Explosion at military camp kills 10 civilians in northwestern Yemen

SANAA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- A huge explosion occurred at a weapon depot in a military camp in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah on Thursday morning, killing 10 civilians and injuring several others, a security official told Xinhua.

A series of explosions occurred at a weapons depot in a military camp which is adjacent to a populated area, a security official told Xinhua.

"The depot belongs to the Mika brigade stationed in Hajjah province, 170 km northwest of the capital Sanaa. The weapons in the depot exploded and landed on nearby houses, killing at least 10 civilians and injuring several others," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The explosion has destroyed three houses near the camp and damaged more, he added.

A series of explosions still continue and huge fire was seen hanging over the region, the official said, adding that troops from a neighboring city are on the way to the explosion site.

The military authorities has not been reached to comment on the incident.

It is the second explosion in military camps in recent months. At least five soldiers were killed when a rocket was mistakenly fired into a weapon depot in the First Armored Division in Sanaa in October last year.

from XINHUA
2013-02-07 16:54:15

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Feb. 07., 2013. - ISAF Joint Command Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban senior leader in Khugyani district, Nangarhar province, Feb. 6.

The leader is believed to be a suicide operations facilitator who manages the recruitment, training and movement of insurgents to conduct attacks on Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan officials, as well as Afghan and coalition forces. He is also believed directly associated with several Taliban insider attack insurgents and worked closely with Hezb-e-Islamic Gulbuddin leadership.

He is accused of having taken advantage of his village leadership position to recruit suicide bombers and insider attack facilitators from Wazir Jihadi High School.

During the operation, the security force also detained one suspected insurgent.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

South

In Nad ‘Ali district, Helmand province, Feb. 6, an Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader. The leader is believed to be directly responsible for numerous improvised explosive device and direct fire attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. According to coalition officials, he provided guidance to insurgents, provided regular network updates to Taliban leadership and executed IED emplacements against Afghan National Security Forces.

East

An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani facilitator in Sabari district, Khost province, Feb. 6. The facilitator is believed to have supplied insurgents with funds, weapons and equipment to conduct attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the district. He is also accused of helping finance the purchase of motorcycles, IED materials, weapons, homemade explosives and fuel to support the insurgency. As a result of the operation, the security force also detained three other suspected insurgents and seized multiple rifles with associated ammunition.

In Pul-e ‘Alam district, Logar province, today, an Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani facilitator. The facilitator is believed to be responsible for the acquisition, transfer and distribution of weapons and IED components for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

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Feb. 07., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan National Security Forces cleared one improvised explosive device during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Feb. 6.

Laghman province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED in Alishing district.

Operations in RC-East are ongoing.

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District chief among 4 injured in Uruzgan

TIRINKOT (PAN): The Gizab district chief was injured along with his three guards in a roadside bombing in the central province of Uruzgan, an official said on Thursday.
Abdullah’s vehicle struck the roadside bomb on Wednesday evening when the security personnel launched a search operation in the Khalj area of Gizab district, the police spokesman, Farid Aail, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

The district chief, Abdullah, and his three guards were wounded in the blast and were rushed to nearby hospital, he said adding the injured were in stable condition.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the explosion.

from Pajhwok
By Ajmal Wisal Feb 7, 2013 - 11:59

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NATO chopper crashes in Afghanistan: ISAF

Tagab District (in Green) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A NATO helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday but there were no fatalities, an ISAF spokesman said, while the Taliban claimed to have shot it down and killed all on board.

"I can confirm an International Security Assistance Force helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan today,'' the ISAF spokesman told AFP.

"The cause is under investigation but initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time. The reporting we have at this time is that there were no casualties.''

He would not give details of the type of helicopter involved or the number of troops aboard, saying the crash was under investigation.

A Taliban spokesman told AFP in a text message that the helicopter was shot down by rocket fire in the Tagab district of Kapisa province and burst into flames.

He said all aboard were killed. The Taliban, who have waged an 11-year insurgency in Afghanistan, regularly exaggerate their battlefield activities.

Kapisa provincial governor Mehrabuddin Safi said "the incident happened in an area where a clearance operation was ongoing against the enemy''.

"We are investigating what caused the crash and possible casualties,'' he said.

from The Standard HK

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ISAF Release
Helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan

UNCLASSIFIED 2013-02-S-005 KABUL, Afghanistan (Feb. 7, 2013) – An International Security Assistance Force helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan today. ISAF is still in the process of assessing the circumstances to determine more facts. However, all crew members have been recovered with no reported fatalities and the site of the incident is secure.

