Oct. 28., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces detained an insurgent and cleared two improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Oct. 27.

Khowst Province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Gurbuz District and one in Terezayi District.

Afghan Border Police and coalition forces detained an insurgent during an engagement in Terezayi District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

Read More

R.I.P. - Staff Sgt. Kashif M. Memon, Sgt. Clinton K. Ruiz

DOD Identifies Army Casualties
          The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

          They died of wounds suffered Oct. 25 when their unit was attacked by small arms fire in Khas Uruzgan, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan.

Killed were:

          Staff Sgt.  Kashif  M. Memon, 31, of Houston, Texas.  He was assigned to the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

          Sgt. Clinton K. Ruiz, 22, of Murrieta, Calif.  He was assigned to the 9th Military Information Support Battalion (Airborne), 8th Military Information Support Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

          For more information media may contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command public affairs office at  910-432-6005 (duty hours) or 910-494-1589 (after hours).

---

Sgt. Clinton Keith Ruiz, 22, of Poway, Calif., died Oct. 25 of wounds received during combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan.
Ruiz was a graduate of Murrieta Valley High School of Murrieta Valley, Calif., in 2008. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 2009 as a Psychological Operations Specialist.
He was assigned to Alpha Company, 9th Military Information Support Battalion (Airborne), 4th Military Information Support Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C., in February 2012. Sgt Ruiz deployed to Afghanistan in September 2012.
Ruiz was previously assigned to the 4th Military Information Support Group (Airborne), in 2010 and the 5th Military Information Support Battalion (Airborne), of Fort Bragg, N.C., in 2011. He completed Basic Training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., August 2009 and the Basic Airborne School at Ft. Benning, Ga., October 2009.
Ruiz attended the Psychological Operations Advanced Individual Training and Korean Language School at Ft. Bragg, N.C., graduating in August 2010.
His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal (Campaign Star), Global War on Terrorism Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Parachutist Badge.
Ruiz is survived by his spouse Kira Ortega and son Caleb.

---

Staff Sergeant Kashif M. Memon, 31, of St. Paul. Minn. and Houston, Texas, died Oct. 25 of wounds received during combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan.
Memon was assigned to Alpha Company, 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This was his first combat deployment to Afghanistan as a Civil Affairs Soldier. His previous two combat deployments were as an Army infantryman from Fort Hood to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and as a Marine Corps infantry squad leader from Marine Corps Base Hawaii to Operation Enduring Freedom.
Memon enlisted in the Marine Corps in Houston, Texas in 2001 and was stationed at Marine Corps
Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay, while deploying to Okinawa, Japan; Pohang, South Korea; Thailand;
Singapore; and Afghanistan. In Oct. 2007, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as an infantryman and was
stationed at Fort Hood, Tex. and Fort Bragg, N.C.
In 2010, Memon volunteered for and completed Civil Affairs training at Fort Bragg and was
assigned in 2011 to Alpha Company, 96th CA Battalion as a CA Team Civil Affairs Engineer.
Staff Sergeant Memon’s awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement
Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Citation,
Navy Unit Citation, three Good Conduct Medals, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign
Star, Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal,
Global War on Terror Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Development Ribbon with '2'
Device, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
with Two Stars and Army Parachutist Badge. SSG Memon was also a recipient of the Order of the
Spur. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and the Combat Action
Badge.
Memon is survived by his spouse, two sons and expecting a third child.

Related articles

• RIP SSG Kashif M Memon, SGT Clinton K Ruiz (waronterrornews.typepad.com)
• Two soldiers from Fort Bragg killed in Afghanistan (myfox8.com)

Read More

Oct. 27., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces killed seven insurgents, detained six, located a weapons cache and cleared six improvised explosive devices, and an insurgent died when his IED detonated prematurely, during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Oct. 26.

Ghazni province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared three IEDs, one in Waghaz district, one in Ghazni district and one in Gelan district.

Kabul province
Afghan National Police and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Sarobi district. The cache contained two suicide vests.

