Afghanistan War News Updates -- February 21, 2011

U.S. Army Pfc. Kevin March watches out for patrolling soldiers as he pulls security from a cliff, which overlooks the Arghandab River valley in Afghanistan's Kandahar province, Jan. 31, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Breanne Py

Afghan Attacks Kill Scores Over Weekend -- Wall Street Journal

KABUL—A weekend of violence left scores of people dead in Afghanistan, with 38 slain in attack on a bank branch by five suicide bombers disguised as Afghan soldiers, and dozens more reported killed in a coalition bombardment of a remote valley, Afghan officials said.

The bombardment of the Egal Valley in eastern Kunar province began four days ago, said Haji Mia Hassan, chairman of the provincial council. He said in a telephone interview Sunday that the valley had been cut off by Afghan and coalition forces but that reports filtering out of the area indicated at least 65 people had been killed, many of them women children.

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More News On Afghanistan

Afghan police: At least 30 killed in suicide blast -- Yahoo News/AP
Suicide bomber kills 30 as Afghan violence spreads -- Reuters
26 killed in Afghan suicide attack -- Sify News
Afghan suicide bomber in Kunduz 'kills dozens' -- BBC
Taliban claims suicide attack with 31 dead in northern Afghanistan -- Xinhuanet
Suicide bomber kills 30 in Afghanistan's north -- L.A. Times
Afghan suicide attack kills, wounds dozens -- UPI

Afghan officials allege that 65 civilians were killed in U.S. military operation -- Washington Post
Coalition attack killed 50 civilians, Afghans say -- Miami Herald/McClatchy News
Afghanistan says 50 civilians killed in Western battle with insurgents -- L.A. Times
Nato team 'killed women and children in botched night raid' -- The Australian
Joint Afghan, NATO team to investigate alleged killing of civilians in Kunar province -- Xinhuanet
NATO Strike Kills Afghan Family -- Voice of America
Fresh Civilian Casualties Weigh On NATO-Kabul Relations -- Radio Free Europe
Innocent Civilians or Taliban Insurgents? -- Global Post
Factbox: Civilian casualties in Afghanistan -- Reuters

Afghan military organizes massive operation -- Vancouver Sun
'Diplomatic surge' to help end Afghan war, Clinton says -- CNN
Big gains reported in Afghan town that Taliban once owned -- Kansas City, McClatchy News
Taliban marginalized in former stronghold, U.S. general says -- Miami Herald/McClatchy News
A Silver Star Recipient’s Heroism and Humility -- New York Times
Fast food returns to troops in Afghanistan -- Rapid City Journal
UK's Muslim soldiers ‘fighting extremists not Muslims' -- BBC

The ‘Long War’ May Be Getting Shorter -- Nathaniel Fick and John Nagl, New York Times
Afghanistan: Weren't we meant to be winning by now? -- Brian Brady, The Independent