Related articles

• NATO helicopter crash in Kapisa province of Afghanistan (khaama.com)
• US helicopter crashes in Afghanistan; no fatalities (stripes.com)

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Afghan Heroes Charity song

sharing this great song here from @WeAreTheBrits


"all profits from the sale of this single go to the award-winning charity

Afghan Heroes

help support our brave men and women serving on the front line"

"iTunes http://ow.ly/bvhfo 
Amazon http://ow.ly/bvhmB 
HMV http://ow.ly/bvhpC
CD Single http://ow.ly/bvgYk 

Track1. Like A Diamond Track 2. We Are The Brits

This uplifting and poignant look at the Brits is a non-profit video promoting an award-winning charity and any footage included is limited to micro-clips and is thus considered 'fair use'. Please address any enquiries to wearethebrits@hotmail.com Military footage is included by the kind permission of the Ministry of Defence and is Crown Copyright ©2011. God Save the Queen"

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US drone strikes kill five in North Waziristan

At least five people were killed after six missiles hit a house in Tehsil Spain Wam of North Waziristan on Wednesday.

The strikes by an unmanned US drone occurred after reports that militants were present in the house, official sources said.

US drone strikes are infamous around the world, especially in Pakistan, for killing innocent people besides militants.

However, the United States insists that they are precise and target only terrorists.

Wednesday US drones attack came hours after when Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington has declared these strikes violation of Pakistan s sovereignty and international laws.

While the White House defended drone strikes against al Qaeda suspects as legal, ethical and wise and insisted they complied with US law and the Constitution, even if they targeted Americans.

from thenation.com.pk
February 06, 2013, 5:21 pm

---

from The Express Tribune:
WASHINGTON: At least three people were killed when a US drone fired two missiles in North Waziristan on Wednesday, reported Express News.
Rescue services have left for the site, while sources say that the death toll may rise.

The White House on Tuesday defended drone strikes against al Qaeda suspects as legal, ethical and wise and insisted they complied with US law and the Constitution, even if they targeted Americans.

The White House defended President Barack Obama’s power to wage drone war after a Justice Department memo argued that Americans high up in al Qaeda could be lawfully killed, even if intelligence fails to show them plotting an attack.

“We conduct those strikes because they are necessary to mitigate ongoing actual threats, to stop plots, to prevent future attacks and, again, save American lives,” said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

“These strikes are legal, they are ethical, and they are wise.”

Related articles

• Suspected US drone kills three in North Waziristan (dawn.com)
• US drone strikes kill five in North Waziristan (thenewstribe.com)
• You: US drone strikes kill five in NWaziristan (nation.com.pk)

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Feb. 06., 2013. - ISAF Joint Command Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator in Panjwa'i district, Kandahar province, today.

The detained Taliban facilitator is believed to have overseen the management of weapons caches for his Taliban network and ensured the facilitation of equipment, vehicles and weapons to insurgent fighters.

He is also accused of having acquired and transferred large amounts of improvised explosive devices and IED-making materials to weapons caches throughout Panjwa'i district.

The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized nearly 700 pounds of illegal narcotics as a result of the operation.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout
Afghanistan:

South

An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Maiwand district, Kandahar province, Monday. The leader is believed responsible for coordinating insurgent operations, including the distribution of weapons and funds to insurgent fighters responsible for conducting attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the province.

The security force also detained one suspected insurgent as a result of the operation.

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Feb. 06., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces cleared three improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Feb. 5.

Ghazni province
Afghan and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Deh Yak district.

Khowst province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared two IEDs in Khowst district.

Operations in RC-East are ongoing.

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French, Malian Troops Clash With Islamists Around Gao

map by Evan Centanni (www.polgeonow.com)

French and Malian troops suffered casualties in clashes with Islamist fighters near northern Mali's main town, Gao, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Wednesday. He vowed to hunt down the combatants and claimed they had suffered "significant losses".

"Once our troops, supported by Malian forces, started patrols around the the towns that we have taken, they met residual jihadist groups who are still fighting," Le Drian told Europe 1 radio.

French troops will start to withdraw from Mali next month, "if all goes according to plan", Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told the Metro freesheet published Wednesday.

He put the cost of the campaign to the French exchequer at "several tens of millions of euros".
"We will go after them. We are securing the towns we have been able to take along with the Malian forces. The jihadists around Gao were using rockets yesterday."

The Islamist group Mujao on Tuesday claimed that to have attacked French and Malian positions near Gao, although witnesses indicated that their had only been long-distance exchanges of fire.

"This is a real war," Le Drian said, when questioned about his statement Tuesday that French troops had killed hundreds of their opponents. But, he added, "I'm not going to get into an accounting exercise."

There are now 4,000 French troops in Mali, Le Drian said. The size of the force matches the French deployment in Afghanistan at its height in 2010.

Confirming the first French casualties since a helicopter pilot was killed at the start of the intervention, Le Drian said there had been several French troops injured but that their wounds had been relatively light.

Read or Listen to this story on the RFI website.

from allAfrica/RFi

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