Three policemen killed, 13 wounded in attacks in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Three policemen were killed and 13 people injured Tuesday in separate bomb attacks near and in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the police said.

Near Baghdad, gunmen in their car opened fire on the outer checkpoint of al-Tahrir police station in the town of al-Khaldiyah, some 80 km west of Baghdad, killing two policemen and wounding three others, a local police source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

In a separate incident, gunmen planted bombs in the house of a policeman and blew them up in Abu Ghraib area, some 20 km west of Baghdad, killing him and wounding his wife and three of his children, the source said.

In Baghdad, six civilians were wounded when a roadside bomb detonated in Adhamiyah district in northern the capital, an Interior Ministry source anonymously told Xinhua.

Earlier in the day, the police reported that a total of ten people were killed and some 66 others wounded in four car bomb explosions in the morning at Baghdad's Shi'ite bastions of Sadr City, Shula and Hurriyah districts.

Iraqi cities have been plagued by several attacks, including suicide bombings, since the U.S. troops pulled out of the country earlier last month.

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17 Insurgents Killed in Kapisa Operation

At least 17 insurgents were killed in joint Afghan and Nato forces' ongoing operation in eastern Kapisa province four days ago, local officials said.

The operation was launched on Thursday in Alasai district of Kapisa province to clear it of insurgents in which seven others were wounded, Mohammad Noman Hatifi, Media Officer of the 201 Selab military corps, said.

A local insurgent commander named Mohammad Asif Faizan is among those killed.

Neither Afghan and Nato forces, nor civilians suffered any casualties during the operation, he added.

Alasai is one of the insecure districts in Kapisa province in which insurgents have often carried out attacks targeting Afghan police checkpoints.


from TOLONEWS

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Afghan security personnel overrun Taliban stronghold

Image via Wikipedia

Afghan security personnel have overrun the Taliban-held Nawa district and established government control there after four years, a police official said Tuesday.

"Finally, Afghan army and police after several days of operation evicted Taliban rebels and captured Nawa district Monday night," provincial police chief Zarawar Zahid told Xinhua.

He did not provide more details.

Juma Khan Taraki, a member of Ghazni Provincial Council, said launching reconstruction process in Nawa would remain a challenge for government as it would take more time than expected to reopen schools and build clinics to serve the people.

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Terrorist Event Prevented In Kabul

Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Kabul (BNA) - The national police personnel has prevented a terrorist event in the suburb of Kabul city yesterday.

According to 101 police zone commandment office, the police personnel discovered a car full of explosive material from Surobi district.

Six 82mm mortar mines, 5 Kg of explosive materials and 15 detonators were placed in a car for suicide attack.

The suspects of this even had not identified yet and investigation continues for arresting of the culprits.

Translated by Suraya-Yarzada - BakhtarNews

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Combined operations kill 5, detain 8 in eastern Afghanistan

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan and coalition forces killed five insurgents and detained eight suspected individuals in eastern Afghanistan during operations throughout the past 24 hours, Jan. 23.

A coalition airstrike killed five insurgents after troops positively identified them with weapons in Tagab district, Kapisa province.

Afghan National Police detained four individuals in Methar Lam district, Laghman province after a small-arms fire engagement. The individuals were safely transported to local headquarters for processing.

Afghan National Police detained four individuals wanted for questioning in Sabari district, Khowst province. They were transported to local headquarters for questioning.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.


Commbined Joint Task Force 1 - Afghanistan

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British al Qaeda/Shaabab leader may have been killed after calling home

By Bill Roggio - January 23, 2012 3:04 PM - LWJ

Yesterday the Guardian provided a clue on how Bilal al Berjawi, the al Qaeda commander who was killed in a US drone strike on Jan. 21, may have been tracked:

The 27-year-old's wife is understood to have given birth to a child in a London hospital a few hours before the missile strike, prompting suspicions among relatives that his location had been pinpointed as a result of a telephone conversation between the couple.

If true, it would be interesting to know if the Brits helped in gathering the signals intelligence. Additionally, the report has a few more details on Berjawi:

Berjawi grew up in west London, travelling to Somalia around three years ago. There were unconfirmed reports that he had been injured in a drone attack last June, after which his wife was said to have returned to the UK. He was stripped of his British citizenship under the 2006 Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act using powers the Home Office has been deploying with increasing frequency since the last election.
Berjawi is understood to have sought to appeal against the order, but lawyers representing his family were unable to take instructions from him amid concerns that any telephone contact could precipitate a drone attack.

