Taliban Have Launched A Number Of Coordinated Attacks Across Afghanistan

Smoke rises from police headquarters while Afghan security forces keep watch after a suicide car bomber and gunmen attacked the provincial police headquarters in Gardez, the capital of Paktia province, Afghanistan October 17, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer

DW: Coordinated attacks, car bomb blasts rock Afghanistan

Hundreds of Taliban fighters stormed a police HQ in Afghanistan after driving an explosive-laden Humvee into the center of the Andar district. Elsewhere, a reinforcement convoy and a police training center were also hit.

Security forces were battling jihadists in at least two locations in Afghanistan, with dozens reported killed, officials said on Tuesday.

An attack in Ghazni province saw Taliban militants drive a stolen Humvee into the administrative center of Andar district and detonate the vehicle near the police headquarters and the seat of the district governor. Some 300 Taliban fighters then attacked the area. At least 30 members of the security forces were killed in the explosion and the subsequent gunfight, the DPA news agency reported, citing provincial council member Amanullah Kamran.

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More News On Today's Coordinated Attacks Across Afghanistan

Afghan officials: Taliban wave of attacks kills at least 74 -- AP
Taliban attacks kill at least 69 across Afghanistan -- Reuters
Afghanistan Taliban suicide attacks kill dozens -- BBC
Suicide bombers, gunmen kill 71 in attacks on Afghan security forces -- AFP
At least 33 dead in Afghanistan suicide bombing -- UPI
Carnage after Taliban militants strike Afghan police -- AFP
Deadly attack hits Afghan police training centre -- Al Jazeera
Back to back heavy explosions rocks Gardez city in Paktia -- Khaama Press

Afghanistan War News Updates -- February 12, 2017

New York Times: NATO Checking Claim that U.S. Airstrikes Killed 22 Afghan Civilians

KABUL, Afghanistan — The NATO mission in Afghanistan has opened a preliminary investigation into claims that more than 20 civilians were killed in recent American airstrikes in the southern province of Helmand, military officials said Saturday.

Elders from the Sangin district, the scene of heavy fighting in recent weeks, with the Taliban blowing up Afghan Army posts there, have said that multiple American airstrikes early Friday morning killed at least 22 civilians, including several women and children.

Brig. Gen. Charles H. Cleveland, a spokesman for the American-led NATO mission, insisted that the military command had seen no conclusive evidence that civilians were killed in the airstrikes, but said that “a formal review to determine the credibility of the claims” had been opened. The investigation team involved NATO officers outside the American command to ensure impartiality, he added.

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Afghanistan War News Updates -- February 12, 2017

11 civilians reportedly killed in Afghanistan airstrike, NATO-led mission says ‘no evidence’ -- RT
NATO to Study Reports of Civilian Casualties in Foreign Strikes in Afghanistan -- Sputnik
2 US Soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan Clash -- Military.com/Stars and Stripes
2 US soldiers wounded in Afghanistan clash that may have killed civilians -- SOFREP
Afghanistan: Air strikes thwart major attack plan, kill 60 Taliban insurgents -- Hindustan Times
Suicide bomber outside bank kills Afghan troops, civilians -- Washington Post
Suicide Bomber Kills Seven, Wounds 20 in Afghanistan's Helmand Province -- Newsweek
Taliban suicide bomber kills six in Afghanistan's Helmand -- AFP
Taliban claim responsibility for deadly Afghan blast -- CNN
US Commander in Afghanistan: Afghan Government Protecting People Over Territory -- VOA
US Commander Warns of Russian, Iranian, Pakistani Influence in Afghanistan -- VOA
Foreign Ministry believes US tries to accuse Russia of its failures in Afghanistan -- TASS
Six Nations To Meet In Moscow Over Afghanistan -- Tolo News

Suicide Bomber In Afghanistan Targets Pro-Government Politicians Celebrating The Release Of A Relative Held Captive By The Taliban

Daily Mail: Suicide bomber in Afghanistan kills 14 people after attacking a gathering of pro-government politicians celebrating a relative's release from Taliban captors

* A suicide bomber in Afghanistan has killed 14 people at a public gathering
* The attacker detonated explosives that he had hidden inside his clothes
* It is thought the Afghan family was targeted for its pro-government stance
* They were gathering to celebrate a relative's release from Taliban captors
* He was injured in the blast, which occurred in Jalalabad, Afghanistan

A suicide bomber in Afghanistan has killed 14 people during a meeting of pro-government tribal elders who had gathered to celebrate the release of one of their sons from Taliban kidnappers.

