Isaf Solider Killed in Insider Attack in Uruzgan on Thursday

An Afghan police officer on Thursday turned his weapon against Isaf forces in southern Uruzgan province, killing one soldier and wounding another, local officials told TOLOnews.

Isaf Joint Command confirmed one coalition soldier was "killed in action" in Afghanistan's south but it could not confirm or deny the attack was done by an Afghan police officer.

TOLOnews reported earlier that the soldier was Australian according to statements from two Uruzgan officials. But Isaf has since confirmed this is incorrect.

Isaf declined to identify the nationality of the soldier as per its protocal to leave identification to the national authorities.

The 'insider' shooting took place in the police headquarters of Uruzgan's Khas district by a police officer who had been in the provincial force for some months.

A senior Afghan police official, who asked not to be named, said the police officer was a trusted member of the police force.

One of the soldiers was killed instantly and the one who was wounded was transported in a helicopter from the scene, the official said.

The shooter has escaped, he added.

More than 50 Isaf soldiers have been killed in insider or 'green-on-blue' attacks this year.

The shooting comes a day after the Eid message from Taliban leader Mullah Omar urging the Afghan security forces to turn their weapons against the Nato-led forces.

from TOLOnews
Thursday, 25 October 2012 15:51
Written by TOLOnews.com 

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U.S. Forces-Afghanistan Casualties

2012-10-US-004                                 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   KABUL, Afghanistan (Oct. 25, 2012) — Two U.S. Forces-Afghanistan service members died after an individual wearing an Afghan National Police uniform turned his weapon against them in Khas Uruzgan, Uruzgan.     The incident is currently under investigation. It is USFOR-A policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the U.S. Department of Defense.

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British troops killed in friendly fire in southern Afghanistan

According to local authorities in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan, British troops based in southern Helmand province killed two of their comrades in a friendly fire in this province.

Provincial security chief spokesman Farid Ahmad Farhang confirming the report said the incident took place in Greshk district while British troops were patrolling in the area.

Mr. Farhang further added, “A group of British troops opened fire on an Afghan national police and killed him.”

He said, “British troops were then attacked by a group of other British soldiers who were also patrolling in the area, killing two service members.”

The incident took place on Wednesday evening around 5 pm local time at Malgir area in Greshk district.

This comes as Afghan security forces have repeatedly attacked NATO troops in Afghanistan however this is the first incident where NATO troops have been mistakenly killed by their comrades.

The green on blue attacks in Afghanistan created tensions among the Afghan and NATO officials and the Afghan defense ministry during the recent months dismissed several Afghan national army officers suspected of having difficulties in their documents.

Meanwhile local officials in Helmand province said the deceased Afghan police officer was also mistakenly killed by British troops while he was preparing for the prayers.

Reports suggest that British troops are patrolling in local clothings in order to capture the militants which resulted in death of two British soldiers who were also patrolling in the same area.

from KHAAMA
By Sayed Jawad - Thu Oct 25, 1:42 pm
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UPDATE from News Republic:

Thursday, October 25, 2012 2:11 PM GMT


British troops killed two of their own soldiers in a "friendly fire" incident in Afghanistan, Afghan police said Thursday, while Britain's Ministry of Defence said the shooting was still under investigation.
Two British soldiers, one of them a female medic, and a man believed to be an Afghan policeman died in the incident in Helmand province, the ministry said in London, adding that it did not know at this stage what initiated the gunfire.
Helmand police spokesman Farid Ahmad Farhang said the deaths were due to a mistaken belief by a British patrol that they were under fire from insurgents -- while the shooting actually came from a second British patrol.
"There were two groups of British soldiers foot-patrolling an area called Malgir in Greshk district yesterday at around 5:00 pm," Farhang said.
"As one group proceeded to a village they saw a policeman in civilian clothes performing ablutions (before prayers). The British soldiers thought he was a Talib and opened fire on him, killing him on the spot.
"The second group of British soldiers who were coming from a distance thought they were attacked by the Taliban and opened fire in the direction they had heard the gunfire, killing two of their colleagues," Farhang said.
This version of events was confirmed by Mohammad Ismail Hotak, the head of the coordination centre of Afghan forces in Helmand province.
Farhang said local officials with NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) had "confirmed it was a mistake and friendly fire which killed the two British".
In Kabul an ISAF spokesman told AFP: "We are tracking that reporting and at this point I'll call it a rumour that's out there.
"Unfortunately there is an ongoing assessment being done to look into the cause of that event and we do not have definitive operational reporting at this time to confirm that.
"Hopefully we will get some kind of resolution sometime today or tomorrow."
Britain's ministry of defence said: "There was an exchange of gunfire that resulted in the deaths of a Royal Marine... a female soldier from 3 Medical Regiment and an Afghan man who is believed to be a member of the Afghan Uniformed Police but who was not wearing uniform at the time.
"The UK patrol were not working with any Afghan partners at the time."
The spokesman added: "At this stage we do not know what initiated the exchange of gunfire and an investigation is ongoing. Further details will be provided as information becomes available but at this time the situation remains unclear."

