Explosion in Kabul injures 2 including a foreign national

At least two people were reportedly injured following an explosion in the 15th district of capital Kabul on Wednesday, police officials said.

Afghan interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi said a foreign national has also been injured following the blast which took place around 9am local time after a remote controlled IED device planted under the vehicle of a private security firm was detonated.

He said, “An explosive device was attached under a vehicle and went off near a security check post at the 15th district.”

The foreign national was reportedly working as an adviser for the private security company, Global Security Company. The health condition of the two individuals injured following the blast have been reported satisfactory.

No group has so far claimed responsibility behind the incident.

from KHAAMA
By Sayed Jawad - 27 Mar 2013, 11:14 am
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from Pajhwok report:
By Pajhwok reporter Mar 27, 2013 - 12:28

The explosion took place near the entrance to a base of Counternarcotics Special Operational Unit in the 16th police district, Syed Mehdi Kazimi, deputy spokesman for the counternarcotics ministry, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He said the bomb, placed in a Surf vehicle carrying the advisor, went off- when it was entering the office. The foreign consultant and his Afghan driver sustained slight injuries.

Taliban claimed responsibility of the explosion with their spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, saying the vehicle was exploded by a megnatic bomb.

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2 soldiers killed in attack on army checkpoint in Yemen

ADEN, Yemen, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Three secessionists attacked an army checkpoint in Yemen's southern province of al-Dhalea on Tuesday, killing at least two soldiers, a police source and some local residents told Xinhua.

The pro-secession gunmen attacked a key checkpoint in a eastern suburb of al-Dhalea province and tried to take control of it, killing at least two soldiers at the scene, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Also, some local residents told Xinhua that the attackers, riding two motorbikes, threw two grenades toward the soldiers at the checkpoint and then fled.

Army reinforcements were later deployed around the military site, according to witnesses.

Last week, Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi started a national dialogue to end the country's prolonged political crisis.

The talks aimed to end separatist movement in the south in order to preserve unity, draft a new constitution and pave the way for the parliamentary and presidential elections set for February 2014.

However, leaders of the separatist Southern Movement refused to join the talks, insisting that the government troops should withdraw from the south.

from XINHUA
2013-03-27 08:27:05

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In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 52 Armed Taliban Killed (Mar.27.2013.)

Publish Date: Mar 27, 2013

In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 52 Armed Taliban Killed

Counterterrorism:

In past 24 hours, Afghan National Police conducted several joint clearance operations with the cooperation of Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces to clean some of the areas from terrorists and enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan.


The operations were conducted in Logar, Ghazni, Zabul, Kandahar, Kunduz, Kapisa, Paktika, Paktiya, Helmand and Nimroz provinces, as a result 52 armed Taliban were killed, 45 wounded and 21 other armed Taliban were arrested by Afghan National Security Forces.                                                                                       

Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated some amount of light and heavy round ammunitions and IEDs.

During the same 24 hour period, Afghan National Police discovered and defused six different types of mines placed by enemies of Afghanistan for destructive activities in Herat, Faryab and Kunar provinces.

Counter Crimes:

The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained four suspects accused of theft and drug trafficking in the Bagrami, 3rd and 13th Districts of Kabul-City.

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23 Armed Taliban Killed in Logar Province

Districts of Logar. This image does not include Azra district, located to the east of Khoshi and Mohammad Agha. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Publish Date: Mar 27, 2013
23 Armed Taliban Killed in Logar Province

Counterterrorism:

Afghan National Police with cooperation of the Afghan National Army and Coalition Forces launched a joint clearance operation in the Sjawand village, Baraki Brak district of Logar province yesterday 26/March/2013.

As a result of this operation, 23 armed Taliban were killed and 26 other armed Taliban were arrested.                                                                                       

Also, during this operation, Afghan National Security Forces discovered and confiscated some amount of light and heavy round ammunitions and IEDs.

