According to Afghan government officials, an Afghan boy was beheaded by Taliban militants in southern Kandahar province and another Afghan girl was beheaded in eastern Kapisa province of Afghanistan.
Kandahar provincial governor spokesman Jawid Faisal confirming the report said Taliban militants beheaded the Afghan boy to avenge from his brother who is serving in Afghan national police forces.
Mr. Faisal further added the Afghan boy was only 12 years old and was a resident of Zherai district, and was beheaded by Taliban militants while he was on his way to Panjwai district.
He said Taliban militants left the beheaded body of the Afghan boy near the roadside.
This comes as Taliban militants earlier beheaded a 14 years old Afghan boy in Zherai district over espionage charges to Afghan government, provincial governor spokesman Jawid Faisal said.
In the meantime Abdul Hakim Akhundzada district chief for Tagab in eastern Kapisa province said they have founded a beheaded body of a 7 years old Afghan girl from a garden whose legs were also amputed.
Mr. Akhundzada said the girl was killed last evening in Jalu Khel village and it is yet not clear who committed the crime.
He said no one has complained to security forces regarding the murder of the girl.
LASHKARGAH (PAN): Three militants have been killed in two separate explosions caused by their own bombs in southern Helmand province, police said on Friday.
Two insurgents were killed in Sistan area of Marjah town when the bomb they were planting on a road went off prematurely late on Thursday night, police spokesman Farid Ahmad Farhang told Pajhwok Afghan News.
Another insurgent was killed in a similar incident the same night in the Nawa district, according Farhang, who said police arrested a fourth suspected bomb planter after the blast.
On Thursday, two policemen were shot dead by gunmen on a motorcycle in the limits of the sixth police district of Lashkargah, the provincial capital.
from Pajhwok by Pajhwok Report on Aug 31, 2012 - 14:44
SANAA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Suspected al-Qaida gunmen shot dead a senior intelligence officer in an attack in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Thursday, an interior ministry official said.
"Major Yehya Badi of the Political Security Agency was gunned down in Habra street in central Sanaa Thursday afternoon in an attack carried out by two masked al-Qaida gunmen on a motorcycle," the official, who led an investigation into the incident, told Xinhua.
"They fled the scene after Badi fell dead," he said on condition of anonymity, citing testimonies of eyewitnesses.
The attack came one day after a U.S. drone strike killed five al-Qaida operatives on a vehicle in a desert area in the Yemeni southeastern province of Hadramout.
Several intelligence and security members have been targeted in Sanaa and other major cities in a string of high-level assassinations since a U.S.-backed offensive drove al-Qaida militants out of their main strongholds in southern restive province of Abyan two months ago, where the militants had controlled for nearly a year during political turmoil that eventually forced the replacement of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh with his deputy Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
The United States and neighboring oil-rich Saudi Arabia have beefed up anti-terror cooperation since Hadi took office to help his administration overcome security challenges and combat resurgent branch of al-Qaida network in particular.
KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan and coalition force killed two armed
insurgents during an operation in Sayyid Karam district, Paktiya
province, yesterday.
During the operation, the security force observed multiple armed
militants engaging in insurgent activity. After ensuring there were no
civilians nearby, the security force engaged with a precision airstrike,
killing two.
Post-strike assessments determined no civilians were harmed and there was no damage to civilian structures.
In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:
East
An Afghan and coalition force detained several suspected insurgents
during an operation to arrest a Haqqani bomb maker in Pul-e ‘Alam
district, Logar province, today. The Haqqani leader facilitates the
construction of improvised explosive devices and directs their use in
Pul-e ‘Alam district.
In Gelan district, Ghazni province today, an Afghan and coalition
security force detained many suspected insurgents during an operation to
arrest a Taliban leader. The Taliban leader manages the finances,
supplies and the movement of foreign fighters into the area.
Also today in Gelan district, an Afghan and coalition security force
detained several suspected insurgents during a search for a Taliban
leader, today. The Taliban leader plans and coordinates attacks against
Afghan and coalition forces in southern Ghazni.
Afghan and coalition forces confirmed the Aug. 29 arrest of a Taliban
leader during an operation in Andar district, Ghazni province. The
detained Taliban leader prepared and conducted attacks targeting Afghan
and coalition forces. In addition, he facilitated the movement of
weapons and supplies, including improvised explosive devices, throughout
Andar district.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces killed eight
insurgents, detained 15 and cleared seven improvised explosive devices
during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours,
Aug. 30.
