Wednesday, January 4, 2012

R.I.P. - Petty Officer 1st Class Chad R. Regelin

1/04/2012 11:13:00 AM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

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 Chad R. Regelin, 24, of Cottonwood, Calif., died Jan. 2 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Regelin was assigned as an explosive ordnance disposal technician to Marine Special Operations Company Bravo. Regelin was stationed at Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3, San Diego, Calif.

For further information related to this release, contact Lt. David Bennett at 619-767-1989 or 619-405-4020.

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USO sailor of year killed in Afghanistan

When Navy bomb disposal technician Chad Regelin was named 2011 USO sailor of the year, he couldn’t make it to the October gala in Washington, D.C.

He was in Afghanistan, standing in for a wounded bomb technician.
That job took his life Monday. Regelin, a 24-year-old sailor assigned to a San Diego unit, was killed during combat operations with a Marine Corps special operations company in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced.
His brother Ryan said the sailor was on foot patrol when an explosion occurred. Regelin went to check it out and a second bomb, detonated via a wire, went off.
A Navy spokesman confirmed that the explosives technician was killed by a improvised bomb while on patrol but couldn’t discuss the details.
Regelin grew up in Anderson, a Northern California town of 10,000 people. His brother said that for a small-town guy, the sailor grew to love San Diego, and surfing.
But, mostly, he loved his job. So much so, the bomb technician thought it wasn’t fair to date; he was deployed too often. Days before the accident, Regelin had reenlisted for another six years, his brother said.

“He was a thrill junkie,” Ryan Regelin said of his sibling, who talked to him about volunteering for the extra Afghanistan tour. “He said he hates sitting at home. He loved what he did.”
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3’s then-command master chief said in October that Regelin was one of the group’s top performers.
“He exemplifies the EOD warrior in all facets during combat operations and at home. Regelin is easily the most selfless EOD technician at my command,” Master Chief Lee Morrison wrote in an email.
“Every chief petty officer and team member would be proud to serve with such a warrior.”
Morrison attended the Oct. 6 USO gala with Regelin’s parents, Scott and Shirene, to accept the sailor’s award. The crowd stood and cheered when it was announced that Regelin agreed to take a wounded sailor’s place in the field, Morrison reported.
“He represents our bedrock principles — honor, courage and commitment,” he wrote.
Regelin was nominated for the USO award — which goes to a junior enlisted person for a specific act of bravery in the prior calendar year — for an earlier Afghanistan tour, from August 2010 to March 2011.
During that deployment, Regelin personally found and destroyed 24 roadside explosives, trained 13 people in bomb detection and took part in 20 firefights.
During a two-day stretch of intense fighting, the sailor stayed calm as the enemy attacked while he was in the process of disarming a 60-pound bomb. His cool head helped save the 10-person unit that he was leading.
The Navy nominated Regelin, a petty officer 1st class stationed at San Diego Naval Base, for the Bronze Star with V for the incident. The sailor’s commander called Regelin a star.
“His outstanding situational awareness and keen attention to detail in a combat environment undoubtedly saved the lives of his teammates,” Cmdr. Charles Andrews wrote in the USO nomination entry.
“His leadership and performance under fire far exceeded his pay grade.”
In an October email to U-T San Diego from Afghanistan, Regelin said he chose bomb disposal — a skill in high demand during the past decade — because he enjoys working with explosives and the “top-notch” people in the field.
The sailor enlisted in 2006 and deployed three times, once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan.
Ryan Regelin said the sailor will be buried in a veterans cemetery in Redding following a memorial service in his hometown.

from UTSanDiego

Jan. 04., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

1/04/2012 10:20:00 AM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 4) — A combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered an improvised explosive device making facility while conducting a routine patrol in Musa Qal’ ah district, Helmand province, yesterday.

The facility housed approximately 250 pounds (115 kilograms) of ammonium nitrate, 220 feet (70 meters) of detonation cord, 36 main charges, 21 pressure plates, and 45 power sources.
Security forces destroyed all munitions and the facility without incident.
In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

North
In Baghlan-e Jadid district, Baghlan province, an Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation today. The leader directed a group of insurgent fighters to construct and place roadside bombs throughout Baghlan-e Jadid district. The security force confiscated numerous weapons and bomb making material and detained multiple suspected insurgents during the operation.

South
A combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a drug cache while conducting a routine patrol in Panjwa ‘i district, Kandahar province, yesterday. The cache consisted of approximately 2,420 pounds (1,100 kilograms) of marijuana. Security forces destroyed all drugs on site without incident.
In Maiwand district, Kandahar province, an Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation today. The leader coordinated attacks against coalition forces, moved explosives, heavy weaponry and rockets throughout Maiwand district. Two additional suspected insurgents were detained during the operation.