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Mar. 27., 2013. - ISAF Joint Command Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition security forces confirmed today the death of a Taliban leader, Sadat, in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, Sunday.

Sadat exercised operational control over a group of fighters responsible for conducting multiple attacks on Afghan and coalition forces throughout Helmand province. In addition, he procured weapons for Taliban fighters and coordinated the emplacement of improvised explosive devices.

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Mar. 27., 2013. - RC-East operational update

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared one improvised explosive device, discovered three weapons caches and detained 19 suspected insurgents during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, March 26.

Ghazni province
Afghan National Security Forces detained one suspected insurgent during operations in the Gelan district. The suspected insurgent was taken to a base for questioning.

Logar province
Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared an IED during operations in the Pul-E-Alam district.

Afghan National Security Forces detained seven suspected insurgents during operations in the Pul-E-Alam district. The suspected insurgents were taken to a base for questioning

Paktika province
Afghan National Security Forces captured five suspected insurgents during operations in the Giyan district. The suspected insurgents were taken to a base for questioning.

Afghan National Security Forces discovered three weapons cache sites during operations in the Lajah Ahmadkhel district. The cache sites consisted of five rocket tubes, four hand grenades, a small-arms rifle and multiple IED making materials.

Afghan National Security Forces detained two suspected insurgents during operations in the Lajah Ahmadkhel district. The suspected insurgents were taken to a base for questioning.

Afghan National Security Forces detained four suspected insurgents during operations in the Zerok district. The suspected insurgents were taken to a base for questioning.

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Abducted Israeli, Norwegian tourists freed in Egypt

CAIRO, March 26 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli man and a Norwegian woman who were kidnapped Friday in Egypt's governorate of South Sinai have been freed, a local security source told Xinhua Tuesday.

The release came after two days of negotiations between the security authorities and the kidnappers under the mediation of tribal elders, the source said.

The freed hostages, both in good conditions, are going back to their home countries on separate ways -- the Israeli man through the port of Taba adjacent to Israel and the Norwegian woman heading for Cairo for a flight home.

The security authorities confirmed that the kidnappers had been pressing for the release of their jailed family members in exchange for freeing the hostages, who were held by them in a cave area in central Sinai.

The two were abducted by armed tribesman when they were travelling on Taba-Dahb highway of South Sinai four days ago.

"Armed tribesmen intercepted the tourists' car and then forced the two tourists and their driver into their truck," but the driver was released shortly, sources told Xinhua after the Friday kidnapping.

Kidnapping of tourists in Sinai by Bedouins repeated lately, but almost all of them were released without casualties with the help of tribe leaders.

from XINHUA
2013-03-26 15:11:51

Related articles

• Egyptian Bedouin Kidnap Two Tourists (allafrica.com)
• Abducted Israeli, Norwegian set free in Egypt (foxnews.com)

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Afghanistan car bomb attack injures 10 British troops

English: Cropped version of a larger map to show detail around Lashkar Gah (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One of the injured soldiers is airlifted to Camp Bastion after blast and gun battle in which five insurgents are killed
At least 10 British troops have been injured in a suspected suicide car bomb attack on a patrol base in Afghanistan's Helmand province. The insurgents followed up the blast with small arms fire on the base in Nad Ali, one of the districts where UK troops have been based during their time in the country.

Five insurgents were killed in the attack on the base on Monday night, which is jointly operated by the Afghan army and troops from Nato's International Security and Assistance Force (Isaf).

Though no Isaf troops died in the attack, it is understood one British soldier was severely wounded and airlifted by helicopter to Camp Bastion, the main UK base in the province. Most of the others were "walking wounded". Members of the Afghan national security force were also among the injured.

The attack is the boldest the insurgents have undertaken during the winter months – no UK soldiers have been killed here since January, making it one of the quietest tours the British have experienced since troops were deployed here in 2006.

