Afghanistan War News Updates -- July 20, 2009

A U.S. Marine with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, RCT 2nd Battalion 8th Marines Echo Co. raises his weapon during a search after seeing suspicious activity near their base in Mian Poshteh, Afghanistan. The Marines are part of Operation Khanjari which was launched to take areas in the Southern Helmand Province that Taliban fighters are using as a resupply route and to help the local Afghan population prepare for the upcoming presidential elections. Joe Raedle / Getty Images

NATO: British Fighter Jet Crashes At Afghan Base -- Yahoo News/AP

KABUL – A British fighter jet crashed inside NATO's largest base in southern Afghanistan on Monday in the second major crash there in two days. Fourteen Afghan civilians died in two incidents, including three killed when German troops opened fire on their vehicle, Afghan officials said.

The Royal Air Force GR4 Tornado crashed inside Kandahar Airfield during takeoff at 7:20 a.m. Afghanistan time (0250 GMT; 22:50 Sunday EDT), said Capt. Ruben Hoornveld, a spokesman for the NATO-led force. The two-member crew ejected and were being treated for unspecified injuries at the base hospital.

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More News On Afghanistan

NATO jet crashes in Afghanistan, two hurt: military -- AFP
RAF pair safe after Afghan crash -- BBC
NATO aircraft crashes in southern Afghanistan -- Reuters
NATO soldier killed in S Afghanistan -- China View
UK soldier killed in Afghanistan -- BBC
British soldier killed by bomb while on patrol in Afghanistan -- Times Online
Blast kills 12 civilians in west Afghanistan -- Reuters
16 Killed in Copter Crash at Afghan Base -- New York Times
Civilian Helicopter Crashes in Afghanistan, 16 Killed -- Voice of America
Two Russians seriously injured in Afghanistan helicopter crash -- RIA Novosti
Marines Face Stiff Taliban Resistance -- Washington Post
U.S. military's new Afghan formula faces tough test -- Reuters
Shortage of bomb teams means troops have had to leave live Taliban bombs outside their bases for weeks -- Mirror
Afghan Villagers Attack Taliban -- Wall Street Journal
U.S. increasing counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan -- L.A. Times
Gates: US has one year to make progress in Afghanistan -- Christian Science Monitor
Labour at War over Afghanistan -- Daily Telegraph
John Hutton Breaks Silence to Fight for the Generals -- The Times
Hamid Karzai says bring Taliban to table -- Times Online
Pentagon Seeks Prison Overhaul in Afghanistan -- New York Times
Captors release video of U.S. soldier who went missing in Afghanistan -- L.A. Times
Danger Room in Afghanistan’s ‘Boomtown -- The Danger Room
Troop Levels Must be Reviewed -- John Hutton, Daily Telegraph opinion
Afghanistan: Troops are More Important than Political Points -- Daily Telegraph editorial
A Sad Loss, A Just Cause -- The Australian editorial
FACTBOX-Military deaths in Afghanistan -- Reuters