Bagh district, Ghazni province, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to detain a Taliban leader today. The leader plans and directs roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition troops throughout the district. The security force detained two suspected insurgents as a result of this operation.

Finally, in Paghman district, Kabul province, an Afghan patrol supported by coalition forces conducted an operation to disrupt insurgent weapons trafficking Friday. During the operation, the force discovered a 122 mm rocket. An Afghan explosive ordnance disposal team disarmed the rocket and transported it to a secure location for examination.
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Gunmen kill 15 in attack in Nigeria's Kano

KANO, Nigeria, April 29 (Reuters) - Gunmen killed 15 people and wounded many more when they attacked a lecture theatre used by Christian worshippers in Nigeria's second largest city of Kano on Sunday, a university worker told Reuters.

The man, who asked not to be named, said he saw 15 bodies being carried from the site and many more being treated for injuries.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but Islamist sect Boko Haram has killed hundreds in bomb and gun attacks this year, some of which have targeted churches.

(Reporting by Bala Adamu; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
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R.I.P. - Guardsman Michael Roland

Guardsman Michael Roland killed in Afghanistan


It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Guardsman Michael Roland, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. He died on Friday 27th April 2012 as a result of a gunshot wound sustained in Afghanistan.
Guardsman Michael Roland
Guardsman Michael Roland
[Picture: via MOD]

Guardsman Michael Roland deployed to Afghanistan on 3rd April 2012 as a Rifleman in Number Three Platoon, part of The Queen’s Company Grenadier Guards. He was based in Main Operating Base Price near Gereshk in the Nahr-e-Saraj North District of Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

On 26 April 2012 Guardsman Roland deployed with his Company on a three day operation to disrupt insurgent activity in a contested area in the north of Nahr-e-Saraj District. On the morning of 27th April 2012 he was fatally wounded during an exchange of small arms fire. He was extracted back to the hospital in Camp Bastion but sadly he died of his injuries.
Guardsman Roland was born on 5th August 1989 in Worthing, Sussex. After joining the Army, Guardsman Roland attended the Combat Infantryman’s Course at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick. Upon completion of his training in November 2009 he moved to Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards in London. He spent a year conducting public duties at the Royal Palaces and participating in state ceremonial tasks. Guardsman Roland joined 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in November 2010 and was placed in The Queen’s Company. His first year in the Battalion included field training in the UK and an exercise in Canada. From September 2011 he undertook six months of preparatory training for his first tour of Afghanistan, before deploying in early April 2012.
Guardsman Roland’s family paid the following tribute:
“Michael was a loving and caring son loved by his huge extended family and friends who are devastated by their loss. We are still coming to terms with losing him. Michael always wanted to join the Army and was so proud to be part of Queen’s Company Grenadier Guards. Michael loved us all so much; with us he was not big and tough just gentle. We will miss him so much.”
Lieutenant Colonel James Bowder MBE, Commanding Officer 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, said:
“Guardsman Roland’s death is a tremendous loss to a close Battalion. Sparky, diligent and super-fit, he was a terrific soldier with a bright future. That he achieved so much in his short life is testament to his drive and ambition. He was an absolute pleasure to command and will be missed hugely by the Battalion and the Regimental family as a whole.
"We are all extremely proud of Guardsman Roland’s selfless commitment to this important mission. Moreover, we are resolved to finish the job that he so bravely started. Finally, our prayers are with his parents, girlfriend and broader family; we share their great sense of loss and will never forget this most extraordinary of Guardsmen.”
“Michael was a loving and caring son loved by his huge extended family and friends who are devastated by their loss."
Guardsman Roland’s family

Major Piers Ashfield, The Captain of The Queen’s Company, said:
“Guardsman Roland was one of the leading lights of The Queen's Company. His stoic devotion to duty and the generous friendship he offered to all those he met epitomised the man for whom no hardship was worthy of complaint. Guardsman Roland leaves behind a Company who will continue to cherish memories of shared laughter and happiness. The Queen's Company offers its most heartfelt condolences to Guardsman Roland's family and friends.”
Lieutenant Alex Budge, Platoon Commander, 3 Platoon, said:
“Guardsman Roland epitomised a Grenadier Guardsman. Fit, tenacious and a character; he was liked by all for his sense of humour and respected by all for his skill as an infantry soldier. I would say he was one of the best Guardsman in the Company. His passing brings sorrow to us all, but we can take comfort that he died doing a job that he loved.”