Ghazni Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Giro District.
Khowst Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained an
insurgent during an engagement in Gurbuz District. The detained suspect
was transferred to a base for questioning.
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely
cleared two IEDs, one in Sabari District and one in Tanai District.
A coalition airstrike killed three insurgents and wounded three in
Baraki Barak District who were emplacing an IED. The wounded received
medical care and were transferred to a base for questioning.
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Muhammad Aghah District.
Nangarhar Province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces detained 11
insurgents who were conducting an illegal checkpoint in Khugyani
District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for
questioning.
Paktika Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely
cleared two IEDs, one in Sar Rowzah District and one in Omnah District.
A coalition airstrike killed four insurgents in Sar Rowzah District in
response an imminent threat posed to Afghan National Security Forces and
coalition forces.
Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald, 30, and Private Nathanael Galagher, 23,
were killed when their helicopter crashed in Helmand province in
Afghanistan. Picture: Australian Defence Force
Two soldiers killed in Afghanistan chopper crash named
THE chief of the defence force has named two Australian soldiers killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.
The men were among five soldiers killed in two separate incidents this week.
Defence chief David Hurley named the two soldiers killed in the crash as
Private Nathanael Galagher, 23, from Wee Waa in NSW and Lance Corporal
Mervyn McDonald, 30, from Carnarvon in Western Australia.
Lieutenant General Hurley said Private Galagher enlisted in the army in 2007. He was on his second deployment to Afghanistan.
"He is survived by his partner, parents and sister," Gen Hurley told reporters in Canberra. Lance Corporal McDonald enlisted in the army in May 1999. He served for five years, left in 2004 and then re-enlisted in 2005.
He was deployed to East Timor and was on his sixth deployment to Afghanistan.
"Corporal McDonald is survived by his fiancee, his mother and stepfather and three brothers," Gen Hurley said.
The families of three men killed in an insider attack by a member of the
Afghan National Army are not yet ready to have their personal details
released.
"We all feel this loss deeply," the general said.
General Hurley said Sergeant Hek Matullah, the man believed to be
responsible for shooting the three diggers and wounding two others at a
patrol base in the Baluchi Valley this week, arrived in Oruzgan province
in mid-July, after completing induction training in Kandahar.
"We are not yet aware of any relationship he has with the Taliban," he said.
As well as an Australian investigation into the incident, Afghan
national security forces have also established a joint team with
international forces to conduct its own investigation.
General Hurley said all Australian personnel had now adopted "enhanced force protection measures, including some relocations".
General Hurley added: "Today and tomorrow are normally days of lulls in
activity being Friday - a day of prayer for the Islamic religion.
"That gives us a bit of time to reset for the coming week."
The general said the Taliban had claimed responsibility for all insider attacks - also known as green on blue - in Afghanistan.
"The evidence does not necessarily support this," he said.
"But regardless of these motives, these attacks will be used by the
insurgency to undermine our confidence and our relationship with the
ANSF."
The relationship between Australian and Afghan soldiers was based on
trust, which was hard to build and maintain, the general said.
"This most recent incident has challenged that trust," he said.
"We will continue to work with our Afghan partners to strengthen our relationship and improve their capability."
General Hurley said he had spoken with International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) chief General John Allen on Thursday and he would be in
contact with him again on Friday.
"It is fair to say that there is a range of emotions in the ADF today," General Hurley said.
"That's understandable in the circumstances."
But he said advice from Australian commanders on the ground in Afghanistan should give reassurance.
They say that there is a positive relationship in the operating basis," he said.
The members of the Afghan National Army share our sense of outrage at this attack.
The ANA has been proactive... and is actively working to capture Hek Matullah."
General Hurley says it is often hard to determine the motives for
insider attacks because the perpetrator either evades capture or is
killed.
"But what our analysis shows, there is a variety," he said.
"Yes, there is some outside influence - there's no doubt that Taliban play into that.
"But yes, there are also a range of cultural responses that come into play as well.
"And unless you actually find the person and can talk to them as to what drove it, you really don't get the evidence."