East
An Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search of a Haqqani leader in Sabari district, Khost province, today. The leader procures weapons and coordinates attacks throughout the region. Two suspected insurgents were detained during the operation.

8 insurgents killed, 16 detained: MoD

1/04/2012 10:19:00 AM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

KABUL (PAN): Eight insurgents were killed, and 16 others detained during joint operations in different provinces over the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Wednesday.

The operations were conducted by Afghan and NATO-led International Security Assistance Force(ISAF) troops in Paktia, Kunar, Baghlan, Khost, Zabul, Helmand, Laghman and Kandahar provinces.

In a statement, MoD said eight rebels were killed and 16 others detained along with some weapons during a strain of separate operations.

Additionally two Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were killed and another injured during the course of performing their duties in the Paktika, Kunar, and Zabul provinces, the ministry said.

by Pajhwok Report on Jan 4, 2012 - 12:29

3 blasts rock Pakistan; appear to be unrelated

1/03/2012 10:12:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Blasts in three cities across Pakistan occurred within minutes of each other on Tuesday, killing at least five people and wounding dozens, officials said.

In the first incident, a suspected suicide bomber detonated himself on a deserted road on the outskirts of the northeastern city of Gujrat, police said.

"It seems like he may have set the bomb off by mistake," said police official Mudassar Ali.

Minutes later, a second blast went off in a bustling market area in Peshawar in northwest Pakistan. The bomb was placed on a motorcycle in the basement of a commercial building, police said. It killed one and injured 23.

In the third incident, a car bomb exploded in a busy market area in a Landi Kotal, a town in Pakistan's tribal Khyber Agency, said Abdul Nabi, a government official.

Four people died and eight were injured in the explosion, said Nabi.

The Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility for the blasts in Peshawar and Landi Kotal, a spokesman for the group, Insanullah Ihsan, told CNN.

A militant group called the Abdullah Azzam Bridgade worked with the Pakistan Taliban on the Landi Kotal attack, Ihsan said.

Tributes to Afghan blast policeman (+video)

1/03/2012 09:46:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

Tributes are being paid to an Afghan policeman who died in a joint operation to recover nearly a tonne of explosives, found in Helmand Province.

Around 280 British troops and 550 Afghan soldiers joined forces in the operation, which has been called "Winter Success".

In a separate find, 64 pressure plates, six bags of explosives, fourteen remote detonation controllers and other bomb components were found.
The troops gathered all of the explosive material together to be destroyed in a huge controlled blast in the Dashte, desert area.

a video from British Forces News:

One Afghan policeman was killed by an IED during the operation, which also saw insurgents cleared from an area in Nad-e Ali district, before new security checkpoints were put in place.
Afghan soldiers were mentored throughout by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
"The policeman who died will be remembered as a very brave man. We have named one of the new police checkpoints in his honour," said Captain Haji Omar Jan, district chief of police for Nad-e Ali.
"This operation has provided security for the people of Nad-e Ali. Through our combined efforts we will provide a safe place for the people of Nad-e Ali to live.
"The removal of such a large amount of IEDs will keep our police, soldiers and civilians safer and more confident to go about their business. I am very thankful for the support from the Afghan National Army and ISAF on this successful operation and I hope to continue to operate in this way in the future."

a video from The Telegraph:

Pentagon vows carriers will remain in Gulf

1/03/2012 09:28:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

Image via Wikipedia

The Strait of Hormuz (red arrow)

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Tuesday answered an Iranian warning to keep U.S. aircraft carriers out of the Persian Gulf by declaring that American warships will continue regularly scheduled deployments to the strategic waterway.
George Little, the Pentagon press secretary, said the Navy operates in the Gulf in accordance with international law and to maintain “a constant state of high vigilance” to ensure the flow of sea commerce.

Earlier Tuesday, Iran’s army chief warned an American aircraft carrier not to return to the Gulf.

The Navy has said the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis and another vessel exited the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz a week ago. Iran has been holding naval exercises near the Strait at the mouth of the Gulf, which is a critically important passage for international oil supplies.
“The deployment of U.S. military assets in the Persian Gulf region will continue as it has for decades,” Little said in a written statement. “These are regularly scheduled movements in accordance with our longstanding commitments to the security and stability of the region and in support of ongoing operations.”
Fifth Fleet has long been headquartered in Bahrain.
Asked whether the U.S. intends to send naval reinforcements to the Gulf in response to Iranian talk of closing the Strait of Hormuz, Little did not answer directly but said, “No one in this government seeks confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz. It’s important to lower the temperature.”
Little reiterated that any closure of the strait would not be tolerated, but he declined to elaborate.
On Monday, Iran test-fired a surface-to-surface cruise missile as part of its naval maneuvers in the Gulf, prompting Iran’s navy chief to boast that the strait is “completely under our control.”
Asked about the significance of the missile test, Little said, “We are aware of reports of missile tests that are apparently tied to Iranian naval exercises that began in late December. They have the right to conduct exercises. The United States believes that the Iranian regime should devote its energy and resources to establishing friendly relations with countries in the Gulf region.”