The bomber was mingling with crowds at the public event before detonating the explosives hidden within his clothes, wounding the recently freed man and killing 14 others.

Gory images taken from the scene of the bombing show the suspected attacker’s legs lying in the centre of a courtyard filled with soldiers and security forces.

WNU Editor: The Taliban were quick to deny any involvement in this bomb attack .... especially since one of the victims was just released by them. But fingers are pointing at them and at the Islamic State. Either way .... this makes it even more difficult for the peace process to proceed.

More News On Today's Suicide Attack In Afghanistan

Suicide Bombing Kills 13 at Welcome Home Party for Prisoner Released by the Taliban -- Reuters and VICE News
Afghan suicide bomber targets Jalalabad elders, killing 13 -- BBC
Suicide bomber kills 14 at tribal gathering in Afghan city -- AFP
Suicide Attack Kills 13, Wounds 14 in Afghanistan -- WSJ
Taliban denies role in latest Afghanistan bombing -- L.A. Times

Fatalities And Injuries From Terrorist Bombings In Afghanistan (Graph)

WNU Editor: The trend lines are very clear .... bombings and killings are on the increase.

Afghan President Karzai's Cousin Assassinated By Suicide Bomber

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s cousin Hashmat Karzai. India.com

Powerful Cousin of Afghan President Karzai Killed in Kandahar -- Wall Street Journal

Suicide Bomber Was Guest at Hashmat Karzai's Home for Muslim Holiday of Eid al-Fitr

A suicide bomber Tuesday assassinated a powerful cousin of outgoing Afghan President Hamid Karzai, a major blow to the country's ruling clan that risks further destabilizing the volatile south.

Hashmat Karzai was in his fortified home outside Kandahar city greeting visitors on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr when the blast took place. The attacker, a young man who hid the explosives in his headgear, was allowed into the house as a guest, according to local officials. Hashmat Karzai and a bodyguard were killed on the spot.

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More News On Afghan President Karzai's Cousin Assassinated By Suicide Bomber

Cousin of Afghan President Karzai assassinated by suicide bomber who hid explosives in cap -- AP
Afghan president's cousin killed in 'turban bomb' attack -- AFP
Afghan president’s cousin assassinated by suicide bomber -- Washington Post
Karzai's cousin killed in Afghanistan attack -- Al Jazeera
Bomber Kills Karzai Cousin Who Backed Recent Candidate for Afghan President -- New York Times
Karzai cousin assassinated in Afghanistan suicide attack -- CSM

Afghanistan Rejects Grim U.S. Intelligence Report And Forecast

SEARCH OPERATION - U.S. Army Spc. Austin M. Weyerman and fellow soldiers move into a village with a suspected weapons cache during Operation Southern Fist III in the Spin Boldak district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province, March 3, 2013. The U.S. soldiers, assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, enabled Afghan border police and soldiers to search for weapons caches and eliminate infiltration routes. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Shane Hamann

Afghanistan Rejects Grim U.S. Intelligence Forecast As Baseless -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Afghanistan on Monday rejected as baseless a U.S. intelligence forecast that the gains the United States and allies have made in the past three years will be significantly rolled back by 2017.

The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate also predicted that Afghanistan would fall into chaos if Washington and Kabul failed to sign a pact to keep an international military contingent there beyond 2014.

President Hamid Karzai's spokesman dismissed the U.S. forecast, reported by the Washington Post on the weekend, and suggested there was an ulterior motive for it.

"We strongly reject that as baseless as they have in the past been proved inaccurate," Faizi told Reuters.