Khowst province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed seven insurgents and wounded one during an engagement in Gurbuz district. The wounded received medical care and was then transferred to a base for questioning.

Laghman province
An insurgent died when his IED detonated prematurely in Mehtar Lam district.

Nangarhar province
Afghan Uniformed Police found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Jalalabad district and one in Mohmand Darah district.

Nuristan province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces detained five insurgents while investigating an IED in Zurmat district.The IED was safely cleared and the detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

Read More

Al Qaeda's Zawahri calls for kidnap of Westerners

Ayman al Zawahiri (Photo credit: fotosinteresantes)

(Reuters) - Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri has called on Muslims to kidnap Westerners, join Syria's rebellion and to ensure Egypt implements sharia, SITE Monitoring reported on Saturday, citing a two-part film posted on Islamist websites.

The Egypt-born cleric, who became al Qaeda leader last year after the death of Osama bin Laden, spoke in a message that lasted more than two hours.

"We are seeking, by the help of Allah, to capture others and to incite Muslims to capture the citizens of the countries that are fighting Muslims in order to release our captives," he said, praising the kidnapping of Warren Weinstein, a 71-year-old American aid worker in Pakistan last year.

Zawahri's message was first released on Wednesday, SITE said, just two weeks after the cleric issued a filmed statement calling for more protests against the United States over a California-made film mocking the Prophet Mohammad.

In his new message, he called on Muslims to ensure Egypt's revolution continued until sharia law was implemented and urged fellow Muslims to join the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

The release of his message had been delayed, he said, because of the "conditions of the fierce war" in Afghanistan and Pakistan where he said U.S.-led forces had intensified a bombing campaign.

U.S. President Barack Obama, whom Zawahri described as a "liar" and "one of the biggest supporters of Israel", has stepped up the use of unmanned drones to target militants in both countries as well as in Yemen.

"A LICENCE TO KILL"

In a further attack on Western governments and international institutions, Zawahri accused world powers of giving Syrian President Assad "a licence to kill" his opponents.

"The U.N., Kofi Annan and the Arab League give the al-Assad regime one opportunity after another to end the rising of jihadi, popular resistance against his oppression, injustice, corruption and spoiling," SITE reported Zawahri as saying.

Syria's anti-government rebels include Islamist groups that draw on foreign fighters.

"I incite Muslims everywhere, especially in the countries that are contiguous to Syria, to rise up to support their brothers in Syria with all what they can and not to spare anything that they can offer," he said.

Zawahri, who led the Egyptian Islamic Jihad movement before joining al Qaeda, called on President Mohamed Mursi, the country's new Islamist leader, to explain his policies on Israel, Egyptian Christians and sharia law.

Islamist militants want Egypt to introduce sharia and to tear up a 1979 peace treaty with Israel and were dismayed when Mursi said he would appoint a Coptic Christian vice president.

"The battle in Egypt is very clear. It is a battle between the secular minority that is allied with the church and that is leaning on the support of the army, who are made up by (former President Hosni) Mubarak and the Americans ... and the Muslim ummah (nation) in Egypt that is seeking to implement sharia," he said.

from REUTERS
DUBAI | Sat Oct 27, 2012 9:44am BST
(Reporting By Angus McDowall; Editing by Myra MacDonald and Andrew Osborn)

Related articles

• Al Qaeda's Zawahri calls for kidnap of Westerners (news.yahoo.com)
• Al Qaeda's Zawahri calls for kidnap of Westerners (vancouverdesi.com)
• Al Qaeda's Zawahri calls for kidnap of Westerners in Egypt (updatednews.ca)

Read More

Afghan police foil deadly suicide blast in northern Afghanistan

Afghan security forces foiled a deadly suicide bomb blast in northern Baghlan province of Afghanistan during the first day of Eid.

Provincial security chief Asadullah Shirzad said the suicide bomber was looking to target guests in provincial security commandment and was arrested by Afghan security forces before he detonate his explosives.