General Hurley said he believed adequate counselling systems were in place to help other soldiers.
"I haven't received any call yet that we should beef that up. At the moment I think we've probably got the right mix."
The US Treasury Department has added eight Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders
to the list of specially designated nationals. "Today's action against
LeT is Treasury's most comprehensive to date against this group and
includes individuals participating in all aspects of LeT's operations -
from commanders planning attacks to those managing LeT's relationships
with other terrorist groups," David S. Cohen, Treasury's undersecretary
for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.
The LeT terrorists designated by Treasury include Sajid Mir, the
"project manager" responsible for coordinating the November 2008 siege
of Mumbai. Mir's phone conversations with the Mumbai attackers were
intercepted by authorities. Mir has been identified as a former senior
figure in Pakistan's military and intelligence establishment.
Mir was profiled by Sebastian Rotella in a study published by ProPublica.
Rotella reported that Jean-Louis Bruguiere, a French judge who has
conducted extensive counterterrorism investigations, concluded "that
Sajid Mir was a high-ranking officer in the Pakistani Army and
apparently also was in the ISI." Mir achieved the rank of major before
leaving the Pakistani Army for some unknown reason.
Mir's reach has extended into the US. Treasury found that Mir recruited four LeT operatives in Virginia and "cleared them for LeT's militant training, and directed them to monitor and research US target sites."
Also designated by the Treasury Department today was Talha Saeed, the
son of LeT founder and chieftain Hafiz Saeed. In April, the US
government issued a reward of $10 million for information leading to the capture of the elder Saeed.
Hafiz Saeed was close to Osama bin Laden, and documents recovered in the al Qaeda master's Abbottabad, Pakistan compound reportedly show
that the two kept in touch until shortly before bin Laden's demise in
May 2011. The documents also show that bin Laden may have reviewed
surveillance reports prepared by LeT operative David Headley in
anticipation of the attack on Mumbai. Headley subsequently pled guilty
to terrorism charges in a US court. Sajid Mir was one of the LeT
facilitators who handled Headley.
The other LeT leaders designated by Treasury are: Amir Hamza, a LeT
propagandist; Abdullah Mujahid, LeT's "senior paramilitary commander for
Afghanistan" since 2008;
Abdullah Muntazir, who also works for LeT's media and propaganda wing;
Qari Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, who leads LeT's clerics; Hafiz Khalid
Walid, a top LeT political official; and Ahmed Yaqub, who is listed by Agence France Presse as LeT's "chief for Bangladesh and Nepal operations."
Konar Province, where Qari Ziaur Rahman, is based, on the border with Pakistan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
ASADABAD (PAN): As many as 136 artillery shells were fired from Pakistan into Dangam, Shegal and Narai districts of eastern Kunar province over the past 24 hours, injuring three residents, an official said on Thursday.
Two people were injured in Dangam and a third in Nari during the latest in a series of the cross border shelling, Deputy Governor Mohammad Amin Tokhi told Pajhwok Afghan News.
He claimed 20 household also perished as a result of the shelling that caused property damage to residents.
Nearly 4,000 artillery shells have so far been fired into border districts over the past five months, displacing 1,400 families, officials say.
from Pajhwok by Khan Wali Salarzai on Aug 30, 2012 - 17:12
SANAA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's police forces arrested three al-Qaida suspects, including a Syrian national, at an airport in the country's western port city of al-Hodayda late on Wednesday, a security official said.
The three men were arrested upon their arrival at the airport of the Red Sea city of al-Hodayda, the official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity, adding that they were flying from the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
The arrest took place after the police received an intelligence tip-off, the official said, noting that security measures have been tightened around the country's airports.
Backed by the United States, the Yemeni transitional government has been strengthening its anti-terror campaign since President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February after a year of political upheaval where al-Qaida branch captured several cities in the lawless parts of the country.
The militants were recently either captured or hunted by the security authorities after a U.S.-backed offensive in June, which routed the militants out of their strongholds in the southern province of Abyan.
Combating al-Qaida network is one of the challenges confronting Hadi, who has promised to reform the army, restore security and uproot the resurgent branch of al-Qaida, locally known as Ansar al- Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law).
