Monday, November 26, 2012

Nigeria: Gunmen Attack Abuja 'Boko Haram' Holding Facility

Unidentified gunmen in a commando style raid, attacked the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) head office in Abuja around 2 am on Monday morning and freed many suspected terrorists.

The SARS facility is one of the centres that Boko Haram suspects are held in Abuja.

When contacted, FCT Police Commissioner Aderenle Shinaba assured that he will soon brief the press about the details of the attack.

A SARS operative, who does not want his name mentioned told Daily Trust that the attack started around 2 o'clock in the morning, and the attackers succeeded in freeing some of the suspects held at their detention facility.

He also told Daily Trust that although he could not ascertain the number of the attackers, two police officers were killed in a confrontation with the gun men.

He further explained that in the ensuing gun battle some of the freed suspects were recaptured while a few others escaped.

However, unofficial sources claim that over 10 people were killed in the attack and about 150 suspected terrorist incarcerated at the facility were freed, and are presently at large.

The SARS headquarters, along Apo Highway in Abuja, has since been re-fortified with detachments of mobile police men manning the front gate of the building and dotted all around the perimeter fencing of the facility.

Two Armored police vehicles have also been deployed to add more fire power to the fortification.

from allAfrica/Dailytrust
By Ronald Mutum and Misbahu Bashir, 26 November 2012

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2 militants killed, 6 wounded in Faryab

MAIMANA (PAN): Two Taliban militants were killed and six others, including brother of a shadow governor, were wounded in northern Faryab province, a military official said on Monday.

The two-day operation was conducted in Mato and Chalgazi areas of Qaisar district, Gen. Noor Muhammad Hamid, the 209th Shaheen Corps commander, told Pajhwok Afghan.

A brother of Mullah Daud, the Taliban’s governor for Faryab, was among the detainees. Ten villages of the district were cleared of Taliban, the ANA commander said.

An inhabitant of Khwaja Ganti area, Syed Shafiq, said four militants, including a commander, were injured in the offensive. He had no information about ANA causalities.

from Pajhwok
By Qutbuddin Kohi Nov 26, 2012 - 15:17

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Bicycle bomb kills 2, wounds 18 Afghans

KHOST, Afghanistan, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- A bomb planted in bicycle went off in Khost city the capital of Khost province, 150 km southeast of Kabul killing two people and injuring 18 others on Monday, a local official said.

"The terrorists planted the bomb in the cavities of a bicycle and detonated it by a remote control in Sargardan Choak area, Khost city at around 11:00 a.m. local time today, killing two people and injuring 18 others, mostly civilians," the official told Xinhua but declined to give his name, saying authorized officials would brief the media after investigation.

Nevertheless, he blamed Taliban militants for organizing the attack, but the outfit fighting the government and largely relying on suicide and roadside bombings has yet to comment.

from XINHUA
2012-11-26 16:02:04

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Nov. 26., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Muhammad Aghah district, Logar province, today.

The arrested leader is a suspected improvised explosive device expert who constructed and supplied IEDs to insurgents throughout the region. He is also suspected of being responsible for selecting targets and of facilitating the transfer of IED-materials and weapons to Taliban insurgents in the area.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

South

An Afghan-led security force, supported by coalition troops, detained two suspected insurgents during an operation in search of a Taliban facilitator in Kandahar district, Kandahar province, today. The Taliban facilitator directed IED operations to include the construction and emplacement of IEDs for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

Yesterday, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in Regestan district, Kandahar province. During the operation, the force seized 1,260 kilograms (2,778 pounds) of hashish and recovered a cache of weapons, ammunition and communication equipment. As a result of the operation, three insurgents were killed and one suspected insurgent was detained.

East

A Taliban leader was arrested by Afghan and coalition forces during a security operation in Sayyidabad district, Wardak province, yesterday. He planned the transfer and delivery of ammunition and rockets to insurgents in the area, and directed the emplacement of IEDs. He is also suspected of being directly responsible for rocket, IED and small-arms fire attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.


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Nov. 26., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces located a weapons cache and cleared four improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 25.

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

Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Waghaz district. The cache contained grenades, three barrels of silver nitrate and two receivers.

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

Logar province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Pul-E Alam district.

Paktiya province
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sayyid Karam district.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.