Mr. Shirzad said the suspected suicide bomber was arrested on the first day of Eid around 3:30 pm local time while he was looking to enter the guest house of Baghlan security commandment.

He said Afghan security forces had already received intelligence information regarding the bombing attempt by a suspected suicide bomber.

The detained suicide bomber was recognized as Abdullah and was a resident of northern Kunduz province. He is the second the suicide bomber arrested during the past three days in Baghlan province of Afghanistan.

This comes as a suicide bomber on Friday detonated his explosives among the participants of the Eid prayers near a mosque in Maimana city at northern Faryab province of Afghanistan, killing more than 40 people.

In the meantime the detained suicide bomber in Baghlan province told reporters that he was looking to carry out suicide attack in coordination with an Afghan police officer.

He denied to disclose the name of the police officer who was supporting him however he said that he was looking to assassinate provincial security chief of Baghlan province.

The suspected suicide bomber was in police uniform while he was looking to detonate his explosives.

Provincial security chief Asadullah Shirzad said they have started investigations to find out how the suspected bomber achieved police uniform.

from KHAAMA
By Sajad - Sat Oct 27, 10:20 am

Read More

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

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces killed an insurgent, detained six, discovered one weapons cache and cleared two improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Oct. 25.

Ghazni Province
Afghan National Army soldiers found and safely cleared an IED in Andar District.

Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Giro District. The cache contained 10 antipersonnel mines.

A coalition airstrike killed an insurgent in Gelan District in response to an imminent threat towards Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces.

Logar Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained six insurgents during engagements in Pul-E Alam District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Wardak Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sayyidabad District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

Read More

R.I.P. - Corporal David O’Connor, Corporal Channing Day (UK)

Corporal David O’Connor and Corporal Channing Day killed in Afghanistan
A Military Operations news article
(pictures via MOD)

25 Oct 12

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the deaths of Corporal David O’Connor from 40 Commando Royal Marines and Corporal Channing Day from 3 Medical Regiment on Wednesday 24 October 2012 while on patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand Province.

Corporal O’Connor and Corporal Day were participating in a patrol with C Company, 40 Commando to conduct low level training with the Afghan Local Police. While en route to conduct that training, the patrol came under small arms fire near the village of Char Kutsa. As a result of the engagement Corporal O’Connor was fatally injured alongside his colleague and patrol medic, Corporal Day.

Secretary of State for Defence Philip Hammond said:

    "I was deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of Corporal David O’Connor and Corporal Channing Day. Both have been highly praised by their colleagues for their courage and strong sense of duty. My thoughts are with their families, loved ones and colleagues in the Royal Marines and 3 Medical Regiment."

Corporal David O’Connor

Corporal David O’Connor deployed to Afghanistan on 29 September 2012 as a Section Commander in the acting rank of Corporal. He served with Charlie Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines as part of Transition Support Unit Nahr-e Saraj. He was based in Patrol Base 1 in the southern part of Nahr-e-Saraj District, Helmand Province.

Corporal O’Connor was born on 16 June 1985 and lived in Havant, Hampshire with his mother. He joined the Royal Marines on 13 May 2002 and after nine months arduous training passed for duty as a Royal Marines Commando on 17 January 2003.

In 2007 Corporal O’Connor deployed to Afghanistan with 40 Commando on Operation Herrick 7 where he worked with Charlie Company in the Kajaki District of Northern Helmand. In 2009, after this brief period away from 40 Commando, he returned to the Commando to prepare to deploy once again to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 12, this time to the volatile Sangin District of northern Helmand. On this tour Corporal O’Connor was praised for his steadfast dedication and bravery and was awarded a Commander Joint Operations’ Commendation.

After attendance on the Royal Marines Junior Command Course in 2011 he immediately rejoined 40 Commando and started Mission Specific Training for what was to be his third operational tour to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 17.

Corporal O’Connor was an outstanding Royal Marines Commando. He displayed true Commando spirit in all that he did and was ferociously dedicated to his men, his Company and the Royal Marines. He was an inspirational leader and an excellent soldier; his loss will be felt not just at 40 Commando Royal Marines but throughout the Royal Marines Corps.

