Units for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation

DOD Identifies Units for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation

            The Department of Defense today identified three major units to deploy as part of the upcoming rotation of forces operating in Afghanistan.  The scheduled rotation will begin in Spring 2012.

            This announcement involves one division headquarters totaling approximately 1,000 personnel and two brigade combat teams totaling approximately 5,800 personnel.

            Headquarters units:

            •  3rd Infantry Division HQ, Fort Stewart, Ga.

            Brigade Combat Teams:

            •  1st Brigade Combat Team, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. (to deploy as a partial BCT).

            •  4th Brigade Combat Team, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

            DoD will continue to announce major deployments as they are approved.  For information on the respective deployments contact 3rd Infantry Division HQ, public affairs office, 912-435-9876, and the 82d Airborne Division Rear Detachment, public affairs office, 910-432-0661.

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Oscar Mike: Apparel With a Mission

Noah Currier served on the front lines of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom and returned home safe and sound. He never expected to be confined to a wheel chair for the rest of his life, but that is exactly what happen after he was in an accident 3 days after returning from Iraq. Now he and three other disabled veterans are on a mission to bring the best all-American made military apparel to your closet. They are Oscar Mike.



They have a goal to raise $20,000 to grow their product line, offer better service, and ultimately hire additional veterans. They’re raising money on Kickstarter and have raised $6,928 of their goal. That’s just over a third of the way, but they only have six days to raise the remaining $13,072. Check out their video from Kickstarter and then pledge to support their project. Pledges of $25 or more will receive some special stuff from the guys which you can see on their project page. If you like what these guys are doing, show them some support.

Read more at YouServed: http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2012/01/19/oscar-mike-apparel-with-a-mission/#ixzz1jwWjumMd

January 19, 2012 By Marcus the Redshirt

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Blast Kills 1, Wounds 27 in Turkey

Image via Wikipedia

One person was killed and many others were wounded in an explosion Thursday in southeastern Turkey.

Officials say several policemen were among at least 27 people wounded in the mostly Kurdish city of Hakkari.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion, but Kurdish rebels who are fighting for autonomy in the region have placed roadside bombs in the area in the past, targeting military and police vehicles.

Provincial governor Muammer Turker told journalists that the explosion occurred on a busy street as the police vehicle was driving by.

The pro-Kurdish news agency, Firat, said the explosion was caused by a bomb that formed a large crater on the ground and shattered windows on the nearby buildings.

Police had to use tear gas to disperse an angry crowd that had gathered at the scene of the blast.

Kurdish rebels who belong to the Kurdistan Workers' Party have been fighting for independence since 1984. Tens of thousands of people have died in the fighting. The group is listed as a terrorist organization in Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

from VOANews

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Explosion Kills 6 People in Somali Capital

Image via Wikipedia

A bomb exploded in Somalia's capital Thursday, killing six Somalis, including two police officers, shortly after a group of international journalists was in the area.

United Nations officials said the bomb, believed to be a homemade explosive device, appeared to be targeting a police checkpoint close to a crowded area of makeshift shelters for refugees.

The journalists had just visited a feeding site near the shelters, during a U.N.-sponsored trip to observe international relief efforts. Drought and chronic violence have made Somalia one of the worst humanitarian crises on the planet.

Meanwhile, two Somali insurgents hurled hand grenades at the U.N. compound on Thursday in a separate attack in the restive capital. Officials say the grenades missed the compound.

In response to the worsening violence, the international aid group Doctors Without Borders says it is closing its two largest medical centers in Mogadishu. Two of its workers were killed in the capital last month.

The group said it is shutting down the 120-bed facilities in Mogadishu's Hodan district, where it has been treating malnutrition, measles and cholera.

The director of Doctors Without Borders, Christopher Stokes, said it is hard to stop those services in an area where the group is saving lives, but that the “brutal assassination” of its workers makes it impossible to continue.

Mogadishu is one of the world's most dangerous places for foreign workers.

Somalia has not had a stable government since 1991. The militant Islamist group al-Shabab is attempting to overthrow the U.N.-backed government and impose strict Sharia law over the country.




from VOANews

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4 insurgents detained in northern Baghlan province

At least four armed militants were arrested following a joint military operation in central Baghlan district of northern Baghlan province on Wednesday night, officials said.

The operation was conducted around 2 am local time by Afghan and NATO-led international security forces at Anar Khel area in central Baghlan district.

International Security Assistance Force media office in northern Baghlan province confirmed the reports and said, the operation was jointly conducted at Anar Khel and Arab Khel area of central Baghlan district where four armed militants were arrested during the operations.

ISAF provincial media office further added, at least three of the detained insurgents are improvised explosive device experts, Afghan and coalition forces also seized some explosives from the detained insurgents.

In the meantime, central Baghlan district security Chief Gen. Kameen confirming the operation in this district said, NATO-led coalition forces arrested at least 4 people following the operation.

This comes majority of central Baghlan district residents complain regarding the activities of armed militants in this district during the recent days and months.