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More News On The U.S. Grim Intelligence Report On Afghanistan

Afghanistan Rejects U.S. Intelligence Forecast -- Radio Free Europe
Afghan Taliban will take back ground vacated by U.S. forces, intelligence survey warns -- The Province/The Telegraph
Insurgents could quickly bounce back in Afghanistan, analysis warns -- L.A. Times
Intelligence estimate reportedly says US gains in Afghanistan may be lost by 2017 -- FOX News
Afghanistan Chaos Seen After U.S. Troop Withdrawal, Post Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Afghanistan gains to be lost quickly after troops withdrawal - US intelligence estimate report -- Voice of Russia
US Intel Report: Gains Made In Afghanistan Gone By 2017, Taliban Power Grows -- CBS/AP
Report warns Afghanistan gains could be lost after U.S. withdrawal -- UPI
US report predicts chaos in Afghanistan -- Al Jazeera
U.S. intelligence takes gloomy view of Afghan future -- Pilot Online/Washington Post
Afghanistan will fall into chaos by 2017 -- The Nation
Rocky Future for Afghanistan, US Intelligence Warns -- Voice of America

Taliban Gain Territory From Afghan Forces

Image from Talking Proud

Afghan Forces Hand Over Territory To Taliban Fighters -- The Hill

Afghan security forces stationed in the southern half of the country are reportedly surrendering vital checkpoints and military outposts to Taliban fighters in the area.

Members of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) allegedly reached an agreement with Taliban units to hand over the positions in the volatile Sangin district in Helmand province in the south, reports Marine Corps Times.

Sangin was the location of some of the most fierce fighting between Marine Corps and Taliban fighters during the Obama administration's 2009 troop surge into southern Afghanistan.

The Afghan National Army’s 2nd Brigade, 215th Corps is the main Afghan unit responsible for security operations in Sangin.

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My Comment: If true .... this is an ominous development.

UN Report: 12,000 Afghan Taliban Fighters Were Killed in 2013

U.S. Marines cross a field during an operation in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Nov. 10, 2013. The Marines, assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, conducted the operation to disrupt enemy activity in the area. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Zachery B. Martin

UN Report Detailing Taliban Fighter Deaths Warns Of Force's Illicit Funding -- The Guardian

Report estimates 12,000 rebels are thought to have been killed, captured or wounded.

As many as 12,000 Taliban fighters have been killed, captured or wounded in Afghanistan in the past year, according to a UN report which warns that despite Afghan military successes, the insurgency will remain resilient as long as it enjoys a wide range of illicit income streams.

According to Afghan government sources and "Taliban internal statistics" quoted in a special report to the UN security council, between 10,000 and 12,000 rebels are thought to have been killed, captured or wounded. Deaths and injuries among the Afghan police and army have also soared in the last year. A UN official said the number of Taliban losses was a threefold increase on the figure for the same period last year.

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More News On Taliban Casualties In Afghanistan

'Up to 12,000' Afghan Taliban eliminated in 2013: UN -- AFP
UN: 12,000 Taliban Killed, Wounded In 2013 -- Radio Free Europe
Nearly 12,000 Afghan Taliban eliminated in 2013, says UN -- Khaama Press
12,000 Afghan Taliban fighters killed, wounded or captured this year says UN report -- News Pakistan

My Comment: And the year is not even over yet.

The U.S. Invaded Afghanistan 12 Years Ago Today

U.S. Army Spc. Nicolas S. Izquierdo, foreground, takes direction from U.S. Army Master Sgt. Betty R. Shomaker, center, during a battle drill on Forward Operating Base Lightning in Paktia province, Afghanistan, Oct. 2, 2013. Izquierdo and Shomaker are assigned to the 101st Airborne Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Justin A. Moeller

With Little Fanfare, Afghanistan War Drags Into 13th Year -- Stars and Stripes

Monday marks 12 years since the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, and for a conflict that’s been seemingly forgotten by most Americans who’ve grown weary of war, it seems fitting that the anniversary should be overshadowed by a domestic story: the federal government shutdown.

More than a decade since the U.S. launched Operation Enduring Freedom on Oct. 7, 2001, there are still 54,000 American troops in Afghanistan. That is more, by far, than at any time during the first seven years of the war, yet these days, they garner scant news coverage. Most recently, Syria’s civil war and the use of chemical weapons as well as the federal government shutdown have buried Afghanistan news, even as Americans continue to die — four were killed within a week in so-called insider attacks just at the end of September.

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My Comment: I did Google news search .... and aside from Stars and Stripes (and this blog) .... no one is reporting on this story.

