Twin suicide attacks rocks Afghan eastern town, kill 3

Districts of Kunar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

ASSADABAD, Afghanistan, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Two suicide attackers blew themselves up next to foreign soldiers in Assadabad the capital of the eastern Kunar province 185 km east of capital city Kabul on Wednesday, leaving themselves and another dead, a local official said.

"The double suicide bombing happened at around 10:00 a.m. local time in Assadabad city as a result three people including two attackers were killed on the spot and some others sustained injuries," the official told Xinhua but declined to give his name, saying authorized officials would brief the media after investigation.

from XINHUA
2012-08-08 14:12:53

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U.S. soldier killed by Afghan gunmen

A NATO service member was killed in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday following attack by individuals in Afghan national army unifrom.

NATO-led International Security Assistance Force following a statement announced, “An International Security Assistance Force service member died when two individuals wearing Afghan National Army uniforms turned their weapons against ISAF service members in eastern Afghanistan, Aug. 7.”

The statement further added, “Afghan and ISAF officials are investigating the incident.”

ISAF did not disclose further information regarding the exact location of the incident and nationality of the deceased soldier.

International Security Assistance Force generally do not disclose identities of the NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan saying, “It is ISAF policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities.”

from KHAAMA

By Sajad - Tue Aug 07, 9:04 pm

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from Richmond Times-Dispatch:

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Two gunmen wearing Afghan army uniforms killed a U.S. soldier and wounded two others Tuesday, hours after Afghanistan's defense minister stepped down following a weekend no-confidence vote in parliament.

The exit of Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak leaves a vacancy at the helm of the ministry that has overseen rapid expansion of the nation's army. Afghan soldiers are increasingly taking their positions on the front lines of the war as foreign combat troops withdraw.

Wardak's resignation comes at the peak of the summer fighting season. Violence on Tuesday hit eastern and southern Afghanistan, where militants have their deepest roots.

The two gunmen wearing Afghan National Army uniforms fired on NATO troops at a base in Paktia province of eastern Afghanistan, killing a soldier, according to the U.S.-led coalition and Afghan officials.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the shooting, the latest in a rising number of so-called "green-on-blue" attacks in which Afghan security forces, or insurgents disguised in their uniforms, kill their U.S. or NATO partners.

A U.S. official said the service member killed was American. A second American official said two U.S. service members were wounded.

So far this year, 27 coalition troops have been killed in 20 such attacks, according to an Associated Press tally.

The second U.S. official said both of the gunmen in Afghan army uniforms were in custody.

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Aug. 08., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, today.

The leader controlled an insurgent cell responsible for multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the region.

At the time of his arrest, the Taliban cell leader was in the process of acquiring heavy weapons and explosives for future attacks.

The security force also detained one suspected insurgent during the operation.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

North

In Chimtal district, Balkh province, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to arrest a senior Taliban leader today. The senior leader funds insurgent operations and coordinates attacks throughout the district. During the operation, the security force detained one suspected insurgent.

South
Afghan and coalition officials announced yesterday that Haji Shakur, a Taliban leader in Chora and Baluchi districts of Uruzgan province, was one of the suspected insurgents arrested during an operation in Tarin Kot district, Uruzgan province, July 31. The operation was conducted by an Afghan security force, supported by coalition troops. Shakur was a mid-level Taliban leader who controlled dozens of insurgent fighters and is responsible for conducting a number of insurgent attacks in both Chora and Baluchi districts. He provided those under his control with ammunition and weapons, and was involved in recruiting local Afghans from the area for the Taliban. Shakur was also an explosives expert responsible for building improvised explosive devices used to attack Afghan and coalition forces.

In Nad ‘Ali district, Helmand province, an Afghan and coalition security force detained numerous suspected insurgents during an operation to arrest a Taliban leader today. The Taliban leader oversees insurgent activity in the area and provides heavy weapons, improvised explosive devices and ammunition to Taliban associated insurgents throughout the district.

