Two militants, five soldiers killed in Yemen

map by Evan Centanni (www.polgoenow.com)

Two militants and five soldiers were killed on Thursday during a Yemeni army raid on a mountainous area where insurgents linked to al-Qaeda have been holed up since they were driven out of two southern towns last year, military sources said.

Two suspected members of Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law) were also captured in the raid, launched on Thursday morning with army tanks and artillery.

Yemeni military sources said the campaign was aimed at flushing out militants who have taken refuge in caves in the area after they were driven out of Jaar and Zinjibar in a U.S.-backed Yemeni military offensive last year.

Ansar al-Sharia, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), took advantage of a power vacuum during the 2011 popular protests against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh to seize the two towns.

Most of the militants fled to the desert or into remote mountain regions, where they have been waging hit-and-run attacks on army installations or military personnel.

“Five army soldiers were killed, 10 were injured and one popular committee member was killed,” said an army source referring to local militiamen allied with the government.

The United States and its allies are concerned about the presence of AQAP and its affiliates next door to the world’s top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, and close to key global shipping lanes.

AQAP is believed by Washington to be the most active branch of the global network and has plotted a number of botched attempts against U.S. targets. U.S. drones have repeatedly launched air strikes against its members.

The Yemeni army is waging a separate operation to the north-east against suspected Islamist militants in al-Bayda province, where three Western hostages are believed to be held.

At least six insurgents and 14 government soldiers have been killed in the fighting since it began on Monday with some 8,000 Yemeni soldiers involved. Eleven of the 14 soldiers died in a suicide bombing outside the town of Radda.

The fighting was suspended on Wednesday while tribal leaders tried to secure the release of the hostages -- a Finnish couple and an Austrian man who were kidnapped by tribesmen last month but were later sold to the insurgents.

from AL ARABIYA
Last Updated: Thu Jan 31, 2013 19:51 pm (KSA) 16:51 pm (GMT)

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Taliban district chief killed in eastern Afghanistan

According to local security officials in eastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan, a senior Taliban leader and district chief was killed in Andar district.
Provincial security chief for eastern Ghazni province Zarawar Zahid confirming the report said the Taliban district chief Mullah Adam Khan also known as Mullah Jan was killed in this province.

Mr. Zahid further added Mullah Adam Khan was killed following a military operation by Afghan national police forces in Ali village at Andar district on Wednesday night.

Ghazni is among the most volatile region in eastern Afghanistan where Taliban militants and other insugent groups have increased their acitivities during the recent years.

Increased insurgency in Ghazni province forced local residents to pick weapons against the militants which led to an overall public uprising across the province.

In the meantime provincial security chief Zarawar Zahid said the Taliban district chief killed was one of the prominent member of the Taliban group who was coordinating attacks against the Afghan and coalition security forces.

Taliban militants group yet to comment regarding the report.

from KHAAMA
By Sayed Jawad - 31 Jan 2013, 2:53 pm

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Jan. 31., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces killed one insurgent, located two weapons caches and cleared eight improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Jan. 30.

Paktika province

Coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sharan district.

Afghan National Army soldiers found and safely cleared two IEDs in Zerok district.

Paktya province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Chamkani district.

Ghazni province

Afghan National Security Forces discovered an IED cache during an operation in Deh Yak district. The cache contained four remote controlled IEDs. Afghan National Army soldiers safely cleared all of the devices.

Coalition forces discovered a weapons cache during an operation in Ghazni district. The cache contained several dozen mortar rounds and barrels of an unknown substance.

Khowst province

Afghan and coalition forces killed one insurgent during an engagement in Nadir Shah Kot district.

Afghan and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Nadir Shah Kot district.

Laghman province

Afghan National Army soldiers found and safely cleared three IEDs in Alishing district.

Operations in RC-East are ongoing.

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10 militants killed in Helmand

LASHKARGAH (PAN): Two bomb planters were among 10 insurgents killed in two separate incidents in the southern province of Helmand, officials said on Thursday.

Eight rebels were killed and three others wounded on Wednesday during an operation by police in the Nahr-i-Siraj area of Grishk district, the governor’s spokesman, Ahmad Zirak, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Two weapons, a walkie talkie, hundreds of bullets, a car and four motorcycles were seized by police as a result of the operation, he said. A policeman was also injured in the offensive, he added.

Meanwhile, two bomb planters were killed by their own explosives when they wanted to plant a roadside bomb on the Kandahar-Helmand highway in the Sarkar Veyala area of the province, a local police commander, Col. Abdul Satar Noorzai, said.

However, a Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, claimed they killed two Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers in Grishk and a policeman in Sangin district.

from Pajhwok
By Shams Jalal Jan 31, 2013 - 12:30

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AQIM, Ansar al-Din bosses flee Kidal

map by Evan Centanni (www.polgeonow.com)

Malian and French forces recaptured Kidal on Wednesday (January 30th), forcing the main Islamist chiefs to flee their last holdout in northern Mali, AFP reported.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) katibat leader Abou Zeid and Ansar al-Din chief Iyad Ag Ghaly have reportedly retreated to the Adrar des Ifoghas mountain region bordering Algeria and Niger.

Meanwhile, at a donor conference in the Addis Ababa Tuesday, African leaders and international officials pledged more than 340m euros to support Mali.

Lack of cash and equipment has hampered the deployment of nearly 6,000 troops in the African-led force for Mali (AFISMA).

from MAGHAREBIA
30/01/2013

Related articles

• French forces take key Mali town (bbc.co.uk)
• French troops deployed in last Mali rebel strongholds - Reuters (reuters.com)

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