U.S. Marine Sergeant Demoted For Urinating On Dead Taliban Militant

Still image made from a video posted on YouTube purports to show U.S. Marines urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban militants in Afghanistan.

Marine Sergeant Demoted To Corporal For Urinating On Taliban Corpses -- McClatchy News/L.A. Times

A Marine sniper shown urinating on Taliban corpses in a video circulated on the Internet has been reduced in rank after pleading guilty to dereliction of duty and other charges.

Sgt. Robert W. Richards was reduced to corporal for his role in the incident, in which four Marines in full combat gear were shown urinating on the bodies of three insurgents in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan in July 2011.

Richards pleaded guilty at a court-martial at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina on Wednesday, according to a Marine Corps spokesman, Col. Sean Gibson. Richards avoided a bad-conduct discharge that would have cost him most of his medical retirement benefits.

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More News On U.S. Marine Sergeant Demoted For Urinating On Dead Taliban Militant

Lejeune Marine pleads guilty to misconduct -- JDNews.com
Marine sergeant demoted for urinating on dead Taliban militant -- Washington Times
Florida Marine Sgt. Robert W. Richards demoted for urinating on Taliban corpse -- CBS/AP
Marine's Rank Lowered for Urinating on the Taliban -- Military.com

Afghan Police Capture, Defuse Would-Be Suicide Bomber (Video)

Previous Post: The Real Hurt Locker

Afghanistan's Elite Air Force Can Barely Fly Its Own Planes

One of the Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters purchased by Alabama-based Defense Technology Inc (DTI) is seen in Ulan Ude, Russia in this picture taken January 3, 2011. DTI/Reuters

Afghanistan's Elite Air Force Can Barely Fly Its Own Planes or Use Night Vision Gear -- Killer Apps/Foreign Policy

Training Afghanistan's soldiers and cops has been tough. But outfitting an Afghan air force special operations unit is proving damn near impossible. The latest evidence: The Pentagon is spending $770 million on Afghan military aircraft that the Afghans have little hope of being able to operate and maintain, according to the Pentagon's Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

The U.S. is hustling to help the Afghan military stand up a special, highly-trained air wing to transport its special operations forces before NATO leaves the country. The only problem is there aren't enough qualified recruits to staff the Afghan Special Mission Wing, which, as of late January, has only 180 personnel. That's less than a quarter of the 806 people it needs to be effective.

These troops need to be literate, English-speaking and able to pass an 18-20 month vetting process aimed at weeding out "candidates that have associations with criminal or insurgent activity," according to the report. Finding people who meet these criteria can be a serious challenge in Afghanistan.

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More News On The Pentagon's Special Inspector General For Afghanistan Reconstruction Criticism Of Aircraft/Helicopter Purchases

Suspend aircraft purchases for Afghan unit, U.S. watchdog says -- CNN
Afghanistan Reconstruction Inspector General Report Warns Of Major Waste In Aircraft Purchase -- AP
U.S. watchdog raps Pentagon for buying aircraft for Afghan unit -- Reuters
U.S. Watchdog Urges Delay On Russian-Afghan Helicopter Deal -- Radio Free Europe
Pentagon Criticized By Government Watchdog For Wasting Funds On Buying Aircraft From Rosoboronexport For Under-staffed Afghan Unit -- IBTiems

My Comment: Buying equipment when there will be no staff to maintain and fly it may make sense to someone in a Pentagon procurement office .... but it certainly makes no sense to me.

Are Afghan Soldiers Incompetent?

Afghan Soldiers' Incompetence Raises Concerns About U.S. Withdrawal Plans -- CBS

(CBS News) MANSURABAD, Afghanistan - A suicide bomber drove his car into a U.S. convoy in Afghanistan's capital Thursday, causing a massive explosion.

Six Americans died: Two soldiers and four civilian contractors. Nine Afghans were also killed. Islamic militants claimed responsibility.

American combat troops are due to leave Afghanistan after next year and are training Afghans to take over security.

But are they ready?

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My Comment: It takes generations to mold any military into a "westernized" and modern fighting force. Claims from a few years ago that only a few years more would be enough to raise the Afghan military to be an effective fighting force never impressed me .... and even less now.

