R.I.P. - SSG Steven P. Blass, CWO Bryan J. Henderson, CPT Sara M. Knutson, SSG Marc A. Scialdo, SPC Zachary L. Shannon

(https://www.facebook.com/FIF.HOH)

DOD Identifies Army Casualties

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died March 11, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.  The incident is under investigation.  Killed were:

            Staff Sgt. Steven P. Blass, 27, of Estherville, Iowa.  He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

            Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Henderson, 27, of Franklin, La.  He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

            Capt. Sara M. Knutson, 27, of Eldersburg, Md.  She was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

            Staff Sgt. Marc A. Scialdo, 31, of Naples, Fla.  He was assigned to the 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

            Spc. Zachary L. Shannon, 21, of Dunedin, Fla.  He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

            For more information, media may contact the Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield Public Affairs Office at 912-210-9375.

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Col. Allan Pepin, Commander, Task Force Falcon, posted a message to family and friends on the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division Facebook page.

 

Excerpt of Col. Pepin’s message:

“On behalf of the brigade, I extend my deepest condolences to the families, friends and fellow Soldiers of our fallen. We are all affected by this tragic event; but we stand together, resilient, to continue the mission and honor their lives. As we reflect on our fallen, we were all blessed to serve with such patriots and dedicated Dog Face Soldiers. I am proud of them and the tireless efforts of the RC(S) joint team to work to quickly recover our fallen heroes. Proof we live by the Warrior Ethos, ‘I will never leave a fallen comrade.’”

--- 

Capt. Sara M. Knutson, 27. of Eldersburg,Md

 

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Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Henderson, 27 of Franklin.,La.

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SPC. Zachary L. Shannon,21 of Dunedin,Fla

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Staff SGT. Marc A. Scialdo, 31 of Naples,Fla

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Staff SGT. Steven P. Blass, 27 of Estherville,Iowa

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Two car bombs kill at least 10 people in southern Iraq

BAGHDAD, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Two car bombs went off in and near the city of Basra in southern Iraq on Sunday, killing at least 10 people and wounding some 15, a police source said.

In one attack, a booby-trapped car went off at a marketplace in Garnat-Ali area, some 20 km north of Basra, killing ten people and wounding 12 others, the source from Basra police said on condition of anonymity.

A second car bomb detonated at the parking lot of Saad Square in Basra, some 550 km south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, wounding three people, the source said.

The toll could rise as ambulances and civilian vehicles were evacuating people to different hospitals and medical centers in the city, he said.

Violence is still common in the Iraqi cities despite the dramatic decrease since its peak in 2006 and 2007 when the country was engulfed in sectarian killings.

from XINHUA
2013-03-17 18:35:23

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Nigeria says working to rescue 8 foreign hostages

ABUJA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian federal government has said it is doing everything possible to ensure that the eight foreign hostages held by the militant group in the Northern part of the country are released without any harm.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Olugbenga Ashiru disclosed this on Saturday when he met with his French counterpart, Laurent Fabius at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The Nigerian minister said the attempt will not include ransom payment as it is against the government policies.

Ashiru told his guest that Nigeria would have been a prime target of regional terrorists if not for the intervention of France and ECOWAS troop in Mali crisis.

"We will do everything possible to ensure that we get the hostages released as part of our own policy we don't pay ransom to terrorists but we will do everything possible to ensure that those terrorists released their captives without any harm done to them," he added.

Ashiru told reporters that his meeting with the visiting French minister afforded both countries the opportunities to review relations between them.

from XINHUA
2013-03-17 19:07:43
Editor: Fu Peng

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Mar. 17., 2013. - ISAF Joint Command Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces conducted a security operation resulting in the death of a Taliban leader, Janan, in Nad 'Ali district, Helmand province, March 16.

Janan was directly responsible for directing and executing multiple attacks and kidnappings targeting Afghan and coalition forces in Helmand province. He has used improvised explosive devices, rockets and small arms fire during his attacks.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

South

An Afghan and coalition security force arrested five insurgents during an operation in search of a Taliban leader in Panjwa'i district, Kandahar province, March 17. The Taliban leader is believed to be in charge of a large cell of insurgent fighters known for conducting attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

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Mar. 17., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces found and safely cleared nine improvised explosive devices, discovered one cache, detained three suspected insurgents and killed one insurgent during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, March 16.

Khowst province
Afghan and coalition forces detained three suspected insurgents during operations in the Gurbuz district. The suspected insurgents were taken to a base for questioning.

Afghan National Security Forces killed one insurgent during operations in the Tanai district.

Afghan and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED during operations in the Terezayi district.

Kunar province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED during operations in the Nurgal district.

Logar province
Afghan and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED during operations in the Pul-e Alam district.

