Three New Zealand soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan

Three New Zealand soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan, when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Bamiyan province.
The New Zealand Defence Force has confirmed the three were part of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan province.

It says the three men were in the last vehicle of a convoy that was hit by an an improvised explosive device, northwest of Do Abe where the other two soldiers died two weeks ago.

The Taliban has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack..

Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Rhys Jones says he is deeply saddened by this loss.

"On behalf of the entire New Zealand Defence Force, I extend my deepest sympathies to the families, colleagues and friends of the personnel involved," he said.

Prime Minister John Key has paid tribute to the soldiers and says today's events underscore the gravity of the situation New Zealand's soldiers face daily in Afghanistan.

"The three brave soldiers paid the ultimate price for their selfless work and my thoughts are with their families and friends as they mourn their loved ones," he said.

Mr Key has previously ruled out bringing forward the scheduled withdrawal of New Zealand troops from Afghanistan next year.

Five New Zealand soldiers have died in Afghanistan in two weeks.

Earlier this month, two New Zealand soldiers were killed and six wounded in an insurgent attack blamed on a small band of hardcore militants said to have infiltrated the province to undermine security, targeting foreign and Afghan security forces.

Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae says the latest incident is a 'great tragedy', coming so soon after those deaths.

"The soldiers were part of New Zealand's Provincial Reconstruction Team, which for many years has worked tirelessly to bring peace and security to the lives of the people of Bamyan province," he said.

"Their service has brought great credit to New Zealand and the New Zealand Defence Force."
New Zealand has now lost 10 soldiers in Afghanistan.

from au.news.yahoo.com
Updated August 20, 2012, 6:39 am

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Kiwi soldiers killed in Afghanistan named

LCPL Pralli Durrer (L) and LCPL Rory Malone

The families of the two New Zealand soldiers slain in Afghanistan on Saturday night say they are proud of their commitment to the army.

Lance Corporals Rory Malone and Pralli Durrer, both 26, were killed after a fierce three-minute gun fight in a village near Do Abe, in the north east of Bamiyan Province.

They were deployed to Afghanistan as part of the Provincial Reconstruction team in April 2012.

The families of the men both released statements at a press conference today, expressing their loss and speaking of the commitment they had made to the armed forces.

"Rory's family is extremely proud of his service to the NZ Army. Rory went to Afghanistan to do what he considered an important job which contributed to the greater good of the region.

"He did his job with honour and pride. Rory will be dearly missed by his family," Malone's family said.

Durrer's family said: "We are all thankful for the 26 years we had with Pralli and are proud af all that he accomplished in his short time with us.

"He has had a rewarding career as a soldier and we know he had a positive effect on all those he worked alongside throughout his time with the NZ Army."

Malone, from Auckland, joined the Territorial Force in November 2002 and transferred to the Regular Force as a rifleman in September 2005. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in July 2011.


Durrer, from Christchurch, joined the New Zealand Army in June 2004 as a rifleman. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in September 2012.

Minister of Defence Jonathan Coleman said the families could be "extremely" proud of the men's service records.

Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Rhys Jones again expressed his sympathies to the families and friends of the deceased on behalf of the NZDF.

"Both Lance Corporal Malone and Lance Corporal Durrer are now in Bagram Air Base while arrangements are made for their repatriation to New Zealand.

He said the NZDF hoped to have the fallen soldiers home by the middle of the week.

Both the families have asked for privacy and time to grieve by themselves.

Six other New Zealand soldiers were also wounded in the attack, and are recovering in hospital. One of the men was shot in the neck and is in a critical condition.

"We also wish the six wounded men a speedy recovery. they are in good hands and we are looking forward to them being safely back home," Coleman said.

The deaths are the first double fatality on Afghan soil that the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has suffered since the war began.

Jones also said today the base in Do Abe was attacked by insurgents again last night, but there were no casualties.

Read more: http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/kiwi-soldiers-killed-in-afghanistan-named-5007796

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Taliban district chief arrested in Bamiyan province

According to local authorities in Bamiyan province of Afghanistan, Afghan security forces detained Taliban district chief in Saighan.

The officials further added Mullah Abdul Kabir was arrested by Afghan security forces along with some weapons and ammunition including 1 RPG, 2 missiles, 120 rounds of AK-47 and PK ammos, some explosive materials and 3 remote controls.

Provincial security media office chief Ahmad Aliyar said Taliban district chief Mullah Abdul Kabir was arrested after carrying out a failed suicide bomb blast to target Saighan district chief.