Afghanistan War News Updates -- May 6, 2013

Separate Attacks In Afghanistan Kill 8 NATO Soldiers -- RT

Fresh attacks in Afghanistan claimed the lives of eight NATO soldiers. The deaths came from an improvised roadside bomb and an Afghan soldier turning his gun on the troops in the bloodiest week for international forces since the start of the year.

The first attack took place in the volatile province of Kandahar, taking the lives of five US soldiers in an improvised roadside bomb incident on Saturday, according to US officials in Kabul and provincial authorities.

Another incident took the lives of another two soldiers when an Afghan soldier in the western province of Farah turned his gun on the troops. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack via email, according to Reuters.

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More News On Afghanistan

ISAF Joint Command Operational Update, May 6th -- ISAF
Seven Americans, one German killed in spate of attacks in Afghanistan -- Stars and Stripes
8 NATO Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan On Saturday -- RTT
NATO: 7 Americans killed in Afghanistan -- USA Today
Afghan violence: Seven troops die in two attacks -- BBC
Eight coalition soldiers killed in Afghanistan -- UPI
Afghan soldier kill 2 NATO troops in western Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
Explosion kill 5 US troops in Kandahar province of Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
Explosion kill 4 civilians, injure 5 others in Farah province -- Khaama Press
Afghan intelligence foil major terror attack plot in Kabul city -- Khaama Press
Drone cargo helicopters prove worth in Afghanistan, leading way to civilian uses -- McClatchy News
Drone Warfare against Afghanistan Waged from the UK -- Global Research
Karzai Asks Taliban to Strop 'Destroying Own Country' -- Voice of America
Karzai Urges Taliban To Fight Enemies Of Afghanistan -- Radio Free Europe
Karzai Says He Was Assured C.I.A. Would Continue Delivering Bags of Cash -- New York Times
Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai confirms CIA cash payments to continue -- Washington Times
MI6 'handing bundles of cash to Hamid Karzai' -- The Telegraph
MI6 ‘ghost money’ sent to Hamid Karzai amid massive Afghan corruption -- RT
New U.S. representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan is critic of Biden on war -- Washington Post
Obama Names Veteran Troubleshooter to Afghanistan-Pakistan Post -- New York Times
U.S. turns over troubled dam project to Afghanistan -- L.A. Times
Unhealthy Hospitals -- Battleland/Time
Smashed U.S. cars get a second chance in Afghanistan -- L.A. Times
Do we have the Potential to raise Afghanistan’s GDP? -- Khaama Press
Afghanistan War Is Not a Just War -- Jessica Greenhalgh, Huffington Post

Is The U.S. Supporting Death Squads In Afghanistan?

Is The US Maintaining Death Squads And Torture Militias In Afghanistan? -- Glenn Greenwald, The Guardian

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and local residents insist that the answer is yes.


In 2010, as WikiLeaks published hundreds of thousands of classified documents relating to the conduct of the US government, government defenders dismissively claimed that they revealed nothing new. Among the many documents disproving that claim were ones relating to a US policy in Iraq set forth in "Frago 242", which ordered coalition troops not to stop or even investigate torture and other war crimes by the Iraqi forces they were training, but simply to "note" them.

And note them they did: the logs record thousands of cases of Iraqi forces severely beating, brutalizing and torturing Iraqi civilians while US forces, with rare exception, did nothing to stop it (when the documents were released, the Guardian detailed just some of the illustrative cases).

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My Comment: There is no American policy to support death squads in Afghanistan .... if there was that news would have been leaked to the press a long time ago. What we have is an internal struggle among Afghans that has been ongoing for years. Lets face it .... Afghan culture and justice can be brutal .... so it would not surprise me if there are Afghan security units operating in a manner that would be labelled as a war crime by us. It would also not surprise me if U.S. forces are turning a blind eye to such practices .... leaving Afghans to fight Afghans in a manner that they are accustomed to .... and we in turn preferring to not get involved in their war. Is this the right approach .... probably not .... but this war is going to continue long after we are gone, and to change the mindset of the Afghan security forces on how to fight this conflict is going to take generations and years to accomplish .... a position that we are simply not able to do with the resources and time constraints that we now have.