11 Armed Taliban Killed, Five Wounded and 14 Arrested by Afghan National Police
Counterterrorism:
During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army,
NDS and Coalition Forces launched eight joint clearance operations in
Baghlan, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Kandahar, Maidan Wardak, Logar, Ghazni and
Helmand provinces.
As a result of these operations, 11 armed Taliban were killed, five
wounded and 14 others were arrested by Afghan National Police.
Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and
confiscated one PKM machine gun, one AK-47 assault rifle with six
magazines, three pistols, one radio handset, two heavy rounds, 11 light
rounds, five different types of mines, two hand grenades and 3500 kilos
chemical materials.
Additionally, Afghan National Police discovered and defused three
anti-vehicle mines as a result of security operation in Helmand
province, yesterday.
Crimes:
The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained seven individuals accused
of assault, murder and carrying illegal weapon without license in the
Shakar Dara, 5th, 13th and 15th Districts of Kabul-City.
According to local authorities in eastern Logar province of Afghanistan, anti-Taliban public uprising has started from Pul-e-Alam district of in this province.
Provincial security chief Gen. Ghulam Sakhi Rogh Lewanai said a wide spread pubic uprising against the Taliban militants have started in Pul-e-Alam district from Wednesday onwards.
He said the uprising will possibly expand across the Logar province.
Public uprising against the Taliban militants started from Andar district of eastern Ghazni province and later expanded to the southern regions of the country.
Hundreds of residents of eastern Ghazni province started armed campaign against the Taliban militants in this province.
In the meantime Logar provincial security chief said local residents in Logar province are armed with light weapons.
According to reports around 2000 local residents have taken part in the uprising and majority of them are younger Afghan boys under the age of 18 years old.
However Taliban militants group deny reports over public uprising and said anti-Taliban militia groups funded by Afghan government and United States are involved in war with the Taliban militants.
Public uprising in various provinces of Afghanistan also created concerns among the Afghan parliament members who are believing that arbitrary uprising will lead to serious security challenges in the future for the Afghan government.
Afghan lawmakers urged the government to closely monitor the groups who are fighting the Taliban militants.
from KHAAMA By Sadaf Shinwari - Thu Aug 30, 2:05 pm
ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- At least five members of the Yemen-based al-Qaida offshoot were killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen's southeastern province of Hadramout Wednesday night, a government official told Xinhua.
Three U.S. drone-fired missiles struck an al-Qaida vehicle in the Qatan area in Hadramout, leaving at least five terrorists dead at the scene, the local government official said on condition of anonymity.
"An al-Qaida car carrying wanted terrorists was completely destroyed in the aerial attack, killing all passengers," the official said.
A huge explosion rocked the Qatan area during the air bombing, a local resident told Xinhua anonymously, adding that military aircraft are still hovering over several al-Qaida-held sites in Hadramout's suburbs.
The United States has beefed up anti-terror cooperation with the Yemeni government since President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February, after a year of political upheaval that allowed al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula to capture several cities in the south.
The al-Qaida militants were recently either captured or hunted by the security authorities after a U.S.-backed offensive in the southern Abyan province three months ago, routing the militants out of their strongholds that they had controlled for nearly a year.
Combating al-Qaida network in the restive south is one of the challenges confronting Hadi, who has promised to reform the army, restore security and uproot the resurgent branch of al-Qaida, locally known as Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law).
KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan and coalition security force conducted an
operation to arrest a Taliban insurgent responsible for planning
attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in Hisarak district,
Nangarhar province, today.
During the operation the security force detained two suspected insurgents.
In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:
South
An Afghan and coalition security force detained several suspected
insurgents during an operation to arrest a Taliban leader in Nad ‘Ali
district, Helmand province, today. The Taliban leader organizes
insurgent operations against Afghan and coalition forces throughout Nad’
Ali.
In Panjwa’i district, Kandahar province today, an Afghan-led security
force, supported by coalition troops, detained numerous suspected
insurgents and seized multiple weapons during an operation to arrest a
Taliban explosives supplier. The explosives supplier organizes
improvised explosive device attacks and provides explosives and weapons
to insurgents in the area.
Also in Panjwa’i, an Afghan and coalition security force detained
several suspected insurgents during an operation to arrest a Taliban
facilitator during an operation in Panjwa’i district, Kandahar province,
today. The Taliban facilitator provides improvised explosive devices
and weapons to fighters in the district.
