Afghanistan War News Updates -- January 19, 2012

Two U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets of Strike Fighter Squadron 31 fly a combat patrol over Afghanistan, Dec. 15, 2008. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmo

Afghan Air War Hits 3-Year Low -- Danger Room

Peace talks with the Taliban are just getting started. But one major component of the Afghanistan conflict — the air war — is rapidly winding down on its own.

In December, NATO planes flew 133 missions in which they fired off their weapons. That’s the lowest monthly total in three years, and more than a 50% drop from last December’s tally. And the air war shows no sign of picking up in 2012. In the first week of the year, the coalition launched just 18 strike sorties.

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan

Insurgents Kill Dozens in Southern Afghanistan -- New York Times
Combined Force Captures Taliban Leader -- US Department of Defense
Bombings, fighting, bloody Afghanistan -- UPI
Bomb attacks kill 19 in southern Afghanistan -- Washington Post
Car bomb at Afghanistan air base kills 7 civilians -- Yahoo News/AP
Afghan suicide attack 'kills six' at Kandahar airport -- BBC
Afghanistan blasts kill 13 in Helmand province -- BBC
Suicide Bomber Attacks Airfield in Southern Afghanistan -- Voice of America
Suicide bomber kills seven near Afghan airport -- CNN
16 killed in two attacks in southern Afghanistan -- AFP
Report: UK soldiers allegedly abused Afghan youths -- Stars and Stripes
Coalition limits details on troops killed by Afghans -- Stars and Stripes
Arkansas family loses second son in Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AP
Brother of slain former SEAL dies of wounds -- Washington Post

Taliban peace talks 'at risk' as Obama stalls on Guantánamo -- The Guardian
Analysts Cautious About Chances for Taliban Peace Talks -- Voice of America
Pakistan to re-open NATO route, Taliban talks falter -- Reuters
Pakistan to re-open NATO routes to Afghanistan, says official -- Economic Times
Avalanches kill 29 in northeastern Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AP

US military deaths in Afghanistan at 1,753 -- Yahoo News/AP