Sergeant Archer, Platoon Sergeant 3 Platoon, The Queen’s Company, said:
“Guardsman Roland was a young and dedicated soldier who put his job before anything else. A fit, keen soldier and loyal to the end, Guardsman Roland was the template to which all Guardsmen should aspire. Never in trouble and never late, he was a model Guardsman who will truly be missed within the platoon. My deepest sympathies go out to his loving parents, who we are all thinking of at this difficult time.”
Lance Sergeant Hendy, Section Commander, The Queen’s Company, said:
“Guardsman Roland was a character to say the least, forever talking about himself in the third person which always made me laugh. He was my point man in the Section during pre-tour training, and was point man in the multiple out here. He was given this position for good reason. He was one of the fittest men in the platoon, very trustworthy and brave. He did everything to the best of his ability and would surely have gone a long way in the Grenadiers.”
Lance Sergeant Mooney, Section Commander, The Queen’s Company, said:
“Guardsman Roland was part of both my platoon and the Company Search Team. He knew he would be at the front of patrols and searching compounds. Even knowing the tasks he would be given would place him in danger, he never complained or even mentioned it for that matter. He was an integral part of the team and the platoon. He will be sorely missed by all members of The Queen's Company. Gone, but never forgotten.”
"(Guardsman Roland) was an integral part of the team and the platoon. He will be sorely missed by all members of The Queen's Company. Gone, but never forgotten.”
Lance Sergeant Mooney, Section Commander, The Queen’s Company

Lance Corporal Clarke, Fire Team Commander, The Queen’s Company, said:
“Mike was a caring bloke. He had so many ambitions. He took part in so many activities and was always up for a good laugh and a fair few beers with the boys. He was never afraid to lead the way, and we had a lot of good times together.”
Guardsman Wates, Guardsman in The Queen’s Company, said:
“Guardsman Roland was always happy to help and give good advice. He made me feel very welcome on joining the platoon, and I'm going to miss him very much.”
Guardsman Churchill, Guardsman in The Queen’s Company, said:
“Guardsman Roland was a pleasure to work with, as well as being a good friend. Everything he did, he did to the best of his ability. A true soldier who will be missed.”
The Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, said:
"I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Guardsman Michael Roland. It is clear that he was a brave man and highly professional soldier. The circumstances of his death by all accounts sum up his army life: in the thick of the fight and looking out for his comrades. I can only endorse the tributes paid to him by his family, for whom he was a hero. They have my deepest sympathy."
"Everything he did, he did to the best of his ability. A true soldier who will be missed.”
Guardsman Churchill, Guardsman in The Queen’s Company
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10 policemen dead in roadside bombing in eastern Afghanistan

Districts of Wardak.
Districts of Wardak. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
MAIDAN SHAR, Afghanistan, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Ten Afghan policemen were killed late Friday in a roadside bombing in the country's eastern province of Wardak, said a provincial official on Saturday.

"A unit of Afghan Local Police (ALP) force was traveling along a road in the Ambukhar area of Chak-i-Wardak district Friday evening but their van touched off a roadside bomb, leaving 10 ALP members dead," Shahidullah Shahid, a spokesman for provincial government, told Xinhua.

The bomb went off when a line of vehicles passed by the area after an inauguration ceremony of a development project, he said, adding "Only one vehicle was blown up causing the casualties but other officials from the district escaped unhurt."

Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility for the attack.

Afghan Local Police, set up by the government in the summer of 2010, is a community police force defending their villages against Taliban attacks and influence.

Afghan and NATO military officials said recently that impressive Taliban-led attacks would occur in the coming weeks and months as spring and summer, known as "fighting season", are drawing near.

Three women were killed and four other women injured when a mortar round hit a house in the same district on Thursday.
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Saturday, April 28, 2012

R.I.P. - Staff Sgt. Brandon F. Eggleston, Sgt. Dick A. Lee Jr.

DOD Identifies Army Casualties
                 The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

                They died April 26, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

                Killed were:

                Staff Sgt. Brandon F. Eggleston, 29, of Candler, N.C., who was assigned to 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

                Sgt. Dick A. Lee Jr., 31, of Orange Park, Fla., who was assigned to 95th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Sembach, Germany.

                For more information related to Staff Sgt. Eggleston, the media may contact Special Forces public affairs at 910-689-6187.  For information related to Sgt. Lee the media may contact 21st Theater Sustainment Command public affairs in Kaiserslautern, Germany at 011-49-631-413-8184.