Isaf said: "We can confirm that last night in Nad Ali district, Helmand province, insurgents attacked a combined Afghan and Isaf patrol base with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device and small arms fire. A number of insurgents were killed. Several Isaf service members were wounded in the attack. There were no Isaf fatalities. The base is secured and fully operational."

Nad Ali was a Taliban hotbed when the UK first arrived, but has been regarded as one of the success stories in recent years, as British and Afghan forces have taken control of the populated areas, driving the insurgents into the desert hinterland.

It is of the districts in Helmand that has been "transitioned" to Afghan control as Isaf steps back from frontline duties, leaving security almost entirely in the hands of the Afghans.

from The Guardian
Nick Hopkins in Lashkar Gah
Tuesday 26 March 2013 10.54 GMT   

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8 suicide bombers, 5 police killed in Jalalabad attack

NATO and Afghan troops arrive at the site of a suicide attack in Jalalabad, March 26, 2013.
(PARWIZ/REUTERS)

JALALABAD (PAN): More than a dozen people were killed on Tuesday when a group of suicide bombers stormed the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) headquarters in eastern Nangarhar province, officials said.

(more photos from REUTERS)

Eight suicide bombers and five police personnel were killed in the audacious predawn assault in Jalalabad, the provincial capital, a police spokesman said.

Col. Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal told Pajhwok Afghan News that several civilians were wounded in the bomb attack, followed by intense gunfire. Some of the bombers blew themselves up, while eight others were killed by police.

But the provincial police chief Lt. Gen. Mohammad Sharif Amin put the number of assailants at eight, saying that one of them detonated his explosives-laden Surf vehicle in front of the QRF headquarters.

Moments after the ensuing clash, another bomber detonated his car, the police chief told reporter. Five suicide attackers were shot dead in the gunbattle, he said, praising the policemen for showing exemplary courage.

Five policemen were killed and four others injured as a result of the incident, according to Gen. Amin, who said the QRF had been able to thwart a major terror plot.

A doctor, meanwhile, said on condition of anonymity that 13 injured, including six policemen, had been evacuated to the Jalalabad Civil Hospital. The wounded are in stable condition.

As usual, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The group’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that dozens of Afghan and foreign security personnel had been killed. He acknowledged the loss of only five fighters.

A guard at the provincial police headquarters, situated close to the scene, said he saw one vehicle exploding. “Two people standing in front of a four-storey building in the area asked me to open the door.

“When I took a close at them, they had weapons beneath their sheets. I gunned down both,” the policeman said, claiming that they wanted to attack the QRF compound from the market.

Area resident Hekmatullah said he heard a big explosion at 4.30am. A little while later, there was a burst of gunfire, he said. The resident had no idea about the casualties.

from Pajhwok
By Mahbob Shah Mahbob Mar 26, 2013 - 07:06

Related articles

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• Seven suicide bombers attack Afghan police base (pakistan.onepakistan.com.pk)
• Seven suicide bombers attack Afghan police base: police (dawn.com)
• Suicide bombers kill Afghan police (guardian.co.uk)

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In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 23 Armed Taliban Killed (Mar.26.2013.)

Publish Date: Mar 26, 2013

In Several Joint Clearance Operations, 23 Armed Taliban Killed

Counterterrorism:

In past 24 hours, Afghan National Police conducted several joint clearance operations with the cooperation of Afghan National Army, NDS and Coalition Forces to clean some of the areas from terrorists and enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan.


The operations were conducted in Nangarhar, Laghman, Badakhshan, Kandahar, Paktiya and Helmand provinces, as a result 23 armed Taliban were killed and nine other armed Taliban were arrested by Afghan National Security Forces.

Also, during these operations, Afghan National Police discovered and confiscated some amount of light and heavy round ammunitions and IEDs.

During the same 24 hour period, Afghan National Police discovered and defused six anti-vehicle mines placed by enemies of Afghanistan for destructive activities in Uruzgan province.

Counter Crimes:

The 101 Kabul Zone National Police detained four suspects accused of theft in the 5th and 13th Districts of Kabul-City.

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