Mr. Aliyar further added Afghan security forces seized some documents from Mullah Abdul Kabir which shows he had conducted his classes in a religious school “Jame Ashhad-ul-Tawhid” in Peshawar city of Pakistan and was later send to Bamiyan province of Afghanistan.

In the meantime Mullah Abdul Kabir said a number of religious clerics of Afghanistan is also being trained in religious Madrasas in Pakistan.

He said he was elected as district chief for Saighan while he was being trained in Peshawar city of Pakistan.

Districts of Bamyan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mullah Abdul Kabir also said Taliban group was being supported and organized by United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Pakistan’s Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) and 25 other Islamic and Western nations.

According to local security officials, this is the second time Afghan security forces arrest nominated Taliban leader in Bamiyan province of Afghanistan.

Afghan security forces arrested nominated Taliban provincial governor Mullah Burhanuddin for Bamiyan province last yet.

Taliban militants group yet to comment regarding the report.

from KHAAMA
By Sajad - Sun Jun 24, 12:09 pm

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Several school girls poisoned in Bamiyan province

According to local authorities in Bamiyan province, more than 46 school students were poisoned in Karta-e-Sol school in this province.

Provincial education chief Reza Ada confirming the report said majority of the students who were poisoned today were school girls and were taken to provincial hospital for treatment.

In the meantime deputy provincial public health chief Dr. Mehr Ali Hasani said at least 116 school students were poisoned and were taken to the hospitals and the number of poisoned students are dramatically increasing.

This comes as a number of school students in Shirin Hazara School were poisoned recently in this province.

Several students, majority of them who are school girls have been poisoned in various provinces of Afghanistan during the past few months.

Afghan Intelligence officials accuse Taliban group for poisoning school students however Taliban militants deny being involved in attacking school students.

from KHAAMA
By Sajad - Tue Jun 19, 3:42 pm

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• Several school girls poisoned in Bamiyan province (khaama.com)

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Afghan insurgents target safest province Bamiyan

Districts of Bamyan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

KABUL: Insurgents have stepped up attacks in the area thought to be Afghanistan’s safest, the rugged central province of Bamiyan, moving into the region in a bid to undermine security ahead of the end-2014 exit from the country of most foreign combat troops.   

Around 20 Taliban fighters from neighboring Baghlan province have crossed into Bamiyan and launched attacks in several districts, Bamiyan Police Chief General Juma Guldi Yardem told Reuters on Tuesday.

“They usually plant roadside bombs, lead attacks on security checkpoints and some have even launched suicide attacks on some government offices,” Yardem said.

Bamiyan was a focus of world attention in March 2001 when Afghanistan’s former Taliban government destroyed two colossal sandstone Buddhas carved into cliffs, targeting the 1,700 year-old statues with tank and anti-aircraft guns, as well as dynamite, because they were un-Islamic.

The province, where most people belong to the Hazara ethnic group, opposed to the Pashtun-dominated Taliban, is located in the Hindu Kush mountains around 240 km (150 miles) northwest of Kabul, and had been thought to be one of the country’s safest areas.

Though infrequent bombings and sporadic attacks have taken place, the government had been working on making the province a centre for tourism, albeit in limited form, with security provided by Afghan police and a small number of soldiers from New Zealand.

It is home also to the Bande Amir chain of lakes, whose deep blue waters are fenced by sheer limestone cliffs.

Yardem said the insurgents, who he claimed had been trained in Pakistan, attacked a police checkpoint in Kohmard district in April, and also laid roadside bombs targeting civilians.

“The insurgents are attempting these attacks in Bamiyan to create fear and panic among people, and make a safe province insecure,” he said.

Bamiyan was one of the first provinces to be handed over to Afghan security forces in July 2011, with around 1,000 lightly armed Afghan police and intelligence forces based there, but no Afghan soldiers.

“As soon as they find a security vacuum, they step up attacks,” Yardem said. “It’s obviously affecting Bamiyan’s security.”

He said he was asking the Afghan interior ministry and security forces in neighboring Baghlan to step up offensive operations against the insurgents, because if attacks were to continue there would be insufficient police officers to guard Bamiyan.

Abdul Rahman Ahmadi, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said security in the province was still comparatively good. European skiers even held an international competition in the area in March, taking advantage of heavy winter snows.

“Bamiyan is safe and secure, but there are some exceptions,” Ahmadi said.

New Zealand’s government earlier this month said soldiers from that country would leave Afghanistan in 2013, a year earlier that planned, because of security improvements in Bamiyan, with a team ready to assess security in the next few weeks.

Violence has surged across Afghanistan since the Taliban began its yearly summer offensive in April, vowing to target Afghan government and security forces, as well as the 130,000 foreign troops in the country.

from DAWN

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