He leaves behind his mother, Rosemary; brother, Phil; father, Roy (known to all as George) and a loving family. He was 27 years old.

Corporal Channing Day

Corporal Channing Amanda Day deployed to Afghanistan on 2 October 2012 as a Combat Medical Technician Class One with the United Kingdom Medical Group. She was based at Patrol Base One in the Nahr-e Saraj District of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, where she provided medical support to 40 Commando Royal Marines.

Corporal Channing Day was born in Swindon, Wiltshire on 12 March 1987. She grew up in Newtownards, County Down before joining the Army in 2005. Following basic training she undertook specialist training as a Combat Medical Technician. In June 2007 she successfully passed her Class One Combat Medical Technician course. In January 2012 she was posted to 3 Medical Regiment and joined 63 (Force Support) Squadron, based in Preston, and in the build up to Operation Herrick 17 was selected to support 40 Commando Royal Marines as part of Transition Support Unit Nahr-e Saraj.

Corporal Day was a popular and well respected member of both 3 Medical Regiment, and Transition Support Unit Nahr-e Saraj. A veteran of previous Iraq and Afghanistan deployments, she was looked up to, especially by more junior soldiers in her Squadron, as a mature voice of experience and good advice.

Corporal Day clearly displayed the potential to go far within the Army. Her diligence, her loyalty to friends and comrades and the high opinion in which she was held by all ranks made her a natural medical leader. Her courage, selflessness and commitment in adversity embodied the ethos of the combat medic, and will be long remembered by all those who had the honour to serve with her.

Corporal Day is survived by her parents, Leslie and Rosemary Day, her sisters, Lauren and Laken, and brother Aaron. She was 25 years old.

Related articles

• Royal Marine and British soldier killed in Afghanistan (sgt-jim.blogspot.com)
• MOD UK: http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CorporalDavidOconnorAndCorporalChanningDayKilledInAfghanistan.htm 
• SKY: http://news.sky.com/story/1002780/medic-and-marine-killed-in-afghanistan-named

Read More

R.I.P. - Corporal Tiziano Chierotti (IT)

Soldier dies of wounds in Afghanistan

Corporal Tiziano Chierotti, 24, 52nd Italian death since 2004
Soldier dies of wounds in Afghanistan

Rome, October 25 - One of four Italian soldiers wounded in a firefight with Afghan insurgents Thursday has died in hospital, taking Italy's death toll in the eight-year NATO-led ISAF mission to 52. Alpine Brigade Corporal Tiziano Chierotti, 24, from the northwestern costal town of Sanremo, had surgery on abdominal wounds but "nothing could be done," military sources said in Rome.
The three other Alpine soldiers were hit in the legs and their conditions are not life-threatening, the sources said. Sending his condolences to Chierotti's family, Defence Minister Giampaolo Di Paola said Italy would stay the course with its US-led allies until the handover to Afghan forces is completed in 2014.

---

(AGI) Rome, Oct. 25 - Army sources have reported that Corporal Tiziano Chierotti, one of four Italian soldiers wounded in a firefight earlier today in Farah, south of Herat, Afghanistan, has died.
The firefight occurred during a joint operation carried out by Task Force South East with the 207th Corps of the Afghan National Army.
Corporal Chierotti was born on October 7th 1988 in San Remo, near Imperia, and joined the army in 2008. He died at 7.45 p.m. local time due to serious stomach wounds and after being medevacked to Camp Bastion.

---

Italian convoy attacked in Afghanistan ...
Our soldier killed, three others injured
Our soldiers were carrying out a joint patrol with the Afghan army when their Lynx were attacked by a group of insurgents.
17:46 - An Italian armored Lynx was attacked in Afghanistan among our soldiers on board the train one was seriously injured, and died a few hours later, while three others suffered minor injuries.
The gunfight took place at 13:40 local district Bakwa, in Farah province (south of Herat), during a joint operation with the Afghan army: our soldiers responded by opening fire and killing one of the insurgents.

