Afghanistan War News Updates -- February 5, 2011

American soldiers on patrol last month in Kandahar, Afghanistan, found and blew up a Taliban bunker. An influx of troops has begun to change the area. Michael Kamber for The New York Times

In The Taliban’s Heartland, U.S. And Afghan Forces Dig In -- New York Times

PASHMUL, Afghanistan — If the commander of coalition forces, Gen. David H. Petraeus, has sounded triumphant lately — telling his officers they have their teeth in the enemy’s jugular — this newly conquered patch of southern Afghanistan is one reason for that.

This district, Zhare, is the heartland of the Taliban insurgency, the historical birthplace of the Taliban movement, and the ancestral home of many of its top leadership, including Mullah Muhammad Omar, the onetime ruler of Afghanistan, whose family lived not far up the road.

Three months ago the area was an uninhabited war zone where Taliban fighters roamed freely. A Taliban flag flew over the village.

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan

Bombs kill 2 NATO troops in southern Afghanistan -- Washington Post/AP
Two soldiers killed in Afghanistan bombings -- AFP
Soldier from Northern Ireland dies in Afghanistan -- BBC
British soldiers dies in accident in southern Afghanistan -- Canadian Press
Two NATO troops, 19 militants killed in Afghanistan -- Sify News
Afghan skirmishes kill 16 militants, 2 NATO soldiers -- Xinhuanet
ISAF Joint Command morning operational update -- Dvids
Suicidal Islamist Fails to Kill Kandahar Police Chief -- War On Terror News
Afghan Kandahar Province Experiences a Day of Bomb Attacks -- CRIEnglish
2009 Afghan detainee stats revealed -- Vancouver Sun/Post Media News
Canadians captured more Taliban in 2009 than any other year -- Toronto Star
ISAF probing Afghan civilian casualties -- UPI
The Real Plan B in AfPak: Keeping China Out, Bringing India In, Calming Turkey Down -- Tony Corn, Small Wars Journal