Associated Press writer Pauline Jelinek contributed to this report.
By Robert Burns - The Associated Press

from NAVYTimes

Another 2 suicide bomber kills children in Kandahar today (+video)

1/03/2012 09:04:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

After the first suicide bombings, a double-attack kills dozens in Kandahar today.

On Tuesday evening, an improvised explosive device exploded without causing any injuries, said Zalmai Ayubi, spokesman for the Kandahar governor. But when police and locals gathered around the area of the blast, a suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up near the crowd, he said.
Nine people -- including six police and three civilians -- were killed, according to Dr. Abdul Qayoom Pokhla, director of health department in Kandahar. Sixteen others were injured.

U.S. soldiers walk with their Afghan translator near the scene of a suicide attack in Kandahar, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012.

Today results of the "trio" bombings: 12 dead (4 ANP, 8 civvies). 35 wounded (10 ANP, 25 civvies). 4 dead, 6 wounded are children.

really sad day....

a news report video from British Forces News:

Al Qaeda brokers new anti-US Taliban alliance in Pakistan and Afghanistan

1/03/2012 03:21:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

By Bill Roggio - January 3, 2012 - LWJ

One of al Qaeda's top leaders has reached out to the most powerful Taliban commanders along the Afghan-Pakistani border to create a new alliance to battle the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
The new alliance, which is called the Shura-e-Murakeba, consists of four major Taliban groups that operate in Pakistan's tribal areas. The four groups that make up the alliance are the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, which is led by Hakeemullah Mehsud and his deputy, Waliur Rehman Mehsud; Hafiz Gul Bahadar's group; Mullah Nazir's group; and the Haqqani Network. Each leader has appointed a deputy to represent them on the council.
The members of the Shura-e-Murakeba agreed to cease attacks against Pakistani security forces, refocus efforts against the US, and end kidnappings and other criminal activities in the tribal areas.
The deal was brokered by senior al Qaeda leader Abu Yahya al Libi as well as by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the operational leader of the Haqqani Network, and Mullah Mansour, a senior Taliban leader who operates in eastern Afghanistan. An al Qaeda leader known as Abdur Rehman Al Saudi was also involved in the negotiations. Mullah Omar, the overall leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is said to have dispatched Siraj and Mansour to help negotiate the agreement.
The meetings took place over the course of the past two months, according to reports from the region. One of the first meetings was said to have been held in Azam Warzak in South Waziristan, an area under the control of Mullah Nazir, on Nov. 27. Another meeting was reported to have taken place in Datta Khel in North Waziristan on Dec. 11. Over the past weekend, pamphlets were distributed in North Waziristan announcing the creation of the Shura-e-Murakeba.
"All Mujahideen, local and foreigners, are informed that they should desist from killing and kidnapping for ransom innocent people and cooperate with this committee in curbing crimes. If any Mujahid is found involved in unjustified killings, crimes and other illegal activities he will be answerable to Shura-i-Murakbah and will be punished in accordance with the Shariah law," the statement said, according to Dawn.

Read more and the full article:
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/01/al_qaeda_brokers_new.php#ixzz1iPATYNKr

Arab League Calls for End to Gunfire in Syria

1/03/2012 03:18:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

The Arab League's Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi has called for an end to gunfire in Syria as tanks and army forces are withdrawing from the cities, BBC reported.

Nearly 60 Arab League monitors went to Syria last week to end crackdown of anti-government protesters .
Meanwhile, some Arab countries and activists inside Syria have said that the monitors should leave Syria because they are not doing too much.

Despite, the presence of the monitors, snipers are present around the cities to target the protesters.

This comes as activist groups claim that at least 20 people were killed on Monday in the city of Homs.

Since the arrival of the monitors, nearly 390 people have been killed.

The UN says that more than 5,000 people have been killed since the start of the riots in March.

Read more: http://tolonews.com/en/world/4880

Afghan Taliban confirm ‘initial’ agreement of opening office in Qatar

1/03/2012 03:16:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

KABUL: The Afghan Taliban said on Tuesday that they have reached a preliminary agreement to set up a political office in the Gulf nation of Qatar, and asked for the release of prisoners held at the Guantanamo Bay military prison by the US.

“We are right now ready…to have a political office overseas, in order to have an understanding with the international (community), and in this regard we have reached an initial understanding with Qatar and relevant sites,” spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in an emailed statement.

The Taliban office is seen by Western and Afghan officials as key to moving forward with secretive attempts to reach a negotiated end to a decade of war in Afghanistan.