Iraq bombing kills three members of same family

BAGHDAD: Unknown attackers blew up a house north of the Iraqi capital Sunday, killing three members of a family including a five-year-old boy and also wounding a two-year-old girl, an interior ministry official said.

"Unknown gunmen planted three bombs around a house made of mud and reeds in the Taji area, causing it to completely collapse and killing a father, mother and a five-year-old boy," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The bombs exploded at about 4:00 am (0100 GMT), the official said, adding that a two-year-old girl survived but was wounded and taken to hospital.

 

from dailystar

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Al-Qaida gunmen kidnap government official in southeast Yemen

ADEN, Yemen, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Suspected al-Qaida gunmen kidnapped a Yemeni government official in the southeastern province of Hadramout on Sunday morning, a police officer told Xinhua.

Ahmed Juman, a security director of the Reida district in the east of Hadramout's provincial capital of Mukalla, was snatched from a main road near his residence by unknown gunmen believed to belong to the al-Qaida terrorist group, the police officer said on condition of anonymity.

The abductors put Juman in a pickup vehicle, taking him towards the insurgents-controlled town of Azzan in neighboring Shabwa province, the officer said.

Meanwhile, a security official told Xinhua anonymously that a roadside bomb killed three civilians in Qutun area in Hadramout when it struck their vehicle.

"A civilian car ran over a landmine which was planted by insurgents on the main road in an attempt to target vehicles of the security forces, leaving three civilians killed," the official said.

On March 22, the al-Qaida militants claimed responsibility for killing a Yemeni intelligence officer after kidnapping him also in Mukalla.

Several security and intelligence officials have been assassinated or kidnapped in recent months in southern Yemen, where hundreds of al-Qaida militants have overrun several cities due to security vacuum during last year's political upheaval.

In recent months, militants of the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch have carried out large-scale attacks and suicide bombings against government troops across the country's lawless southern regions.

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ISAF forces repel failed suicide attack on FOB Finley-Shields - RC-East PAO

Jalalabad District is located in the north-west of Nangarhar Province. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Insurgents here attacked an ISAF installation located here in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, at 1:53 p.m., April 15, allegedly killing one civilian with a vehicular-borne suicide bomb and small arms fire. Three insurgents were killed and one wounded and captured in the attack.

At approximately 1:30 p.m., a large explosion occurred outside Forward Operating Base Fenty, near the airfield located in Jalalabad. The attack caused no damage or injuries to the installation.

According to the Nangahar Governor’s Office, Afghan Security Forces responded to the scene of the explosion and captured 26 RPG rockets and two launchers, 1 PK-machine gun with 500 rounds, three AK-47 assault rifles, nine hand grenades, one pistol and several master keys. Four dead insurgents were recovered at the scene of the explosion.

The attack on Forward Operating Base Finley-Shields, which was quickly repulsed by the base defenders, sparked a fire on the base.

The incidents are currently under investigation.

video from Pajhwok:

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Swiss woman taken by gunmen in Mali's Timbuktu

(Reuters) - A Swiss woman who had stayed in the northern Malian town of Timbuktu after it was captured by Tuareg and Islamist rebels was taken from her house by unidentified gunmen on Sunday, a witness and several sources in the town said.

Yehia Tandina, one of the town's residents, said the woman, whom she identified only as Beatrice, was seized by armed men in turbans on Sunday afternoon. A neighbor of the Swiss woman who asked not to be named confirmed the incident.

A spokesman for the Swiss foreign ministry in the Swiss capital Berne said the ministry was looking into the report.

A mix of Tuareg separatist and Islamist rebels captured Timbuktu on April 1 in the final leg of their lightning advance southwards through Mali's desert north as government forces retreated in the chaotic aftermath of a coup in the capital.

The woman taken was described by several sources as a missionary who had lived in the town for a number of years and spoke several local languages.

"She is very well known in the town. She would walk around the town trying to convert people (to Christianity)," a resident of the town told Reuters, asking not to be named.
The sources said she was seized in the Abaradjou neighborhood.

Timbuktu, known for centuries as a key trading town in the Sahara and a seat of Islamic learning, had become a top tourist destination in Mali. But insecurity in recent years - including the abduction of several foreigners there by al Qaeda last year - had reduced visitors to a trickle.

