R.I.P. - Spc. Dennis P. Weichel Jr.

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
           
 Spc. Dennis P. Weichel Jr., 29, of Providence, R.I., died March 22 in Laghman province, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered in a noncombat related incident.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment, 56th Troop Command, Rhode Island National Guard, East Greenwich, R.I.

            For more information the media may contact the Rhode Island National Guard at 401-275-4193 or 401-641-1730.

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The details of his passing have not been released as of this date.

Dennis was a member of the National Guard since 2001.

He was deployed to Iraq in 2005. Officials stated that Dennis' life was marked by bravery, selflessness, and commitment to others.

Dennis is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his parents, Linda and Dennis; and his young children, Nicholas, Hope and Madison.

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13 militants killed in suicide attack in NW Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, March 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 militants were killed in a suicide blast carried out by a rival militant group on Friday afternoon in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of Khyber Agency bordering Afghanistan.

Local Urdu TV channels Dunya and ARY reported that 13 people were killed when a suicide bomber hit a center of Lashkar-e-Islam, a banned militant group, in Akkakhel.

Tehreek-e-Taliban (Pakistan Taliban) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

On March 2, a Pakistan Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, killing 23 people and wounding over 20 others. Most of the casualties were believed to be members of Lashkar-e-Islam.

Lashkar-e-Islam, founded in 2004, has some 18,000 followers who are mainly active in Khyber Agency and is notorious for kidnapping for ransom.


UPDATE:
on LongWarJournal by Bill Roggio:
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/03/taliban_suicide_bomb_35.php

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

KABUL, Afghanistan (Mar. 23) – Coalition forces killed a Taliban expert bomb maker and wounded another insurgent with a precision airstrike in Baghlan-e Jadid district, Baghlan province, today.

The airstrike took place as the two insurgents emplaced two roadside bombs. One was a pressure plate device and the other was remote controlled.

Afghan and coalition security forces removed and destroyed both explosives and detained the wounded insurgent. The expert bomb maker constructed explosive devices for attacks against Afghan and coalition troops and trained other insurgents in constructing roadside bombs.

Before conducting the airstrike, coalition forces ensured no civilians were in the area and no property would be damaged.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

South

An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator during an operation in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, today. The facilitator provided weapons and bomb-making materials to insurgents throughout the district and western Kandahar province. He was also participating in illegal narcotics trafficking to fund insurgent attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces. The security force detained one additional suspected insurgent as a result of this operation.

East

In Bati Kot district, Nangarhar province, an Afghan led security force captured a Taliban facilitator during an operation today. The facilitator provided financial and logistical support to insurgents throughout the district. During this operation, the security force also detained several suspected insurgents and confiscated a shotgun.

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3 killed, 6 injured in check post raid in S.W. Pakistan

Map of Balochistan with Zhob District highlighted (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At least three security personnel were killed and six others injured when a check post in Zhob was attacked by unknown militants on Friday.

According to a private television channel, five security personnel also went missing during the attack.

The five missing security personnel could have been kidnapped by the militants as they often did in the past. Earlier this year, 15 security personnel kidnapped by militants in a check post attack were later killed.

Earlier on Friday morning, an unknown number of militants launched an attack at the Mir Ali Khalil check post in Zhob, a district located some 260 km northeast of Quetta.

The militants fled the scene after the attack. No casualties on the side of the attackers were reported.

Prior to this, a roadside remote-controlled bomb targeting a security forces' convoy injured two children in Charsadda. This was followed by another remote-controlled bomb attack on a paramilitary camp in the Wana area of South Waziristan, reportedly killing one security person and injuring three others.

Since last Monday a series of terrorist attacks targeting at the police and security forces were reported in the country, mostly small-scale raids that causing minor casualties.

from The Nation

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Taliban bomb maker killed in air strike in Afghanistan

KABUL, March 23 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban expert bomb maker was killed and another insurgent was injured on Friday in an air strike conducted by NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in northern Afghan province of Baghlan, the ISAF forces said.

"Coalition forces killed a Taliban expert bomb maker and wounded another insurgent with a precision air strike in Baghlan-e Jadid district, Baghlan province, today," the ISAF said in a statement issued here.

The air strike took place as the two insurgents emplaced two roadside bombs. One was a pressure plate device and the other was remote controlled, the statement said.

Afghan and ISAF security forces removed and destroyed both explosives and detained the wounded insurgent.

"The expert bomb maker constructed explosive devices for attacks against Afghan and coalition troops and trained other insurgents in constructing roadside bombs," it said without mentioning the name of the killed leader.

"Before conducting the air strike, coalition forces ensured no civilians were in the area and no property would be damaged," it added.

Taliban insurgents fighting Afghan and around 130,000 ISAF forces have not to confirm the death of their local leader in Baghlan.

Afghan military officials recently said that they expected " impressive attacks" in coming weeks and months as the spring known as "fighting season" is nearing in the country.

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