Afghan and coalition forces discovered a cache consisting of multiple IED making materials during operations in the Baraki Barak district.

Nangarhar province
Afghan Uniform Police found and safely cleared two IEDs during operations in the Bati Kot district.

Paktika province
Afghan and coalition forces found and safely cleared three IEDs during operations in the Bermal district.

Afghan and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED during operations in the Sar Rowzah district.

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Al-Qaida Group Claims Iraq Ministry Attack

Al-Qaida's Iraqi affiliate group has claimed responsibility for a coordinated attack on a ministry in the capital that killed at least 25 people.

The Islamic State of Iraq said in a statement online it ordered the assault last week on the Justice Ministry, near Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, home to several government buildings and Western embassies.

The bombings happened one week before the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and a month before Iraq's first elections in three years.

Iraq has been plagued by infighting among sectarian factions. Many Sunnis accuse Shi'ite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of discriminating against their community. For months, Sunni militants have been carrying out a series of strikes on Shi'ite targets. 

 

from VOA News

March 17, 2013

 

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9 IEDs defused in eastern Afghanistan: ISAF

ANA doing a route clearence patrol exercise at the KMTC (Kabul Militairy Training Centre) supervised by ISAF.;Photo by Cpl Joosten (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

KABUL, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Afghan forces and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops defused nine Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in eastern Afghan provinces within 24 hours, said the ISAF forces Sunday.

"Afghan and coalition forces found and safely cleared nine improvised explosive devices, discovered one cache, detained three suspected insurgents and killed one insurgent during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours," ISAF's Regional Command-East (RC-East) said in a press release.

The home-made IEDs were neutralized in Khost, Paktya, Logar and Kunar provinces, it said.

A total of 2,754 Afghan civilians were killed and 4,805 injured in conflict-related violence in 2012, according a UN report released last month.

Out of total fatalities, up to 868 were killed and 1,663 were wounded in IED blasts across the country, according to the report.

The UN report attributed 81 percent of the civilian deaths to the attacks of Taliban insurgents and other armed groups, another 8 percent of the deaths were attributed to Afghan and NATO-led forces and 11 percent were unattributed.

from XINHUA
2013-03-17 14:23:42

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In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 13 Armed Taliban Arrested (Mar.16.2013)

Publish Date: Mar 16, 2013

In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 13 Armed Taliban Arrested

Counterterrorism:

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

The operations were conducted in Logar, Nimroz, Ghazni, Zabul, Balkh, Jowzjan and Kunduz provinces, as a result one armed Talib was killed and 13 other armed Taliban were arrested by Afghan National Security Forces.

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

During the same 24 hour period, Afghan National Police discovered and defused two different types of mines placed by enemies of Afghanistan for destructive activities in Helmand province.

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Militant blown up by own bomb in Faryab

MAIMANA (PAN): One suspected militant was killed and two others were wounded by a bomb they were planting beneath a bridge in northern Faryab province, an official said on Saturday.

The blast happened in the Chahar Shanba area of Ghormach district late on Friday night, the district’s administrative head, Niamatullah, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Maj. Mohammad Raza, spokesman for the 209th Shahin Military Corps, said security personnel, who frequently travel the Ghormach-Qesar road, were the target of the bomb.

from Pajhwok
By Qutbuddin Kohi Mar 16, 2013 - 15:14

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NATO helicopter crash in Kandahar province of Afghanistan

Districts of Kandahar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to reports another NATO-led coalition security forces helicopter has crashed in Daman district of southern Kandahar province on Saturday.

Provicial governor Jawid Faisal said the helicopter has reportedly crashed around 6am local time.

Mr. Faisal further added preliminary reports suggest at least two people were inside the helicopter when the incident took place and there are no reports regarding the fate of the two individuals.

He said the helicopter had crashed due to bad weather condition.

Daman is among the volatile districts in southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan however local authorities are ruling out militants involvement behind today’s incident.

This comes as another NATO helicopter crashed in Daman district on Tuesday killing five coalition security forces on board.

Coalition security forces have not commented regarding the incident so far.

from KHAAMA

By Mirwais Adeel - 16 Mar 2013, 9:35 pm

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"This evening, a military OH-58 helicopter crashed in Daman district of Kandahar province," Javed Faisal, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said on Saturday.
He said the helicopter that was being used for surveillance.
NATO official Luca Carnel confirmed the helicopter crash, saying one coalition member was killed and one injured. They were the only people onboard, he said.
The nationalities of the two were not disclosed.

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ISAF Joint Command

KABUL, Afghanistan – An International Security Assistance Force service member died following a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan yesterday.

The cause of the incident is under investigation, but initial reports indicate 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.

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