Afghan and coalition officials confirmed today that one the insurgents
detained during an operation in Kandahar district, Kandahar province, on
Aug. 21 is a Taliban leader. The leader conducted attacks in Panjwa’i
district and directed the insurgents under his control to carry out
direct fire and improvised explosive device attacks throughout Kandahar.
East
An Afghan and coalition security force detained several suspected
insurgents during an operation to arrest a Taliban leader responsible
for attacks in Andar district, Ghazni province, today. The leader
directs improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition
forces.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan – Afghan and coalition forces killed 14 insurgents,
detained eight and cleared 10 improvised explosive devices during
operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Aug. 29.
Ghazni province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely
cleared three IEDs, two in Ghazni district and one in Qarah Bagh
district.
Kapisa province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Nijrab district.
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed four insurgents during an engagement in Tagab district.
Khowst province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained six
insurgents during engagements in Khowst, Sabari, Bak and Gurbuz
districts. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for
questioning.
Khowst province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed five
insurgents during engagements in Darah Ye Pech and Watahpur districts.
Laghman province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Qarghah’i district.
Nangarhar province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely
cleared two IEDs, one in Kama district and one in Shinwar district.
Paktika province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely
cleared two IEDs, one in Sar Rowzah district and one in Sharan district.
Paktiya province
Afghan Border Police and coalition forces detained two insurgents during
engagements in Jaji district. The detained suspects were transferred to
a base for questioning.
Parwan province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Bagram district.
Wardak province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed four insurgents during an engagement in Jaghatu District.
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sayyidabad district.
(Reuters) - Australia suffered its worst combat losses since the Vietnam War when five troops were killed in Afghanistan, officials said on Thursday, prompting Prime Minister Julia Gillard to return home early from a regional Pacific leaders' conference.
Officials from the Australian Defence Force and the NATO-led coalition said three Australians had been killed in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday by an Afghan wearing a soldier's uniform, bringing to 45 the number of NATO-led coalition troops killed in rogue shootings this year.
Australian officials later announced another two troops had died in a helicopter crash in the south on Thursday.
"This is news so truly shocking that it's going to feel for many Australians like a physical blow," an emotional Gillard told reporters in the Cook Islands, where she was attending a forum of Pacific islands leaders.
Gillard said she would cut short her visit and return to Australia later on Thursday for briefings on the deaths.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is due to lead a U.S. government team to the 16-member forum from Friday.
The alarming rise in the number of rogue shootings and other attacks has increased pressure on coalition members to fast-track withdrawal plans.
Under the current timetable, most foreign combat troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, handing security responsibility to their Afghan counterparts.
Opinion polls in Australia say Australians overwhelmingly want their troops out of Afghanistan, although Gillard ruled out any early exit.
"We are there for a purpose and we will see that purpose through," Gillard said.
Australia's neighbour New Zealand said last week it would accelerate the withdrawal of its troops after three more were killed by a roadside bomb.
HUNT
Australian and Afghan forces are hunting for a man in an Afghan army uniform who shot and killed the three Australian soldiers at a patrol base in Uruzgan province, where around 1,500 Australian troops are based.
Fifteen coalition troops have been killed in similar incidents this month alone.
Australian Defence Force Air Marshal Mark Binskin told reporters in Canberra the gunman used an automatic weapon at close range.
Binskin said the other two Australians, both special forces soldiers, were killed when their helicopter was attempting to land during an operation in neighbouring Helmand province.
He said there was no sign the accident was caused by enemy action but refused to give further details.
The deaths marked Australia's worst day in the war in Afghanistan, which it joined in late 2001. A total of 38 Australian troops have been killed there since the war began.
NATO-led forces have increased security to try to counter the increase in insider shootings, including requiring soldiers to carry loaded weapons at all times on bases.
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Martin Dempsey visited Kabul last week to discuss the worrying increase in rogue shootings. U.S. President Barack Obama also expressed his "deep concern" over the insider attacks.
The Taliban have claimed responsibility for many of the incidents as evidence of their ability to infiltrate Afghan security forces, raising worrying questions about the readiness of Afghan forces to take over.
Afghanistan's government said last week it would re-examine the files of 350,000 soldiers and police to help curb rogue shootings of NATO personnel.