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Staff Sgt. Brandon F. Eggleston, 29, of Eden, N.C., died April 26, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.
He was assigned to 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C. He was a 2001 graduate of Morehead High School. Brandon had been in the Army since 2006, and was currently serving his third deployment. He was expected to come home later this year, between September and December.
He attended West Carolina University and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 2006. Upon completion of basic training and advanced individual training, he attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course.
He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in March 2009 and was assigned to 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg as a SF Communications Sergeant. His military education also includes the U.S. Army Airborne School, Advanced Leaders Course, Warrior Leaders Course, Combatives Course Level 1, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course and the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat course.
His awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2 device, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, and the Special Forces tab.
He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a third campaign star and the Combat Infantry Badge.

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Sgt Dick A. Lee Jr. and Staff Sgt. Brandon F. Eggleston died Thursday in Ghanzi province from injuries suffered when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.
Lee, 31, of Orange Park, was assigned to 95th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Sembach, Germany.
Lee is survived by a wife and two sons.
His commanding officer called Lee a great soldier and military dog handler. and that everyone who knew Lee considered it an honor to serve with him.
"Always quick with a smile and laugh, he was the kind of person you always wanted to be around," Col. Brian Bisacre wrote. "Sgt. Lee was a consummate professional; he attacked every mission with passion and strived to be the best at everything he was asked to do.  Sgt. Lee lived and breathed the Army and was a dedicated father, husband, son and soldier. He will never be forgotten."



Six people killed in attacks in Iraq

BAGHDAD, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and three others wounded in separate attacks in the Iraqi provinces of Diyala and Salahudin on Saturday, the police said.

Two Kurdish residents were killed when two sticky bombs attached to their cars separately detonated in the city of Saadiyah, some 60 km northeast of Diyala's capital city of Baquba, the source from the provincial operations command told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The ethnically-mixed city is part of disputed areas between the Kurds and both Arabs and Turkomans. The area has long been the hotbed of insurgency since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

In a separate incident, a civilian was killed when gunmen in their car opened fire on him in the town of Khalis near Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, the source said.

Also in the province, gunmen shot dead a policeman in the al- Hadid area, some 10 km northwest of Baquba, the source added.

In addition, a sticky bomb attached to a minibus carrying passengers went off in eastern Baquba, wounding two people aboard, he said.

On Thursday, Diyala province was the scene of a deadly attack, when a car bomb went off near a village market some 30 km off Baquba, killing seven people and wounding 19 others.

Diyala, which stretches from the eastern edges of Baghdad to the country's eastern border with Iran, has long been a stronghold for al-Qaida militants and other insurgent groups since 2003.

In Salahudin province, gunmen opened fire Saturday morning on a car carrying two off-duty policemen and a civilian in a village near the city of Sherqat, some 280 km north of Baghdad, killing the civilian and one of the policemen and wounding the other, a local police source anonymously told Xinhua.

Salahudin province, located in northern-central Iraq, is a Sunni-dominated province. Its capital city of Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad, is the hometown of Iraq's former president Saddam Hussein.
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R.I.P. - Spc. Moises J. Gonzalez

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

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

            Spc. Moises J. Gonzalez, 29, Huntington, Calif., died April 25, in Balkh province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle rolled over.

 Gonzalez was assigned to the 509th Combat Service Support Company, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

            For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at 254- 287-9993 or 254- 287-0106.

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Gonzalez joined the military in December 2006 as a water treatment specialist, and was assignment to the 509th Combat Service Support Company, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, since June 2011. Gonzalez deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from December 2008 to October 2009 and from June 2011 to April 2012.
Gonzalez's awards and decorations include the NATO Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, two Afghanistan Campaign Medals with campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and two Overseas Service Ribbon
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Yemeni intelligence officer assassinated in restive south

Location of the governorate of Lahij, in Yemen...
Location of the governorate of Lahij, in Yemen(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
ADEN, Yemen, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A high-ranking officer of the Yemeni intelligence agency was shot dead by unknown gunmen in the southern province of Lahij on Saturday morning, a security official told Xinhua.

The gunmen opened fire on the intelligence officer while he was heading to work at the agency headquarters in downtown Houta city, the provincial capital of Lahij province, killing him at the scene, the local security official said on condition of anonymity.

The official added that "police forces are searching for those involved."

The gunmen, who managed to escape after the attack, were believed to be from the al-Qaida terrorist group, according to the official.

Yemen's southern and eastern regions have recently been rocked by suicide car bombings and armed attacks targeting government buildings and military intelligence officials.

