R.I.P. - Cpl. Taylor J. Baune

DOD Identifies Marine Casualty
            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Cpl. Taylor J. Baune, 21, of Andover, Minn., died June 13 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

            For more information media may contact the 1st Marine Division Public Affairs Office at 760-725-8766.

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from Star Tribune:

Article by: PAUL WALSH ,
Updated: June 14, 2012 - 9:46 AM

A 21-year-old Marine, married three months ago to his high school sweetheart shortly before his deployment, was killed in combat Wednesday in Afghanistan, the Defense Department said Thursday.

Cpl. Taylor J. Baune, 21, of Andover, Minn., died Wednesday in Helmand province, Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon.

Baune was based out of Twentynine Palms, Calif. No other information about the circumstances of his death was immediately available.

Baune and his wife, Colleen, also from Anoka County, were married in Las Vegas in March and called the San Diego area home.

Taylor and Colleen Baune were married in March because he was shipping out to Afghanistan later that month, said his father-in-law Randy Crooker.

The two attended Anoka High School together, with Taylor finishing up at nearby Andover High School, Crooker said.

Taylor Baune's current Marine commitment was up late this year, Crooker added, and he was not intending to make the military a career.

"He was a happy-go-lucky guy," Crooker said of his son-in-law.

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Suicide car blast hits Afghan-ISAF base in Kunar

Districts of Kunar Province. Nari - green (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

JALALABAD (PAN): Two suicide attackers rammed an explosives-laden car into the entrance of a joint Afghan-ISAF military base in the Nari district of eastern Kunar province on Thursday, killing an intelligence operative, an official said.

The attack comes at a time when a tribal jirga was taking place at the base, the district chief, Gul Zaman, told Pajhwok Afghan News. The two attackers and one National Directorate of Security (NDS) official were killed and two other security officials were injured in the incident, he added.

Border police spokesman Idrees Momand said the attack took place around 12:45pm at the border police base, where foreign troops are also stationed.

The blast occurred about 100 metres from the tribal gathering, he said, claiming one of the attackers had been identified.

He added the attacker’s brother was a border police officer and his father, a tribal elder, was present at the gathering. The two had been arrested, Momand said.

The Taliban have so far issued no statement about the attack.

from Pajhwok
by Khan Wali Salarzai & Abdul Moeed Hashmi on Jun 14, 2012 - 14:10

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Explosion rocks northern Afghanistan, injuring at least 11 people

Districts of Jowzjan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

KABUL, June 14 (Xinhua) -- An explosion rocked Jowzjan province of northern Afghanistan on Thursday morning, leaving 11 people injured, according to Afghan police.

"A remote control bomb was set off in Karte Dostom area of Sheberghan, capital of Jowzjan province, at around 7 o'clock local time today, leaving 11 people injured, " Azizullah, police chief of Jowzjan province, told Xinhua, adding that the explosion was apparantly targeting Haji Dastagir, a tribal elder in the area who is among the injured with his two sons.

No one has claimed responsibility for this attack so far.

The Taliban insurgents, who have been waging more than a decade- long insurgency, launched a new spring offensive on May 3 to target Afghan forces as well as U.S. and NATO troops across the country, which caused many civilian casualties at the same time.

from XINHUA
2012-06-14 11:18:39

Related articles

• Explosion hit Shebarghan city in northern Jawzjan province (khaama.com)

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11 Afghan army soldiers injured in militants attacks

At least 11 Afghan national army soldiers injured across the country during the past 24 hours.

Afghan defense ministry following a statement on Thursday announced, 11 Afghan national army soldiers were injured in militants’ attacks and roadside bomb explosions in various provinces of Afghanistan.

The source further added Afghan national army soldiers were injured in militants attack at three main provinces of Afghanistan including Kunar, Ghazni and Kandahar provinces of Afghanistan.

Afghan defense ministry officials following the statement also added Afghan soldiers seized some weapons, ammunitions and explosives following military operations.

In a separate operation at Zherai district of southern Kandahar province Afghan national army soldiers seized 60 improvised explosive device, Afghan defense ministry officials said adding that 8 improvised explosive device were seized during an operation at Nad-e-Ali district of southern Helmand province.

Anti-government armed militant groups yet to comment regarding the reports.

from KHAAMA
By Sajad - Thu Jun 14, 1:25 pm

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US drones strike in Miramshah's bazaar, kill 3 militants

By Bill Roggio - June 14, 2012 - LWJ

US drones struck for the second time in 24 hours in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan.

Today's strike, which took place in the early morning, targeted the fighters "on the first floor of a shop" in the bazaar in Miramshah, Pakistani officials told AFP. The remotely piloted Predators or Reapers fired a pair of missiles at the shop, killing three "militants."

The identity of those killed was not disclosed, and no senior al Qaeda or Taliban leaders have been reported killed at this time.