(Reporting by Rob Taylor and Amie Ferris-Rotman in KABUL and James Grubel in CANBERRA; Editing by Paul Tait and Michael Perry)
from REUTERS KABUL/CANBERRA | Thu Aug 30, 2012 7:37am BST
--- ISAF Joint Command KABUL, Afghanistan – Two International Security Assistance Force service
members died following a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan
today.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
According to operational reporting, there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash.
It is ISAF policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities.
Map of the Gulf of Guinea, (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
LOME (Reuters) - A Greek-operated oil tanker seized off Togo was tracked down on Wednesday off the coast of Nigeria under the control of pirates, the ship's operator and Togolese authorities said.
The seizure early on Tuesday of the ship, which is operated by Golden Energy Management, underscored the growing risks to ships in the Gulf of Guinea, where piracy is rising but still not as common as off the coast of Somalia.
"The vessel is presently sailing off the coast of Nigeria under the control of pirates who have the intention to steal the cargo," Golden Energy Management said in a statement.
The firm said they were in touch with a French naval ship that was nearby.
The crew are believed to be in good health and unharmed, the statement added. The Greek coastguard said there were 24 people on board, none of whom were Greek.
Colonel Inoussa Djibril, spokesman for the Togolese army chief of staff, confirmed the ship had been located on Wednesday morning in Nigerian waters with pirates onboard.
According to the International Maritime Bureau's website, there have been eight attacks and attempted attacks off the coast of Togo since January. from REUTERS Wed Aug 29, 2012 2:19pm GMT
ISLAMABAD (PAN): Eight Pakistani troops and four rebels were killed during a fierce gun-battle in the country’s northwestern tribal region of Waziristan near the Afghan border, officials said on Wednesday.
The clash in the Saroki sub-district of south Waziristan broke out after a group of heavily armed insurgents attacked a military post in the Badr area. Eight Pakistani soldiers were killed and 10 others were wounded in the attack, a security official said on condition of anonymity.
Four attackers were killed and 10 others were injured when the troops returned fire, he said.
Another security official, however, put at nine the number of Pakistani soldiers killed in the clash that lasted six hours. He said a dozen soldiers were injured.
A spokesman for the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Ehsanullah Ehsan, told Pajhwok Afghan News more than a dozen soldiers were killed in the assault and several others were seized.
Without giving any figure for casualties suffered by the rebels, Ehsan said both sides used heavy weapons.
After the clash, security officials had cordoned off the area and had a search operation.
from Pajhwok by Qaiser Yousafzai on Aug 29, 2012 - 17:42
Local authorities in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan on Wednesday revealed the facts behind the beheading of 17 Aghan civilians including 2 women by Taliban militants in Kajaki district in this province.
Helmand provincial governor media office following a statement announced that individuals involved behind the beheading of 17 Afghan civilians have been recongized by local intelligence officials.
Taliban militants on Sunday beheaded 17 Afghan civilians including 2 women in Kajaki district at Roshanabad area.
Based on the preliminary investigation reports the civilians were beheaded by Taliban militants due to the participation of men and women in a musical party however local officials today said that the civilians were killed due to insider problems among the two prominent Taliban leaders.
The statement issued by Helmand provincial governor media office said Mullah Abdul Bari district chief of the Taliban group and a senior Taliban leader ordered to behead the 17 Afghan civilians.
According to reports the two Taliban commanders had illicit relations with the two women however provincial governor media office did not comment in this regard.
The local residents were arrested and imprisoned by the local villagers to prevent the futher broadcast of the issue.
Local officials said Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Bari district chief of the Taliban group ordered his commanders to behead the two women along with the imprisoned villagers.
Local intelligence officials said Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Bari had given the order to hide the issue and punish the local villagers.
The two Taliban commanders who slaughtered the local villagers were recognized as Mullah Syed Gul and Mullah Wali Mohmmad however it is yet not clear if the two Taliban commanders have been arrested or not.
The incident took place in Sarkali village in Dasht-e-Roshan area at Kajaki district.
The source further added two Taliban commanders recognized as Mullah Syed Gul and Mullah Wali Mohammad had issues among themselves over the two women and the local residents contacted the office of the two Taliban commanders to resolve the issue.