Related articles

• Royal Marine and British soldier killed in Afghanistan (sgt-jim.blogspot.com)
• Two British troops killed by Afghan insurgents in Helmand (dailyrecord.co.uk)

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Seven people killed in attacks in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were killed and 13 wounded in separate bomb and gunfire attacks mainly targeting the security forces in central and northern Iraq on Wednesday, the police said.

In Baghdad, gunmen using silenced weapons shot dead two soldiers at an Iraqi army checkpoint in the city's western district of Mansour, an interior ministry source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The attackers planted a roadside bomb at the site and blew it up when a police patrol arrived at the scene, wounding three policemen, the source said.

In northern-central Iraq, a booby-trapped motorcycle detonated near a police patrol in the city of Sulaiman Pek, some 160 km north of Baghdad, killing a policeman and wounding another, a local police source anonymously told Xinhua.

Three civilians were also wounded by the blast, the source said.

In Iraq's northern city of Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Baghdad, a roadside bomb went off near a convoy of vehicles carrying a provincial council member of Salahudin province, killing a 10-year- old child at the scene and wounding two of the official's bodyguards, a local police source said.

The council member, who was on a visit to Kirkuk province, escaped the attack unhurt, the source said.

Also in Kirkuk, a motorcycle bomb struck a police patrol in the southern Domiez district, destroying a police vehicle and wounding a police officer and three policemen aboard, the source added.

In Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, unidentified gunmen shot dead two civilians in the town of Qazaniyah, some 170 km northeast of Baghdad, a provincial police source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

In a separate incident, a farmer was killed when gunmen opened fire on him in the town of Abu Saiyda, 90 km northeast of Baghdad, the source said.

Violence in Iraq has decreased from its climax in 2006 and 2007, when sectarian conflicts pushed the country to the brink of a civil war, but tensions and sporadic shootings and bombings are still common across the country.

from XINHUA
2012-10-25 07:16:02

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R.I.P. - Chief Warrant Officer Michael S. Duskin

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

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

            Chief Warrant Officer Michael S. Duskin, 42, of Orange Park, Fla., died Oct. 23, in Chak District, Wardak Province, Afghanistan, from small arms fire while on dismounted patrol during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N. C.

            For more information related to this release, media may contact the U.S. Army Special Forces Command public affairs office at 910-689-6147 or 910-908-3947.

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A Fort Bragg soldier died Tuesday while he was on dismounted patrol in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday night.
Chief Warrant Officer Michael S. Duskin, 42, of Orange Park, Fla., was killed by small-arms fire in the Chak district of the Wardak Province, officials said.
He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group.
Duskin is the 39th soldier from Fort Bragg to die this year while serving in Afghanistan, and the fourth to die there this month. A fifth soldier, a member of the National Guard from Raeford, was killed there this month, as well.
No other information about Duskin or the circumstances of his death was available Wednesday night.

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Chief Warrant Officer Michael S. Duskin, 42, of Orange Park, Fla., died Oct. 23, in Chak District, Wardak Province, Afghanistan, from small arms fire while on dismounted patrol during combat operations.
He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N. C.
Duskin enlisted as a forward observer in the U.S. Army in 1993.
After completion of his initial training, to include the U.S. Army Airborne School, he was assigned to the 3rd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment. After serving three years with the 75th Ranger Regt., Duskin left active duty and later joined the Florida National Guard. He attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in August 1998. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the 3rd Bn., 20th SFG (A) as a Special Forces engineer sergeant. In 2001, Duskin was mobilized to active duty and deployed with the 2nd Bn., 3rd SFG (A). After the deployment he returned to active duty and remained a member of the unit.
He served with the 2nd Bn. for more than five years, deploying four additional times, before being assigned to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School as an instructor. While serving as an instructor, he attended the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification Course, graduating in May 2010. He was then assigned to the 1st Bn., 3rd SFG(A) as an assistant detachment commander in Company A. This was his second deployment to Afghanistan in that position.
His military education includes U.S. Army Airborne School, Warrior Leaders Course, Advanced Leaders Course, Jungle Operations Training Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course, Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Analysis and Exploitation Techniques Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Special Operations Target Interdiction Course, Jumpmaster Course, Warrant Officer Basic Course, and the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification Course .
Duskin's military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2), the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (3), the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (2), the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (2), the Army Service Ribbon, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Basic Parachutist Badge, and the Special Forces Tab.
He was posthumously awarded another Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, and Purple Heart Medal.
He is survived by his wife, three children, sister and parents.

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Afghan insider attacks will increase – Taliban

Taliban insurgents will increase the number of insider attacks against coalition and Afghan forces, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 52 foreign troops so far this year, the movement’s reclusive leader said on Wednesday.

In an emailed statement congratulating Muslims as they prepare to celebrate the Eid al-Adha holiday, Mullah Mohammad Omar urged “every brave Afghan in the ranks of the foreign forces and their Afghan hirelings to strike them.”

