3 policemen killed, 3 injured in twin bomb attacks in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- A total of three policemen were killed and three others injured Sunday in two successive roadside bomb attacks in Iraq's central province of Babil, a local police source said.

The attack occurred in the morning when a roadside bomb was detonated near a police patrol in the town of Jurf al-Sakhr, some 50 km south of Baghdad, killing three policemen, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The second explosion of a roadside bomb ripped through the scene of the first blast after security forces gathered to evacuate the victims, injuring three policemen, the source said.

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Abdul Razaq al-Hamadani, the town's police chief, was among the injured, the source said, without giving further details.

Violence is still common in the Iraqi cities despite the dramatic decrease since its peak in 2006 and 2007 when the country was engulfed in sectarian killings.

from XINHUA
2012-08-12 18:12:58

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Yemen's al-Qaida releases kidnapped Saudi diplomat

ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Yemen-based al-Qaida branch released on Saturday night a Saudi diplomat they had held hostage for more than four months in the country's restive south, a government official said Sunday.

"The abducted Saudi diplomat has been released and is now in with tribal mediators... maybe he will travel home in a few hours, " the local government official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The government official said that the al-Qaida kidnappers agreed to release Saudi diplomat Abdullah al-Khaledi late on Saturday night after tribal mediation efforts conducted by prominent tribesmen.

A tribal chief told Xinhua "a successful mediation had been held in a mountainous region between the provinces of Shabwa and Abyan, which managed to secure the diplomat's release."

"He is safe now... and would be flown to his home to join his family as soon as possible," he added.

Abdullah al-Khaledi, Saudi Arabia's deputy consul in Yemen's southern port city of Aden, was abducted by al-Qaida militants outside his residential building in Aden on March 28.

In April, the al-Qaida terrorist group demanded the release of militants in Saudi prisons in exchange for releasing al-Khaledi.

The middle-aged diplomat had been moved to an al-Qaida hideout in the southern province of Abyan or Shabwa, where the militants seized several cities during last year's turmoil.

The Saudi government said in May that the al-Qaida group demanded an immediate release of its detained militants from jails in the Saudi capital of Riyadh in exchange for the abducted diplomat. However, it announced that it "will not bow to the terrorists' demands."

Besides the Saudi diplomat, the al-Qaida group also kidnapped a Swiss woman during the past four months, attempting to force the Yemeni government to release its jailed members from Yemeni and Saudi prisons.

Foreigners are frequently kidnapped in Yemen by powerful tribes and al-Qaida who seek ransoms or intend to force the Yemeni government to meet their political demands.


from XINHUA
2012-08-12 15:35:47

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Aug. 12., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (August 11) – An Afghan and coalition security force detained three suspected insurgents during an operation to arrest an al-Qaida associated insurgent who is responsible for planning attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in Gelan district, Ghazni province, today.

The al-Qaida associated insurgent also coordinates the movement of al-Qaida terrorists throughout the region.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

East

Also in Gelan district, Ghazni province, a second Afghan and coalition security force detained multiple suspected insurgents and seized several kilograms of explosives during an operation to arrest a Taliban leader today. The leader plans and directs attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces. The explosives were safely destroyed by the security force.

Capital

An Afghan-led security force, supported by coalition troops, arrested multiple insurgents during an operation in Kabul today. The Afghan security force arrested the insurgents as they were finalizing plans for an attack in the capital. During the operation, the Afghan security force seized a large cache of explosives, suicide vest components, weapons and ammunition the insurgents had stockpiled for the attack.

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Aug. 12., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces killed four insurgents, detained three and cleared five improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Aug. 11.

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

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained two insurgents who were found in possession of illegal materials in Gurbuz district. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Paktika province
Coalition airstrikes killed two insurgents during engagements in Giyan district and Zharghun Shahr district.

Paktiya province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Gardez district.

Wardak province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Maidan Shahr district and one in Sayyidabad district.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent and detained one in Sayyidabad District during an engagement. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

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Nigeria security forces raid bomb factory in Kano

KANO, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigerian security forces discovered a bomb-making factory on Saturday in Kano, a northern city that has been plagued by an Islamist insurgency, the secret service said.

Boko Haram, a group styled on the Taliban, is waging an insurgency against President Goodluck Jonathan's government with the avowed aim of carving an Islamic state out of Nigeria, a country of more than 160 million split roughly equally between Christians and Muslims.