The government authorities usually accuse militants of the al- Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, locally known as Ansar al-Sharia ( Partisans of Islamic Law), of committing the crimes and masterminding the attacks. 
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R.I.P. - Lt. Christopher E. Mosko

DOD Identifies Navy Casualty

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

                 Lt. Christopher E. Mosko, 28, of Pittsford, N.Y., died April 26 while conducting combat operations in Nawa district, Ghazni province, Afghanistan.   Mosko was assigned as a Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Platoon Commander to Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, Afghanistan.  Mosko was stationed at EOD Mobile Unit 3, San Diego, Calif.

                 For further information related to this release, contact Lt. David Bennett at 619-767-1989 or 619- 405-4020.

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Mosko was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3 in Coronado.
In Afghanistan, he was a platoon commander for a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force.
Lt Mosko was qualified as an explosive ordnance expert, a free-fall parachutist and a scuba diving instructor. He was in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Villanova University in Pennsylvania and was commissioned in May 2007.
His awards include a Bronze Star for valor and a Purple Heart, both posthumous.
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Al-Qaida releases 73 Yemeni soldiers after tribal mediation: statement

SANAA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The Yemen-based al-Qaida wing on Saturday released 73 Yemeni soldiers they captured two months ago during fighting with the government troops in the southern province of Abyan, as a result of a tribal mediation, the terrorist group said in a statement.

"Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula's (AQAP) Ansar al-Sharia ( Parisian of Islamic Law) in Abyan's city of Jaar released on Saturday 73 Yemeni soldiers following a tribal mediation led by chieftain Awad Banajar, relatives of the captured soldiers and nongovernment human rights groups," the group said in the statement.

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Team Negotiatin​g Release Of Soldiers In Yemen
from yemenpost

A journalist-activist team headed on Friday to Yemen's province of Abyan in the south to mediate the release of 73 soldiers who were taken as hostage during al-Qaida raids on military posts in March.

The delegation included activists from the HOOD and al-Karama organizations, which earlier this month said al-Qaida was threatening to execute the soldiers. The two organizations said in a statement al-Qaida had decided to execute the soldiers if demands including the release of terrorists held inside the political security prisons were not met.
Six days ago, al-Qaida set April 30 as the final deadline to meet its demands or it would execute the soldiers; ten a week. Meantime, the organizations have appealed to the authorities to stop shelling areas in Abyan to enable the team to reach the place where the soldiers are held. a spokesman for the team said the three-day mission of the journalist-activist team aims to secure the release of the soldiers before April 30 and the results will be released immediately.
Also, Human Rights Watch has recently urged al-Qaida to avoid extrajudicial executions of the soldiers because killing can't be a card of negotiation. Killing soldiers or civilians violates the laws of war and al-Qaida in Yemen should not bet on the lives of people to make gains, the US-based organization said.
Early last month, al-Qaida fighters raided some army posts in the Doufas area, Abyan, killing and taking as hostages scores of soldiers. They also looted military equipment. The army, with direct support from the US and popular fighters, has been fighting the militants in southern and southeastern regions including Abyan, Shabwa and Baida.
Hundreds of militants have been recently killed and injured in the battles, mostly in Abyan, amid expanded military operations against militancy under the new government.


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Sana'a: Al Qaida-linked group that controls many towns in southern Yemen said on Saturday that it would set free 73 soldiers , a local tribal leader told Gulf News.

Ansar Al Sharia , an Al Qaida offshoot in Yemen , announced that they decided to release the hostages for "the sake of God and in response to the appeals of the soldiers' families and the tribal mediation". The militants invited on Friday reporters, mediators, human rights activists and the soldiers' relatives to their stronghold, Ja'ar, to decide whether to release or behead the captives.

"The soldiers will be handed to their families who came to Ja'ar to receive them," the tribal figure said.
The soldiers were captured early last month when Al Qaida militants launched an assault on an army camp in Abyan province. At least 200 soldiers were also killed in the same attack. This week, Al Qaida announced in Ja'ar town that it would kill ten soldiers each week if the government does not release jailed militants.

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Roadside blast kills 10 policemen in Maid Wardak

Districts of Wardak.
Districts of Wardak. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
MAIDAN SHAHR (PAN): Nearly 10 policemen were killed in a roadside bombing in central Maidan Wardak province, officials said on Saturday.

The blast happened in the Zambukhak area on the outskirts of Chak district, when a group of security personnel were heading to take up their duties at a project site in the area, the provincial police chief said.

Col. Abdul Qayyum Baqizai told Pajhwok Afghan News about 10 policemen were killed and their vehicle completely destroyed in the explosion.

He said the district chief was also accompanying the convoy to the area but escaped unhurt as he was travelling in a separate vehicle.

Meanwhile, Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the bombing and said eight policemen, including a commander, were killed in the blast.

from  Pajhwok

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