In the days leading to the capture, most resident Westerners had left the town due to fears of being kidnapped and passed on to al Qaeda cells. Tuareg MNLA rebels smuggled two British citizens and a Frenchman out of the town following the rebel assault.

AQIM, al Qaeda's North African wing, which operates in the zone and has links to the Islamist rebels, is already holding 13 Westerners and has earned millions of dollars from ransom payments from previous kidnappings in recent years.

The declaration of a Tuareg rebel homeland in northern Mali has raised fears among Western security experts that the remote, inhospitable zone could become a secure haven for al Qaeda and a "rogue state" in West Africa.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Friday it was essential to prevent a "terrorist or Islamic state" emerging in northern Mali.

(Reporting by David Lewis and Adama Diarra; Additional reporting by Stephanie Ulmer-Nebehay in Geneva; Writing by David Lewis; Editing by Pascal Fletcher)

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New explosions rock Kabul after Afghan forces repel earlier attacks

continues updates on twitter:

heli's target building with one suicider.“@badpaddy: What a show from the Blackhawk. Nice 2 runs, well on target.”
— Bette Dam (@BetteDam) April 15, 2012

more videos at the bottom:
reuters, telegraph, rt, pajhwok, tolonews

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A series of explosions rocked central Kabul early Monday, the day after Afghan security forces said they repulsed a series of insurgent attacks in the capital and three other provinces.

The blasts followed periodic gunfire that lasted well into Sunday night in the Kabul district that houses allied embassies. But Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Seddiqi said the remaining insurgents "have no choice except surrendering or to be killed by the Afghan forces."

"They came today with more than 20 insurgents and suicide bombers and attacked four provinces," Seddiqi told CNN Sunday. "As a result, they got nothing, and 19 of them were killed."

The U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen, said the Afghans beat back the insurgents without allied assistance.

"They were on scene immediately, well-led and well-coordinated," Allen said. "They integrated their efforts, helped protect their fellow citizens and largely kept the insurgents contained." He said the attacks were meant to signal "that legitimate governance and Afghan sovereignty are in peril," but the Afghan response "is proof enough of that folly."

Seddiqi said two civilians were killed across the country, and 15 Afghan police officers were wounded. He said 15 of 19 suicide bombers were stopped before they could blow themselves up, with most of them killed by Afghan security forces.

And Lutfullah Mashal, a spokesman for the National Directorate of Security, said three men arrested in Kabul confessed to plotting to kill Karim Khalil, Afghanistan's second vice president. Two of the men planned to blow themselves up in Khalil's home, Mashal said.

The Taliban militia that once ruled most of Afghanistan claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying it launched fighters into battle with suicide vests, RPGs and hand grenades in Kabul and the provinces of Nangarhar, Paktia and Logar. But Mashal said the three men who targeted Khalil confessed to being members of the Haqqani network, a separate insurgent group that sometimes allies itself with the Taliban.

from CNN

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R.I.P. - Sgt. Tanner S. Higgins

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

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

            Sgt. Tanner S. Higgins, 23, of Yantis, Texas, died Apr. 14 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

            For more information please contact 75th Ranger Regiment public affairs office at 706-545-4260 or 706-604-5114.

---
Officials said he was on his third deployment to Afghanistan in support of the War on Terror. He deployed to Iraq once.

Higgins enlisted in the Army in 2007, straight out of high school. He was trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he also graduated from the Basic Airborne Course and Ranger Assessment and Selection Program.

Higgins was assigned to his company in July 2008 and had since served as a rifleman, grenadier, automatic rifleman, gun team leader and a Ranger team leader.

His military education included the Basic Airborne Course, Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, U.S. Army Ranger Course, Emergency Medical Technician Basic Course, U.S. Army Sniper School, and he was a Warrior Leader Course Distinguished Leadership Awardee.

Awards and decorations include the Ranger Tab, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Parachutist Badge and the U.S. Army Expert Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badge.

Higgins has also been awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three Campaign Stars, Iraq Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart.

Higgins is survived by his wife Shelby Lynn Higgins of Savannah, Georgia, his father Danny R. Higgins of Hurst, Texas, and his mother Patti D. Sells of Tybee Island, Georgia.