East

An Afghan and coalition security force detained several suspected insurgents during an operation to arrest a Taliban leader in Muqer district, Ghazni province, today. The Taliban leader is responsible for coordinating Taliban attacks throughout the area.

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Aug. 08., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan – Afghan and coalition forces killed 18 insurgents, detained one and cleared four improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Aug. 7.

Ghazni province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained an insurgent during a route clearance operation in Gelan district. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent during a small arms engagement in Muqer district.

Kapisa province
A coalition airstrike killed 10 insurgents in Tagab district in response to Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces receiving direct fire.

Khowst province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Sabari district and one in Terezayi district.

Logar province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed six insurgents during a small arms engagement in Kharwar district.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent in Baraki Barak district who was emplacing an IED.

Nangarhar province
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Rodat district.

Paktika province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Bermal district.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

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9 armed Taliban killed and 10 arrested by ANP (Aug.07.2012.)

Publish Date: Aug 07, 2012

Nine armed Taliban killed and 10 arrested by Afghan National Police

Counterterrorism:

During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces launched five joint clearance operations in Nangarhar, Khost, Paktiya and Helmand provinces.

As a result of these operations, nine armed Taliban were killed and 10 others were arrested by Afghan National Police.

Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated one AK-47 assault rifle with two magazines, one radio handset, 13 different types of mines and some amount of ammunitions and IEDs.

In the meantime, Afghan National Police arrested three mine planters while they were planting three anti-vehicle mines and four hand grenades in the 9th District of Kandahar City capital of southern Kandahar province, yesterday.

Additionally, Afghan National Police discovered and defused two anti-vehicle mines as a result of security operation in the main road of Qala-e-Qazi village, Khogyani District of Ghazni province, yesterday.

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Attacks in Afghanistan kill 10, including an ISAF member on tuesday

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- At least 10 people died in three separate attacks in Afghanistan on Tuesday, including an service member for NATO's International Security Assistance Force, according to Afghan government and ISAF officials.

Two Americans were among those wounded in an attack, an Afghan official said.

A roadside bomb killed nine Afghan civilians and wounded five more in the Paghman district, west of Kabul, according to a statement from Afghan President Hamid Karzai's office.
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Karzai condemned the "terrorists" for the killings "during the holy month of Ramadan."

In a separate incident in eastern Afghanistan, an ISAF service member died from "direct fire" during an insurgent attack, ISAF said.

In a third attack, a suicide bomber in a truck detonated near an ISAF military base, wounding at least 13 people in Logar province, just south of Kabul, provincial spokesman Mohammad Faqeer Darwish said. He said that two of the injured were Americans.

ISAF spokesman Lt. Col. Hagen Messer confirmed that ISAF service members were injured in the explosion in the province's capital of Pul-e-Alam, but did not identify their nationalities nor say how many had been hurt.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the truck bomb attack in an e-mail to journalists.

from CNN
From Masoud Popalzai, CNN
August 7, 2012 -- Updated 1108 GMT (1908 HKT)

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ISAF Joint Command

Insurgents kill 3 Afghans, cause minor damage to ISAF base

Date Taken:08.07.2012 Date Posted:08.07.2012 11:46
Location:LOGAR PROVINCE, AF

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Three Afghan local nationals were killed when insurgents detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, Aug. 7, near a bazaar and an ISAF base in Logar province.

As of the time of this release there were no reports of any ISAF fatalities; however, some Afghans and ISAF service members were wounded and taken to medical facilities for treatment.

Mohammad Tahir Sabari, Logar provincial governor, said he was “totally saddened with the today's tragic act of insurgents that again by detonating some explosives, injured many innocent civilians in this holy month of Ramazan.”

Sabari said he “condemns this tragic act with the strongest terms and offers his prayers and sympathies for the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery for the wounded ones.”

For more information about Afghan casualties, contact the Logar provincial authorities.

Despite the efforts of the enemies of the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, ISAF forces in eastern Afghanistan remain committed to partnering with our Afghan National Security Forces counterparts to secure a stable and prosperous future for the Afghan people.

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