Today's airstrike occurred less than one day after US drones killed four more unidentified militants as they traveled in a vehicle in the town of Isha just outside of Miramshah.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/06/us_drones_strike_in_1.php#ixzz1xl19ahhL

Related articles

• US drones strike in Miramshah's bazaar, kill 3 militants (longwarjournal.org)
• North Waziristan drone strike kills 4 'militants' (sgt-jim.blogspot.com)

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6 armed insurgents killed, 4 wounded and 3 others arrested by ANP

Publish Date: Jun 14, 2012

Six armed insurgents killed, four wounded and three others arrested by Afghan National Police

Counterterrorism:

During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces launched four joint clearance operations in Kabul, Parwan, Kandahar, and Khost provinces.

As a result of these operations, six armed insurgents were killed, four wounded and three others were arrested by Afghan National Police.

Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated 69 kilograms of opium, 15 different types of mines, one motorcycle and amount of explosive materials.

In the meantime, Afghan National Police arrested two mine planters while they were planting a magnetic mine on a fuel tanker in the Maidan Shahr City, capital of Maidan Wardak province.

During the same 24 hour period, Afghan National Police discovered and defused two anti-vehicle mines and 74 heavy rounds as a result of security operations in Nangarhar, Baghlan and Paktiya provinces.

Additionally, Afghan National Police discovered and defused an explosives rigged motorcycle in the Farah City capital of Farah province, yesterday.

 

Crimes:
The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained five individuals accused of kidnapping, carrying illegal weapon without license and assault in the Mir Bacha Kot, Paghman and 16th Districts of Kabul-City.

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Taliban commander killed in gun battle - British Forces News

Districts of Kandahar. Daman is shown in orange (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Taliban commander has been killed in Afghanistan.

An Afghan-led security force, supported by coalition troops, shot dead Fayez Jan and another insurgent during an operation in Daman district, Kandahar province, today.

The Ministry of Defence said that as the coalition troops approached Jan's location, they were attacked with small-arms fire and shot back.

from British Forces News, 14 June 2012

Jan constructed, distributed and directed the placement of improvised explosive devices throughout Daman and Shah Wali Kot districts.

At the time of his death he was planning to launch an IED attack against Afghan and coalition convoys in the area, the MoD said.

In another operation, a Taliban leader, said to be an expert in homemade bombs and who co-ordinated insurgents throughout the region, was captured with two other suspected fighters.

And "multiple insurgents were killed" during a helicopter-led operation targeting the movements of suspected anti-Afghan forces in Reg-e Khan Neshin district, Helmand province, the MoD said.

The Afghan National Security Force stopped a suspicious vehicle in the area, searched it and found 1,606 pounds (730 kilograms) of dry opium and 3,500 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.

One of the detainees led the soldiers to another vehicle hidden in the desert.

Troops found a rocket propelled grenade launcher, four RPG anti-tank rounds, four machine guns and five hand grenades.

Also inside were several IED components and 440 pounds (200kg) of homemade explosives.

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June 14., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan-led security force, supported by coalition troops, killed the Taliban commander Fayez Jan and one additional insurgent during an operation in Daman district, Kandahar province, today.

As Afghan and coalition troops approached Fayez Jan’s location, they were attacked with small-arms fire. The security force returned fire, killing Fayez Jan and one additional insurgent.

Fayez Jan constructed, distributed and directed the placement of improvised explosive devices throughout Daman and Shah Wali Kot districts. At the time of his death, Fayez Jan was planning to launch an IED attack against Afghan and coalition convoys in the area.

Two Afghan males were injured in the battle and transported to coalition medical facilities by Afghan and coalition forces for treatment.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

South

Afghan and coalition forces conducted a helicopter enabled operation to target the movements of suspected anti-Afghan forces in Reg-e Khan Neshin district, Helmand province on Monday. During the operation Afghan National Security Force stopped a suspicious vehicle and conducted a vehicle search resulting in several individuals being detained. The search revealed 1,606 pounds (730 kilograms) of dry opium and 3,500 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition. One of the detainees led the combined forces team to another vehicle, hidden in the desert. Within the second vehicle the combined forces found one rocket propelled grenade launcher, four RPG anti tank rounds, four machine guns and five hand grenades. In addition there were several improvised explosive device components and 440 pounds (200kg) of home-made explosives. Multiple insurgents were killed during the operation.

In Nawah-ye Barakzai district, Helmand province an Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader today. The captured leader armed and coordinated the movement of Taliban insurgents throughout the region. He was an IED expert and instructed insurgents on their use and placement. The security force detained two additional suspected insurgents.

An Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Taliban leader in Kajaki district, Helmand province, today. The leader commands over a dozen Taliban insurgents and directs attacks throughout the region. The security force detained multiple suspected insurgents as a result of this operation.

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June 13., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan – Afghan and coalition forces killed three insurgents and detained five during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, June 13.

Kunar province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed three insurgent during a small arms engagement in Watahpur district.

Wardak province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces detained four insurgents during an engagement in Maidan Shahr district. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Logar province
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Baraki Barak district. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

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