Syeda Jan a resident of central Baghlan district said, a number of the armed Taliban militants have recently resumed their operations against the Afghan government and a senior Taliban leader Mullah Abid the elected district chief of Imam Saheb in Kunduz province has came in this district but the government has not been able to arrest him so far.

According to reports, this is the second military operation that has been conducted in central Baghlan district during the past one week.

At least 5 militants were detained following a separate military operation few nights back in the same district.

Report by Ajmal Omeri, Baghlan province.

from KHAAMA

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Two policemen among 12 killed in Afghan clash

Two policemen and 12 Taliban militants, among them a rebel commander, were killed Thursday in a fierce gunfight at a check post in southern Afghanistan.

The attack took place around 4.00 p.m. in Jazi area of Helmand province.

"A group of armed militants stormed a police checkpoint in at around 04:00 local time on Thursday in Jazi area of Naw Zad district but the Afghan National Police repelled the attack," the spokesman Daud Ahmadi told Xinhua.

The clash triggered a gunfight that lasted for four hours. As a result 12 armed militants including their commander Mullah Abdul Baqi were killed.

He said the militants used small rifle and rocket propelled grenades to attack the security checkpoint, adding that two policemen were also killed and three others were injured in the fighting.



from XINHUA

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Jan.19., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 19) – In Nad’ Ali district, Helmand province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation today.
The leader constructed explosives and directed insurgent fighters in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout Helmand province.

The security force confiscated approximately 15 pounds (7 kilograms) of opium and detained one additional suspected insurgent during the operation.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

North
In Baghlan-e Jadid district, Baghlan province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation today. The leader operated a bomb-making cell and conducted bomb attacks against Afghan forces. The security force detained multiple suspected insurgents during the operation.

South
A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation in Panjwa’i district, Kandahar province today. The leader operated a bomb-making cell and stored explosives for use in attacks throughout the region. Multiple suspected insurgents were detained during the operation.

A suicide-bomb attack in the Kajaki Sofla bazaar killed and injured dozens of Afghan civilians and Afghan National Security Force service members in Kajaki district, Helmand province, yesterday. The insurgent detonated an improvised explosive device at a bridge construction site killing and injuring approximately 40 Afghan civilians and approximately nine Afghan National Police. Coalition forces evacuated dozens of wounded Afghans for treatment at coalition medical facilities.

East
In Ghazni district, Ghazni province, an Afghan led and coalition supported security force captured a Taliban facilitator yesterday. The leader planned and facilitated improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the district. The security force detained one additional suspected insurgent during the operation.

A combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered two weapons caches during an operation in Kabul district, Kabul province, yesterday. The caches consisted of approximately 50 107-millimeter rockets, 50 rocket boosters, 25 rocket fuses and several anti-aircraft rounds. The weapons caches were destroyed on site without incident.

A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured an insurgent leader during an operation in Mehtar Lam district, Lagham province, today. The leader supported Taliban fighters, emplaced roadside bombs and coordinated attacks against coalition forces.

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7 killed in Kandahar suicide bomb blast (photos updated)

According to local authorities in southern Afghanistan, at least seven people including three Afghan civlians and an Afghan child were killed following a suicide bomb attack in southern Kandahar airfield.

The officials further added, the incident took place after a suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the entrance gate of the Kandahar airport.

Provincial governor spokesman Zalmai Ayubi confirming the incident said, at least 8 others including two civilians and two Afghan National Army soldiers were wounded following the explosion.

Mr. Ayubi further added, there were reports of foreign troops casualties as a result of the incident.

No group including the Taliban militants have so far claimed responsibility behind the incident.

The incident took places a day after a suicide bomber detonated his explosives at a bridge construction site in kajaki distrit of southern Helmand province, killing at least 13 people.

from KHAAMA

photos update:

U.S. soldiers with the NATO led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) are seen at the scene of a suicide attack in Kandahar south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. A suicide attacker blew himself up Thursday at an entrance to a sprawling base for U.S. and NATO operations in southern Afghanistan, killing at least six civilians, police said.

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R.I.P. - Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman, Lance Cpl. Kenneth E. Cochran

DOD Identifies Marine Casualties

            The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  They died Jan. 15 conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

            Killed were:

            Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman, 22, of Tulsa, Okla.  He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.  For more information media may contact the 1st Marine Division public affairs office at 760- 725-8766.

            Lance Cpl. Kenneth E. Cochran, 20, of Wilder, Idaho.  He assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.  For more information media may contact III Marine Expeditionary Force public affairs office at 011-81-90-6861-4397.

            This incident is under investigation.

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Kandahar airfield suicide bombing....updates coming soon

The ISAF convoy was leaving the base when the bomber detonated himself. Six killed, 1 chid lost both legs.....


......updates coming soon

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Jan.18. - SOPA blackout was here

Jan.18. - SOPA blackout was here

updates coming soon

stay tuned!

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