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R.I.P. - Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin R. Ebbert

DOD Identifies Navy Casualty

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

            Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin R. Ebbert, 32, of Arcata, Calif., died Nov. 24 while supporting stability operations in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.  Ebbert was assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit in Virginia Beach, Va. 

            For further information related to this release, please contact the Naval Special Warfare Group Two Public Affairs Office at 757-763-2007.

---

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A Navy SEAL assigned to a Virginia Beach team was shot and killed while in combat Saturday in Afghanistan.

Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin R. Ebbert, 32, of Arcata, Calif., died while supporting stability operations in southern Afghanistan, according to a Department of Defense news release.

Ebbert was a Special Warfare Operator assigned to a SEAL team out of Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek - Fort Story.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of our teammate who has made the ultimate sacrifice," said Capt. Robert Smith, Commander, Naval Special Warfare Group Two.  "We have lost a courageous patriot who selflessly answered our nation's call to defend freedom and protect us from terrorism."
---

Kevin Ebbert’s mother, Charlie Jordan, sent this message:

“Kevin Ebbert, my 32 year old son, US Navy SEAL serving his second deployment in Afghanistan was killed Friday. Kevin was poised to return home early next year and start medical school completing his training started as a Corpsman to become an MD. We last spoke about he and his wife Ursula joining Rotary where he could work in clinics internationally.

“There are many details to be worked out. There will be a Memorial Service scheduled in Arcata. In the meantime we have set up the ‘Kevin Ebbert Memorial Fund’ with Humboldt Area Foundation for those of you who wish to donate to it in Kevin’s name.”

A memorial service will be held on Nov. 29 at 10 a.m. at the JEB Little Creek Base Chapel. A reception will follow at the SEAL Heritage Center onboard JEB Little Creek.

http://www.arcataeye.com/2012/11/dod-identifies-arcata-man-as-navy-casualty-november-25-2012/
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Taliban leader linked to Bamyan attacks killed

A senior Taliban leader thought to be behind a roadside bombing in which three New Zealand soldiers died has reportedly been killed by coalition forces.

Prime Minister John Key today confirmed Abdullah Kalta died in the Afghanistan airstrike.

New Zealand soldiers Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker, Private Richard Harris and Corporal Luke Tamatea were killed in August when their Humvee struck an improvised explosive device.

New Zealand personnel were not involved in the attack on Kalta but coalition forces could have used intelligence gathered by New Zealand SAS troops, Mr Key said on TVNZ's Breakfast show.

"We weren't physically involved but it was almost certainly intelligence that New Zealand people have been gathering over there.

"It was in the northeastern part of Bamiyan province. If that is the case, and that seems to be the information we have, then I think that's good news if it makes Afghanistan a safer place for our people."

Mr Key said the attack on Kalta happened last week and he did not know if the families of the dead soldiers had been told yet.

He said the main aim was to make the environment safe and it was understood further attacks on the Taliban were planned.

"We're in a war zone and ultimately we need to make sure that our men and women are best protected as we can and that means using intelligence and if required making sure that those who are undertaking those attacks aren't in a position to do so."

Radio New Zealand's Afghanistan correspondent Jon Stephenson said coalition officials released a statement yesterday which said Kalta was responsible for several attacks on Afghan and coalition forces in Bamiyan Province and was also a mentor for insurgents.

The operation to kill Kalta was carried out by international forces, Stephenson said.

Mr Stephenson said he had been told the Provincial Reconstruction Team had provided intelligence behind the airstrike but that was yet to be confirmed.

He said it was likely that coalition or Afghan special forces on the ground called in the airstrike "but whether or not new Zealand played a role in that is far from clear. Certainly there would have been a very strong intelligence component behind this raid."

He said Kalta's death would be a major blow for the Taliban.

"He was clearly, by all accounts, a very resourceful, a very well informed insurgent leader, who played a very active role in both Baghlan and Bamiyan.

"He had as recently as September reportedly been behind an attack on the district officers in Shibar that had lasted for about one and a half hours and he had escaped apparently over the border back into Baghlan on that occasion."

Kalta would have been a "highly prized target" of coalition and Afghan forces, Stephenson said.

Last month the Defence Force, Mr Key and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman denied SAS personnel had been sent to Afghanistan on a so-called revenge mission for the New Zealand soldiers' deaths.

from nzherald.co.nz8:17 AM Monday Nov 26, 2012
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