Beheading of the civilians were strongly condemned by Afghan president Hamid Karzai and rights organizations in the country.
KABUL (PAN): National Directorate of Security (NDS) agents arrested six would-be suicide bombers with a large amount of explosives in capital Kabul, an official said on Monday.
NDS deputy spokesman Shafiqullah Tahiri said the detainees were arrested with a huge amount of Potassium Chloride and explosives-laden vehicles in the 8th police district of Kabul City.
The insurgents planned to carry out attacks in Kabul and neighbouring Parwan provinces, he added.
A Pakistani Taliban leader who has been responsible for numerous
attacks and kidnapping in the tribal areas is rumored to have been
killed by a family member. The report has not been confirmed.
Commander Tariq Afridi, the leader of the Movement of the Taliban in
Pakistan's operations in Khyber, as well as in regions in Arakzai,
Peshawar, Kohat, and Hangu, was supposedly gunned down by his
brother-in-law as he "was riding a horse," according to Geo News. The motivation for the alleged shooting was not given.
The Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan or Tariq's spokesman, Mohammed Afridi, have not responded to the reports of his death.
Tariq also leads the Commander Tariq Afridi Group. This Taliban
outfit is considered the most powerful terror group in Arakzai, and is
based in Darra Adam Khel. The Tariq Afridi Group also conducts attacks
on Pakistani security forces in Kohat and Hangu. His fighters were
responsible for closing down the Kohat Tunnel twice in 2008.
He also has kidnapped and murdered Pakistanis and foreigners. In
early 2009, the Commander Tariq Afridi Group claimed the murder and
beheading of Polish geologist Piotr Stanczak. In early 2010, operating
under the guise of an outfit named the "Asian Tigers," the group was
responsible for the kidnapping and murder of former ISI officer and
jihadist sympathizer Khalid Khawaja.
Additionally, Tariq's forces have attacked, looted, and destroyed NATO supply vehicles that pass through Khyber.
If his death is confirmed, Tariq will be the second senior emir
Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan to have been killed in the past
week. Maulana Mohammad Jamal, the emir of the Movement of the Taliban in
Pakistan's branch in Bajaur, and Shakir, his deputy, were killed in an ISAF airstrike in Kunar province, Afghanistan on Aug. 24.
Additionally, two senior jihadist leaders are reported to have been
killed last week, although their deaths have not been confirmed.
Badruddin Haqqani, a top leader in the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani Network, is thought to have been killed in a drone strike in North Waziristan.
Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied reports
that claimed Badruddin was killed in a drone strike, and said he "is in
the country and he is occupied with his operational responsibilities."
Afghan intelligence claimed Badruddin is dead.
Emeti Yakuf, who is also known as, Abdul Shakoor Turkistani, may have been killed
in the Aug. 24 drone strike in North Waziristan's Shawal Valley that
hit a training camp. Yakuf directs al Qaeda operations in Pakistan's
tribal areas.
The Nato-led international force in Afghanistan says an Afghan in army uniform has killed three of its soldiers, the latest in a series of so-called "green-on-blue" attacks.
The attack took place in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, Nato said, but it did not give the exact location nor the nationalities of those killed.
Some 45 coalition troops have died in more than 30 such attacks this year.
Nato is training Afghan troops ahead of its pullout by the end of next year.
The Taliban has been actively recruiting members of the Afghan security forces, publicly announcing that insider attacks were a central part of their strategy against Nato forces.
'Vetting process'
A US defence official told Agence France-Presse the latest attack was in Oruzgan province.
The term "green on blue" comes from the colour-coding systems used by the US military.
Currently, approximately 130,000 (blue) Nato troops are fighting insurgents in Afghanistan alongside 350,000 (green) Afghans.
Most of the victims of the attacks have been American.
This month the most senior US military officer, Gen Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Afghanistan to discuss the rising number of attacks.
He said: "We have an eight-step vetting process that's been in place in earnest for about a year, but we haven't turned the corner on the trend."
However, UN figures released this month did show that civilian casualties had fallen for the first time in eight years.
Those killed or injured fell by 15% in the first half of 2012 compared with the same period last year, the figures showed. from BBC 29 August 2012 Last updated at 21:06 GMT
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The AFP news agency is reporting that the latest insider attack in Afghanistan took place in the south central province of Uruzgan.
