Friday, October 5, 2012

Oct. 05., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan and coalition forces killed a Taliban senior leader and strategist during a security operation in Khugyani district, Nangarhar province, Thursday.

Senior Taliban leader Khan is believed to have planned and executed rocket attacks against Afghan and coalition assets. Additionally, he is alleged to have conducted multiple attacks against fuel tankers along the main supply route within Laghman province. More than 20 Taliban insurgents reported directly to Khan at the time of his death.

During the operation, the security force positively identified Khan and a number of additional individuals engaging in insurgent activity. After ensuring no civilians were in the vicinity, the security force engaged Khan and the insurgents with a precision airstrike.

A post-strike assessment determined no civilians were harmed and no civilian property was damaged during the operation.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

North

An Afghan and coalition security force killed numerous heavily-armed insurgents during an operation to arrest a senior Taliban leader in Dowlatabad district, Faryab province, today. As the security force approached the senior Taliban leader’s suspected location, the armed insurgents were ordered to disarm and leave the compound. The insurgents responded by opening fire on the Afghan and coalition troops. The security force returned fire, killing the insurgents. The Taliban senior leader is believed to be responsible for facilitating, planning and coordinating improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout Jowzjan province. During the operation, the security force also seized a weapons arsenal consisting of several automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, mines and various IED-making materials. No civilians were harmed in the exchange.

South

Afghan Special Police and coalition forces yesterday confirmed the detention of local insurgent leader Muhammad Khan in a raid Monday in Nad-e Ali district, Helmand province. The captured leader is reputed to head a cell of insurgents and to closely follow the direction of regional Taliban leadership. He is believed to be responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the area in addition to being an IED, weapons and finances facilitator for the insurgency. No civilian, Afghan security forces or coalition casualties were sustained during the operation.

Provincial Response Company Zabul, enabled by coalition forces, killed several enemy fighters and seized a large cache of explosives material in Qalat district, Zabul province after it was attacked while attempting to disrupt insurgent facilitation routes between Kandahar and Zabul, Wednesday. Following the engagement, the Afghan and coalition force discovered 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of ammonium nitrate, 100 kilograms of ammonium nitrate mixed with aluminum powder, several hand grenades and weapons, and several hundred rounds of ammunition. The force also found five motorcycles it believes were intended for use in suicide-vehicle IED attacks. All seized materials were destroyed at the location.

An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Now Zad district, Helmand province, today. The leader was believed to be coordinating and conducting attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. Prior to his arrest, the Taliban leader was suspected of working toward acquiring weapons and ammunition while planning an attack on an Afghan village. The security force also detained a number of insurgents and seized a firearm along with weapon paraphernalia during the operation.

Afghan and coalition forces conducted a security operation in search of a Taliban leader, resulting in the death of a number of insurgents, in Zhari district, Kandahar province, Thursday. During the operation, the security force observed the individuals engaged in insurgent activity. After taking all measures to ensure no civilians were in the area, the security force engaged the insurgents, killing them. The Taliban leader is suspected of directing attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces, facilitating the movement of weapons throughout the region, and reporting directly to senior Taliban leaders in the district.

East

Provincial Response Company Logar, advised by coalition forces, seized a significant cache of IED-making materials and weapons during an operation in Baraki Barak district, Logar province Wednesday. The find included more than a dozen jugs of home-made explosives, 20 antipersonnel mines, 12 rocket propelled grenades and a mortar tube. All materials were destroyed at the site. No Afghan or coalition service members or civilians were harmed as a result of this operation.

Afghan and coalition forces killed a number of suicide bombers and detained several suspected insurgents during a security operation in Jaghatu district, Wardak province, today. As the security force approached the suicide bombers’, several armed insurgents maneuvered toward the Afghan and coalition troops. After positively identifying the lethal threat, the security force engaged the armed insurgents. During the exchange, homemade explosives within the compound detonated, killing the suicide attack planners inside. The suicide bombers were believed to be in the advanced stages of preparing for an attack against Afghan and coalition forces. As a result of the operation, the security force also seized several suicide vests, multiple firearms, grenades, containers of homemade explosives, blasting caps, in addition to weapon accessories. No civilians were harmed during the operation.

Afghan and coalition forces killed two insurgents during an operation in Muhammad Aghah district, Logar province, today. After positively identifying the insurgents burying an improvised explosive device and ensuring no civilians were in the vicinity, the security force engaged with a precision airstrike, killing the insurgents. A post-strike assessment determined no civilians were harmed and no civilian property was damaged during the operation.

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Oct. 05., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces killed 16 insurgents, detained one and cleared three improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Oct. 4.