The group has killed hundreds in gun and bomb attacks in the past two and a half years, mostly in the predominantly Muslim north, although it has struck central Nigeria and the capital Abuja.

The director of the Kano branch of Nigeria's State Security Services (SSS), Bassey Eteng, said the raid had uncovered 12 improvised bombs and bomb-making chemicals, more than 600 rounds of ammunition, military uniforms and eight AK-47 assault rifles.

"Most of the items recovered were going to be used to mount an attack on Sallah (Muslim holiday), according to our intelligence report," Eteng said.

"There was no casualty of any party during the operations. An investigation to find the terrorists continues."

A military push in the north appears to have weakened the group. However, Jonathan's critics say he relies too much on the military to defeat Boko Haram, rather than addressing northerners' grievances such as poverty and unemployment.

As Boko Haram comes under pressure in its northeastern heartland, its attacks have spread further afield. Suspected Islamists opened fire on Christian worshippers in the central state of Kogi on Monday, killing 19.

from REUTERS
Sun Aug 12, 2012 10:00am GMT

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40 Armed Taliban Killed, 3 Wounded and 30 Arrested by ANP (Aug.12.0212.)

Publish Date: Aug 12, 2012

40 Armed Taliban Killed, Three Wounded and 30 Arrested by Afghan National Police

Counterterrorism:
During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces launched seven joint clearance operations in Kunar, Laghman, Takhar, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Logar and Ghazni provinces.
  
As a result of these operations, 40 armed Taliban were killed, three wounded and 30 others were arrested by Afghan National Police.

Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated six AK-47 assault rifles, three pistols, two different types of weapons, 10 heavy rounds, 731 light rounds, 28 different types of mines, 10kg of opium, 50 kilograms of hashish, 400 kilograms of explosive materials, one magazine, one radio handset and one motorcycle.

Additionally, Afghan National Police discovered and defused 17 different types of mines, two 122mm artillery shells, 100 23mm artillery shells, 320 machine gun rounds and 70 anti-tank mine fuses as a result of security operations in Panjshir, Baghlan, Zabul and Helmand provinces, yesterday.

Crimes:
The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained 10 individuals accused of theft and assault in the Shakar Dara, Bagrami, 7th, 10th and 17th Districts of Kabul-City.
 

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District chief killed following blast in Laghman province

Districts of Laghman. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An heavy explosion rocked easter Laghman province of Afghanistan on Sunday morning. The incident took place at Alisheng area.

Local authorities confirmed the report however they did not disclose further information regarding the exact number of casualties as a result of the incident.

In the meantime reports suggest district chief for Alisheng Farid was killed following the incident along with three others who were accompanying him while he on his way towards the government compound.

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

from KHAAMA
By Sajad - Sun Aug 12, 12:15 pm

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R.I.P. - Master Sgt. Gregory R. Trent

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

            Master Sgt. Gregory R. Trent, 38, of Norton, Mass., died Aug. 8 in Bethesda, Md., from wounds suffered July 31 in Baktabad, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire.

            Trent was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

            For more information please contact the U.S. Army Special Forces Command public affairs office at 910-689-6187.

---

from Bostonglobe:
By Zachary T. Sampson, Globe Correspondent
August 12, 2012
A US Army Special Forces sergeant from Norton died in Bethesda, Md., Wednesday from wounds he suffered in ­Afghanistan.

Master Sergeant Gregory R. Trent, 38, was injured on July 31 when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire, according to the Department of Defense. The agency said Trent was in the area of Shindand, ­Afghanistan, with Company B, Fourth Battalion, Third Special Forces Group (Airborne). The company is based out of Fort Bragg, N.C.

Trent had been deployed four times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and once for Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to a statement from the US Army Special Forces Command. He leaves his wife, a daughter, a brother, and his parents, according to the statement.

His family could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Trent enlisted in the Army as an artilleryman in August 1998, according to the Special Forces Command. He served as a howitzer section chief in Italy.

He later was deployed to ­Afghanistan and Iraq, and in 2006, Trent volunteered for the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course. He completed a qualification course in August 2009.

The Norton soldier most recently deployed to Afghanistan in January 2012. He was a ­Special Forces intelligence sergeant.

Trent received many accolades during his military career, according to the Special Forces Command, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and a Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

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