A US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity to the AFP news agency, said the attack occurred in the evening hours of Tuesday.
The official said the ISAF soldiers killed were not from the US but would not elaborate further on their nationalities.
SANAA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed when a U.S. unmanned warplane targeted a car carrying al-Qaida suspects in Yemen's eastern province of Marib on Tuesday, a provincial security official said.
"An American drone fired a missile on a vehicle carrying al- Qaida members near Alabr region in the eastern part of Marib province on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least three people," the official told Xinhua by phone, asking not to be named.
"One of the killed was a wanted Saudi national who joined al- Qaida group in Yemen one year ago," said the official.
"The U.S. air raid was coordinated with the Yemeni intelligence agency," he added without elaborating further.
Marib, some 170 km east of the capital Sanaa, is the home to one of Yemen's major oil fields.
The United States has beefed up anti-terror cooperation with the Yemeni government since Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February, after a year of political upheaval that allowed al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula to capture several cities in the eastern and southern parts of the country.
The militants were recently either captured or hunted by the security authorities after a U.S.-backed offensive in June routed the militants out of their strongholds in the southern province of Abyan.
Combating al-Qaida network is one of the challenges confronting Hadi, who has promised to reform the army, restore security and uproot the resurgent branch of al-Qaida, locally known as Ansar al- Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law).
BAGHDAD, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Four Iraqi soldiers were killed and three others wounded in a checkpoint attack near Baghdad Tuesday night, a police source said.
Unidentified gunmen using silenced weapons launched the attack on an army checkpoint in Ak Nibaie area, 50 km north of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release the information.
The assailants fled the scene after the attack and the police has launched a manhunt, the source added.
Security forces and government officials are top targets of insurgent attacks to undermine the government's efforts to stabilize the violence-ridden country.
KABUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Afghan police and army, backed by the NATO-led coalition forces, have killed 10 Taliban insurgents and detained 17 others in different provinces in the past 24 hours, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday.
"Afghan National Police (ANP), Afghan Army and NATO-led coalition forces launched nine joint cleanup operations in Kunar, Kunduz, Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan, Logar, Paktia, Helmand and Nimroz provinces, killing 10 armed Taliban insurgents and detaining 17 others over the past 24 hours," the ministry said in a statement.
They also confiscated six AK-47 guns, one PKM machine gun, 22 heavy rounds, two hand grenades, 50 kg ammonium nitrate, four motorcycles and one vehicle during the above raids, the statement added.
The statement didn't say if there were any casualties on the side of security forces.
Separately, the ANP found and defused seven mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) as a result of security operations in eastern Nangarhar and western Herat provinces in the same period of time, according to the statement.
The Taliban militants stepped up their attacks on Afghan and NATO-led troops since a spring offensive was launched in May in the war-ravaged country.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Jessica M. Wing, 42, of Alexandria, Va., died Aug. 27, in Kuwait City, Kuwait in a non-combat related incident. She was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, Bangor, Maine.
For more information related to this release, media may contact the Maine Army National Guard public affairs office at 207-626-4390.
A soldier assigned to a Maine National Guard unit has died in Kuwait.
Staff Sgt. Jessica M. Wing, 42, of Alexandria, Va., died Aug. 27,
in Kuwait City in a non-combat related incident, the Defense Department
announced Tuesday.
She was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, Bangor, Maine.
She was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, the Defense Department stated.
Further details were not available. --- Wing was a helicopter crew chief assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th
Aviation Regiment out of Bangor. The unit provides medical evacuation
to patients and military personnel using medically equipped UH-60
Blackhawk helicopters.
“The untimely and tragic loss of SSG
Jessica Wing has deeply saddened and shocked all of us in the Maine
National Guard and across the state of Maine,” Col. James Campbell, the
acting adjutant general of the Maine National Guard, said in a
statement.
Wing served in the guard for eight years and was on
active duty in the Army for 11 years before that, according to the Maine
National Guard. She was deployed to Haiti and Bosnia while in the Army
and was sent to the Middle East three times while with the Guard.
Wing was not married and had no children, officials said.
Gov. Paul LePage said Maine “has lost a great soldier and a great Mainer.”
“We are forever indebted to her for her service to her state and to her country,” he said in a statement.
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