“Jihadist activities inside the circle of the state militias are the most effective stratagem. Its dimension will see further expansion, organisation and efficiency,” he said. “Increase your efforts to expand the area of infiltration in the ranks of the enemy.”

The surge in insider attacks is throwing doubt on the capability of the Afghan security forces to take over from international troops ahead of a planned handover to the Afghans in 2014. It has further undermined public support for the 11-year war in NATO countries, the Associated Press reports.

The attacks have not been limited to members of the NATO-led international coalition. More than 50 Afghan members of the government’s security forces also have died this in attacks by their own colleagues.

The Taliban leader also claimed his fighters were winning the war and vowed to continue the struggle “against the invaders who have invaded our country until the occupation ends completely.”

“We told the enemy 11 years ago that their coming (to the country) will be easy but their presence and exit will be full of complications,” he said.

Omar also exhorted his fighters to “pay full attention to the prevention of civilian casualties,” saying the enemy was trying to blame them on the insurgents.

Last week the United Nations called on the Taliban leadership to stop the use of homemade roadside bombs and mines. The Taliban say they use only remote-controlled roadside bombs which — unlike the mines automatically activated by pressure-plates — allow a bomber to choose the time of the blast and specifically target coalition troops and their Afghan allies.

Insurgent-placed homemade bombs, also known as improvised explosive devices or IEDs, continue to be the deadliest weapon for civilians, according to the world body. IEDs killed 340 civilians and injured a further 599 over the past nine months, an increase of almost 30 per cent compared to the same period last year, the UN said.

from Punchng
October 24, 2012 by Agency Reporter

Related articles

• Taliban leader says insider attacks will increase (kansascity.com)
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• Taliban leader says insider attacks will increase (dailystar.com.lb)
• Taliban leader says insider attacks will increase (miamiherald.com)
• Taliban leader says insider attacks will increase (foxnews.com)

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Oct. 25., 2012. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition located two weapons caches and cleared four improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Oct. 24.

Kabul Province
Afghan National Army soldiers found and safely cleared an IED in Sarobi District.

Kapisa Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Mahmud-E Raqi District. The cache contained rockets, a launching pad and spare electrical parts.

Khowst Province
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Nadir Shah Kot District and one in Sabari District.

Afghan Border Police and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Khowst District. The cache contained blasting caps and radio controlled devices.

Logar Province
Afghan National Army soldiers found and safely cleared an IED in Pul-E Alam District.

Operations in RC-East are still ongoing.

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Royal Marine and British soldier killed in Afghanistan

Royal Marine and a soldier from 3 Medical Regiment killed in Afghanistan

A Military Operations news article

24 Oct 12

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must announce the deaths of a Royal Marine from 40 Commando Royal Marines and a soldier from 3 Medical Regiment on Wednesday 24 October 2012.

They died from injuries sustained whilst on patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand Province. Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Major Laurence Roche, said:

“I am extremely sorry to announce the deaths of a Royal Marine from 40 Commando and a soldier from 3 Medical Regiment serving with Task Force Helmand.
“This is dreadful news for all of us serving in Afghanistan. Our sincere condolences go to their families, friends and colleagues at this time of grief.”

Next of kin have been informed and have requested a period of grace before further details are released.

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from BBC:
25 October 2012 Last updated at 06:30 GMT 

A Royal Marine and a soldier have been killed while on patrol in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has said.

The personnel were a Marine from 40 Commando and a female soldier with 3 Medical Regiment, the BBC understands. Their families have been told.

Two other British female personnel have died in Afghanistan since 2001.

The BBC's Caroline Wyatt says an Afghan source reports the Britons were killed in the Nahr-e Saraj area by an Afghan ally but other locals dispute this.
If the source was correct the deaths would be among a number of so called green on blue attacks on coalition troops this year.

Our defence correspondent, in Kabul, said there were very sketchy details of what happened and an investigation was ongoing.

More information was expected from the Ministry of Defence on Thursday, she added.
Maj Martin Creighton, spokesman in Kabul for Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), outlined what was known about Wednesday's incident.

He told the BBC: "Initial reports, and current operational reports, indicate that this was an insurgent attack in which the British soldier and Royal Marine were killed, but we are aware that there are other interpretations of what happened and Isaf officials are currently working to determine what exactly did happen."

Maj Laurence Roche, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "I am extremely sorry to announce the deaths of a Royal Marine from 40 Commando and a soldier from 3 Medical Regiment serving with Task Force Helmand.
"This is dreadful news for all of us serving in Afghanistan. Our sincere condolences go to their families, friends and colleagues at this time of grief."

A total of 435 British military personnel have been killed in Afghanistan since operations started in 2001.

The first British women to die in action was Cpl Sarah Bryant, 26, from Cumbria, in June 2008. She was one of four soldiers to be killed when her Snatch Land Rover was caught in explosion in the Lashkar Gah area.

In April last year, Capt Lisa Jade Head, from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps died in a UK hospital from injuries suffered in an explosion while clearing roadside bombs in the Nahr-e Saraj area. The 29-year-old was from Huddersfield.

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