The Guardian goes on to say that family members claimed he is innocent and was not involved with al Qaeda. But our sources are 100 percent certain that Berjawi was a senior leader in both al Qaeda and Shabaab.
"We've been looking for him for some time now," a US intelligence official told The Long War Journal yesterday. The official would not comment on how Berjawi was traced, however.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2012/01/british_al_qaedashaabab_leader.php

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Explosion rocks eastern Khost province

An explosion rocked eastern Khost province early Monday morning around 9 am local time.

According to local authorities, the incident took place in Ismail Khel district of eastern Khost province after a roadside bomb went off targeting an Afghan National Police vehicle crossing from the area.

Provincial police chief Sardar Mohammad Zazi confirmed that it was a roadside bomb explosion and said, at least two police service members were injured during the incident.

In the meantime Dr. Hedayatullah Hamid a provincial health official said, at least five police service members injured during the incident were shifted to the hosptial.

Taliban militants group immediately claimed responsibility behind the incident.

The Taliban group claimed, at least 7 Afghan police were killed following the explosion.

from KHAAMA

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US drone strike kills four in Pakistan: officials

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan — A US drone fired missiles into a vehicle, killing four militants in Pakistan's Taliban and Al-Qaeda hub of North Waziristan on Monday that hugs the Afghan border, security officials said.

It was only the third such US attack reported in the nuclear-armed state so far this year, following a moratorium after US firepower inadvertently killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November, plunging relations to an all-time low.

The attack took place at Degan village, some 25 kilometres (15 miles) west of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan, the Pakistani officials said.

"A US drone fired two missiles into a vehicle and four militants were killed," a senior security official told AFP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Local intelligence officials said the dead militants were from Turkmenistan, but their exact identities were not immediately known.

"The vehicle burst into flames after the missiles hit. Militants have cordoned the area and (are) taking out the bodies," a local official told AFP.

Related articles

• US Predators kill 4 'militants' in North Waziristan (www.longwarjournal.com)

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Jan.23., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 23) — A combined Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search of a Taliban leader in Sayyidabad district, Wardak province, Saturday.

The leader, Farid, served as a Taliban judge in Wardak province. He was responsible for multiple ambushes, roadside bomb and direct-fire attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the area. He was also known for mistreating the local populace and facilitating a kidnapping operation.

During the operation, the security force observed several armed insurgents inside a vehicle. Two insurgents exited the vehicle and raised their weapons toward the security force, while the remaining insurgents aimed their weapons from inside the vehicle. The security force responded to the immediate threat and returned fire, killing Farid and the insurgents.

Multiple rocket-propelled grenades, AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and chest racks were confiscated during the operation.

No civilians were injured during the operation.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

South
A combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a drug cache while conducting a patrol in Panjwa‘i district, Kandahar province, yesterday. The cache consisted of approximately 660 pounds (300 kilograms) of marijuana. Security forces destroyed all drugs on site without incident.

In Dand district, Kandahar province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a drug cache while conducting an operation today. The cache consisted of approximately 2,000 pounds (909 kilograms) of hash. The security force confiscated the drugs and will destroy them at a later date.

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16 militants killed in Afghan-NATO military operations

Kabul, 01/22/2012 - According to officials in the Ministry of Interior Affairs of Afghanistan, at least 16 armed militants were killed in joint Afghan and NATO troops operations across the country.

Afghan Interior Ministry following a press release on Sunday said, the militants were killed in Afghan and NATO troops operations at Kabul, Kapisa, Kandahar, Helmand, Wardak and Khost provinces of Afghanistan.

The source further added, at least 10 other militants were also injured during the operations.

In the meantime Afghan Defense officials said, an Afghan National Army helicopter crashed in north-eastern Badakhshan province on Sunday morning.

The officials following a statement said, the emergency landing of the Afghan Army helicopter was due to worse weather conditions.

The statement further added, there were casualties as a result of the Afghan army helicopter emergency landing in Badakhshan province.

from KHAAMA

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