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Apr.15., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (Apr. 15) — An Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Taliban leader in Shah Wali Kot district, Kandahar province, today.The leader directed attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout Khakrez district. He also provided insurgents in Khakrez district with weapons, ammunition and equipment.As the security force moved toward the leader’s suspected location, multiple insurgents opened fire on the Afghan and coalition troops.  The force returned fire, killing the insurgent leader and several other insurgents who were armed with AK-47s, a sniper rifle, a pistol, and multiple grenades.Security forces also discovered multiple rocket-propelled grenade rounds, a mortar tube with mortar rounds and blasting caps, and detained one additional insurgent as a result of this operation. 
In other ISAF news throughout Afghanistan: 
North 
An Afghan led security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation in Baghlan-e Jadid district, Baghlan province, today. The leader directed roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district.The leader was apprehended in a building assessed to be a mosque.  Afghan Soldiers conducted the search, fired no shots, and no property was damaged. Coalition troops did not enter the building.
The security force detained multiple additional insurgents as a result of this operation. 
South 
In Nad ‘Ali district, Helmand province, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Taliban leader today. The leader oversees Taliban operations in Marjeh district including roadside bomb and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces.  He also attempts to enforce Taliban law on the Afghan civilians in the area.  The security force detained several suspected insurgents as a result of this operation. 
East 
An Afghan and coalition security force called for a precision airstrike during an operation in Nerkh district, Wardak province, today. Multiple insurgents were observed in the vicinity of Highway 1 setting up a heavy machine gun in preparation for an ambush.  After ensuring no civilians were in the vicinity of the target, the security force called for the airstrike. The strike killed multiple insurgents and destroyed the machine gun. A follow-on assessment of the area determined no civilians were harmed and no civilian property was damaged. 
In Khugyani district, Ghazni province, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Taliban leader today. The leader supervises roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district. He also targets local Afghan officials and attempts to enforce Taliban law on Afghan civilians. The security force detained multiple suspected insurgents and seized one artillery round and one mortar round as a result of this operation. 
Finally, an Afghan led security force conducted an operation to capture a Haqqani leader in Sabari district, Khost province, today. The leader coordinates roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district. He also supplies weapons and ammunition to insurgents in the area. The security force detained several suspected insurgents and seized one military uniform, a grenade and 100 rounds of small arms ammunition as a result of this operation.

 

Commander's Corner

Updates from Gen John R. Allen

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Media Leadership Matters with CSM Thomas Capel Episode 5 Episode 5 of "Leadership Matters," a bimonthly talk with the senior enlisted leader of the International Security … Leadership Matters with CSM Thomas Capel Episode 4 Episode 4 of "Leadership Matters," a bimonthly talk with the senior enlisted leader of International Security … Leadership Matters with CSM Thomas Capel Episode 3 Leadership Matters Episode 3 with CSM Thomas Capel. Discussions include recent events in Afghanistan, dress and …

ISAF News ISAF commander statement on insurgent attacks ANSF Responds to Kabul Attacks ISAF forces repel failed suicide attack on FOB Finley-Shields U.S. helps local government provide clean water in Kunar ISAF Joint Command morning operational update - April 15, 2012 ISAF Releases ISAF Articles

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Taliban attack prison in Pakistan, free 400 prisoners

According to Pakistan police officials, more than 300 prisoners escaped from a jail in northwest Pakistan early on Sunday after it was attacked by Islamist militants armed with guns and rocket propelled grenades.

The officials further added, some of those who escaped from the jail in the town of Bannu were militants.

The attack started at around 1:00 am (2000 GMT) and continued for two hours, with militants in cars and pick-up trucks shooting and lobbing grenades to force their way into the prison, a senior security official told Agence France Presse.

“Some 384 prisoners, including some hardcore militants, have escaped during the attack,” the official adding that the preliminary information suggests that there were some 944 prisoners in the jail according to the tally late Saturday.

In the meantime a local Police officer Shafique Khan says the militants attacked the prison in the city of Bannu in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before dawn Sunday. They freed 380 prisoners. It’s unclear how many of them were suspected militants.