Related articles

• Italian soldier killed in Afghan attack: ministry (dailystar.com.lb)

Read More

ISAF condemns bombing at Faryab Mosque

Afghan policemen carry the body of a civilian after a bomb blast in Faryab province October 26, 2012.

Credit: Reuters/Stringer

International Security Assistance Force HQ Public Affairs

KABUL, Afghanistan - The International Security Assistance Force condemns with grave conviction the suicide attack carried out this morning at the Eid Gah Mosque in Maimana, Faryab province. Dozens were killed or injured in the explosion as they left the mosque after the opening prayers of the holy observation of Eid al-Adha.

"I condemn this heinous act, which is an affront to human life, to religious devotion and to the peaceful aspirations of the Afghan people," said Gen. John R. Allen, the ISAF commander. "I offer my condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed or injured, and the resources of ISAF to help however we can. This violence undertaken at a place of worship, and during Eid, once again shows the insurgency's callous hypocrisy and disregard for religion and faith.

"In my recent remarks to commemorate this most holy Muslim observance of Eid al-Adha, I spoke of the admiration I hold for the Afghan people's desire for peace. Today's tragic attack makes this feeling all the more poignant as we - the coalition and the Afghan people - stand together in tireless pursuit of peace."

Related articles

• Suicide bomb kills dozens at Afghan mosque (sgt-jim.blogspot.com)

Read More

Suicide bomb kills dozens at Afghan mosque

At least 37 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack at a mosque in northern Afghanistan, officials say.

More than 40 people were wounded in the attack at the front of the mosque in Maymana, capital of Faryab province.

The provincial governor and police chief were said to be among those attending the prayers to mark the Eid al-Adha holidays, but they reportedly escaped without serious injury.

Civilians and police officers were among the dead, officials said.

Eye witnesses and officials said the suicide attacker approached the mosque and detonated his suicide vest after the Eid prayers had finished.

The BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul says it is not clear now the attacker managed to get past at least four security checkpoints to target the mosque.

Deputy provincial governor Abdul Satar Barez told the AFP news agency that the attacker himself was wearing a police uniform.

from BBC
26 October 2012 Last updated at 07:25 GMT

---

from XINHUA:

"A suicide bomber targeted a mosque while people were leaving the mosque building at around 9 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) Friday after the Eid-ul-Adah prayers in Maimana city, killing 32 people and injuring 34 others," deputy to provincial governor Abdul Satar Bariz told Xinhua.

He said the number of the casualties could rise further as many of the wounded said to be in critical conditions.

The blast caused a plume of grey smoke to rise above the scene.

The wounded, along with the bodies of the dead, have been taken to provincial capital hospitals, the official said, adding that those in critical conditions will be transferred to the neighboring Balkh province.

The Muslims'biggest three-day festival of Eid-ul-Adha falls on Friday Oct. 26, it is also known as festival of sacrifice and is being celebrated worldwide on the 10th day of Duhl-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic year.

---

from France24:

The attacker was wearing a police uniform when he blew himself up in the crowded Eid Gah mosque in the provincial capital of Faryab province, deputy provincial governor Abdul Satar Barez told AFP.
             
"As a result of the explosion, 32 people are dead, 17 civilians and 15 police and intelligence agents. The provincial police chief, Abdul Khaliq Aqsai is among the wounded," he said.
             
Most provincial government officials were also at the mosque, which was crowded on the first day of the four-day holiday for the festival of Eid, which is celebrated throughout the Muslim world.
             
"We had just finished Eid-ul-Adha prayers and we were congratulating and hugging each other," Barez said.
             
"Suddenly a big explosion took place and the area was full of dust and smoke and body parts of police and civilians were all over the place. It was a very powerful explosion."

Related articles

• Suicide bombing kills 32 in Afghan mosque: official (dawn.com)
• Scores killed as suicide bomber targets Afghan mosque (abc.net.au)
• Suicide bomber targets worshipers outside Afghan mosque, kills 30 (cnn.com)

Read More