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

Laghman province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Alingar district.

Paktika province
Afghan Local Police and coalition forces killed 16 insurgents during an engagement in Sar Rowzah district.

Afghan Uniformed Police detained an insurgent during an engagement in Sar Rowzah district. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Paktya province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Dzadran district.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

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8 rockets fired on Bagram airbase

English: A view of Bagram Airfield, Afghanista...
English: A view of Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan from the Air Traffic Control Tower's catwalk after a recent rainstorm. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
CHARIKAR (PAN): Eight missiles were fired on the Bagram Airbase, a major military centre of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), in the central province of Parwan on Friday, officials said.

The missiles landed in the Khanjarkhel area, two kilometres east of the base, the district police chief, Col. Zamaray Nasiri, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Security personnel had mounted a manhunt for the attackers, he said, without blaming anyone for the assault.

“We heard the sound of rockets at 5am,” resident Malik Mirza said.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed they had fired 10 missiles on the base, inflicting casualties and material losses on foreign troops.

from Pajhwok
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R.I.P. - Sgt. Camella M. Steedley

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

            Sgt. Camella M. Steedley, 31, of San Diego, Calif., died Oct. 3, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  She was assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

            The cause of death is under investigation.

            For more information media may contact the 1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs Office at 760-763-7795.

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Sgt. Camella Marchett Steedley, at right in civilian clothes,
with her husband James Steedley and their children.
A logistics Marine originally from San Diego has died supporting combat operations in Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced Thursday.

Sgt. Camella M. Steedley, 31, died Wednesday in Helmand province, the Pentagon said. The Camp Pendleton Marine was assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group.
Steedley lived in San Clemente with her husband of eight years and fellow Marine, James Steedley, and their four children, according to their Facebook pages. She also is survived by her mother, Ardraine Alsbrooks of San Diego, and father, Marcus Alsbrooks.

James Steedley could not immediately be reached for comment. Marcus Alsbrooks said Thursday evening that the family is gathering and had not decided what information to release to the public.

Her cause of death is under investigation. 2nd Lt. Savannah Moyer, a spokesperson for the Marine logistics group, said she could not comment on the reason for the investigation.
Steedley was an air operations clerk serving her first Afghanistan deployment since she enlisted in the Marine Corps Dec. 11, 2001, the 1st Marine Logistics Group said.

Her awards include the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (second award), Letter of Appreciation (seventh award), Nato Medal-ISAF Afghanistan, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Certificate of Commendation (third award), Meritorious Mast (second award), Certificate of Appreciation, Navy Unit Commendation, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

Written by Gretel C. Kovach
5:48 p.m., Oct. 4, 2012
Updated 8:08 p.m.
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R.I.P. - Sgt. 1st Class Daniel T. Metcalfe

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

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

            Sgt. 1st Class Daniel T. Metcalfe, 29, of Liverpool, N.Y., died Sep. 29, in Sayyid Abad, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire.  The incident is under investigation.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy.

            For more information the media may contact the U.S. Army Europe public affairs office in Heidelberg, Germany, at 011-49-162-271-6685.

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On Thursday, the Pentagon released the casualty report for Army Sergeant First Class Daniel Metcalfe, 29, from Liverpool, N.Y., who was killed Saturday.

Metcalfe was serving with the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team based in Vicenza, Italy.  The casualty report said Metcalfe died in Afghanistan’s Sayyid Abad district when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire. The  Sayiid Abad district is located in Wardak Province.

The Associated Press reported this weekend that the 2,000 milestone had been reached in an incident that NATO officials initially believed to have been an insider attack in Wardak Province.   NATO later clarified that the attack was now suspected to have involved insurgent fire.

According to an updated NATO statement, “The incident occurred while an ISAF unit was manning a temporary check point in an area near an Afghan National Army unit.  According to ISAF and ANA reporting, after a short conversation took place between ANA and ISAF personnel firing occurred which resulted in the fatal wounding of an ISAF soldier and the death of his civilian colleague.  In an ensuing exchange of fire three ANA personnel are reported to have died. ”

The details about who actually fired on whom in the incident remain under investigation.
Metcalfe’s father, Tom Metcalfe, spoke with  ABC affiliate WHAM in Rochester, N.Y., on Monday.  Driving to Dover Air Force Base to meet his son’s remains, Metcalfe said, “He was proud to serve his country. ” He added,  ”I hated to lose him, knew that was always a possibility, but he was a good man.”

Metcalfe said his son was on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan and had joined the Army when he was 18.

A memorial service for Sargeant Metcalfe was being held Thursday in Macedon, N.Y.

from abc
 
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