A Taliban spokesman, Asimullah Mehsud, claimed their fighters freed 1,200 member of the group. The group is know to make exaggerated claims.

The Pakistani Taliban have waged a bloody war against the government over the past several years that has killed thousands of Pakistani officials and average citizens.

Major suicide bombings have eased in recent months, suggesting either security crackdowns have weakened the group, or it has changed tactics.

from KHAAMA

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US drones kill 21 AQAP fighters in separate strikes in southern Yemen

By Bill Roggio - April 14, 2012 - LWJ

Unmanned US strike aircraft killed 21 al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters in two separate strikes in southern Yemen over the past several days. One of the strikes took place in an area where Yemeni troops have been battling the terror group for nearly a week.

The Predators or the more heavily armed Reapers killed seven AQAP fighters as they traveled in a vehicle in the province of Baydah, according to The Associated Press. Yemeni officials claimed the AQAP fighters were traveling to the neighboring province of Abyan, where Yemeni troops have been fighting AQAP in the city of Lawdar for the past week.

In a separate strike on April 11, US drones killed 14 AQAP fighters in an attack on a convoy in Lawdar, according to Xinhua. "Foreign nationals," or AQAP fighters from outside of Yemen, were reported to have been killed in the strike.

Yemeni officials did not give the nationalities of those killed in today's strike, but Saudis, Somalis, and Pakistanis were reported to have been among those killed during fighting in Lawdar on April 11. Two "senior members" of AQAP, Dardish Ahmed Mohammed Taher and Imad al Manshaby, who was described as a "field leader," were among those killed, according to Saba Net.

Lawdar has been the scene of the latest major fighting in the widening AQAP insurgency in southern Yemen. The fighting in Lawdar began five days ago, when AQAP overran a military base and seized a "large quantity of heavy and medium weapons," according to the Yemen Post. Several tanks were said to have been seized, and at least one was destroyed in subsequent airstrikes.

The Yemeni military claims that more than 200 AQAP fighters have been killed in and around Lawdar over the past week. Dozens of Yemeni soldiers and tribesmen who back the government are also reported to have been killed.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/04/us_drones_kill_21_aq.php#ixzz1s6qlLPnU

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Apr.14., 2012. - ISAF Joint Command Evening Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (Apr. 14) — Afghan and coalition troops conducted an operation in search of an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in Rustaq district, Takhar province, today.The leader directed attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces.During the operation, the combined security force moved into position to conduct a callout for his surrender at the suspected location when the combined force came under fire. Assessing the immediate threat, the security force returned fire killing the leader and one other insurgent.The security force detained several additional suspected insurgents and seized multiple weapons and grenades as a result of the operation. 

In other ISAF news throughout Afghanistan: 

South 

Today, in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, an Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation. The leader directed roadside bombing and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces in Nahr-e Saraj and Sangin districts. He is also suspected in the assassination plot of an Afghan National Security Force commander. The security force detained two additional insurgents as a result of this operation. 

East  

An Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search of a Taliban leader, in Muhammad Aghah district, Logar province, today. The leader planned and conducted several roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district. As the security force conducted a callout for the surrender of the suspect, they came under fire from multiple insurgents within the compound. Assessing the immediate threat, the security force returned fire and called for an airstrike, which killed the Taliban leader and four additional insurgents. The security force detained several additional insurgents and seized two AK-47s as a result of this operation. 

An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani facilitator during an operation in Bak district, Khost province, today. The facilitator coordinated suicide attacks and improvised explosive device operations against Afghan and coalition forces in the area. He is also suspected of transporting suicide bombers for attacks across the country, including a suicide attack in spring 2011. The security force detained two additional suspected insurgents as a result of this operation. 
In Sayyidabad district, Wardak province, an Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation today. The leader supervised the construction and emplacement of roadside bombs used to attack Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district. He also facilitated the movement of Taliban fighters from Pakistan into Afghanistan. The security force detained one other insurgent and seized an AK-47 and a grenade as a result of this operation. 

Finally, an Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation to capture a Taliban leader in Zurmat district, Paktiya province, today. The leader coordinates roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces throughout the district. He also attempts to enforce Taliban law on Afghan civilians in the area. The security force detained two suspected insurgents as a result of this operation.

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