Russian Foreign Minister Voices Concerns On Future US MIlitary Levels In Afghanistan

U.S Navy Cmdr. Louis McCray, left, addresses troops and civil affairs team members during an after-action review following a mission in Farah City, Afghanistan, Nov. 4, 2012. McCray commands Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Matthew Stroup

U.S. Military Will Maintain A Considerable Force In Afghanistan, says Lavrov -- Examiner

Sergey V. Lavrov, foreign minister of Russia gave a revealing interview on Russian concerns about U.S. military bases in Afghanistan.

“When the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) fulfilling its mission - what needs to prove (in my opinion, it is un-provable thing) - withdraw from Afghanistan. There will be an American military presence in the form, as it seems, of six quite powerful military bases with total quantity of about 25-30 thousand soldiers. This is considerable force.”

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My Comment: The Russians want to know why the US will continue to maintain high troop levels in Afghanistan after the official 2014 withdrawal .... and they have a point. Keeping 25,000 - 30,000 soldiers backed up with many special forces units tells me that speeches aside, the US is going to stay in the country for a very long time.

U.S. Hands Over Bagram Prison To The Afghans But Not Certain Detainees

U.S. Not Handing Over All Afghan Prisoners -- CBS

(CBS News) KABUL - In Afghanistan, as American forces draw down, a milestone was reached Monday. The U.S. transferred control of the Bagram Prison outside Kabul to the Afghans. They now control the fate of thousands of prisoners, including many Taliban.

About 3,000 prisoners were handed over to the Afghans, but that's not all of them.

A U.S. military spokesman told CBS News that several hundred Afghan prisoners will remain under U.S. custody, and it's a discrepancy between the U.S. system that's in place at Bagram now and the Afghan system which will be in place.

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More News On The Transfer Of Bagram Prison To Afghan Authorities

U.S. holds on to some detainees during handover of prison to Afghan control -- CNN
Bagram prison handed over to Afghan forces despite US concerns over future of inmates -- CBS/AP
Return of the Taliban: Afghanistan takes control of Bagram's prisoners of war -- The Independent
US transfers Bagram jail to Afghans -- Al Jazeera
United States transfers Bagram prison to Afghan control -- Reuters
Afghanistan: US hands over controversial Bagram jail -- BBC
U.S. hands over Bagram prison to Afghans -- USA Today/AP
U.S. transfers control of Bagram prison to Afghan officials -- Washington Post
US Hands Over Bagram Prison to Afghan Authorities -- Voice of America
U.S. turns over control of Bagram prison to Afghan authorities -- L.A. Times
Afghanistan 'takes control' of controversial US prison -- Straits Times/AFP
Afghan army takes control of Bagram prison -- UPI
The Deep Divide Over Bagram Prison: Interview With Chris Rogers -- Radio Free Europe

Afghanistan War News Updates -- September 6, 2012

Watch To Stop Afghan Insider Violence Trust 'Absolutely Essential' on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.

Insider Attacks: How US And Afghan Troops See The Mission Now -- Christian Science Monitor

The US has halted some police training and the Afghan military has dismissed hundreds of recruits in a bid to stem insider attacks. But joint missions go on.

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said today that it had arrested or fired hundreds of Afghan soldiers in an attempt to stem insider attacks against NATO troops that threatens to undermine Western withdrawal plans.

Over the weekend, US officials announced that the US had suspended training for Afghan police recruits in order to vet existing members as insider attacks grow more common: Afghan troops have killed at least 45 foreign troops so far this year.

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More News On Afghanistan

ISAF Joint Command morning operational update, Sept. 6 -- ISAF
War in Afghanistan News - 6 Sep 2012 -- War On Terror News

Airstrike Kills Taliban Leader Involved in Aug. 7 Attack -- US Department of Defense
Taliban leader killed in Afghanistan -- UPI
Third Helicopter Crash in 10 Days Kills 2 US Troops in Afghanistan -- Antiwar.com
U.S. to Retain Role as a Jailer in Afghanistan -- New York Times

Department of Defense: Afghans re-screening all troops -- Politico
Afghanistan acknowledges wider causes of ‘insider’ attacks on NATO troops -- Washington Post
Afghanistan pulls hundreds of soldiers, to halt insider attacks -- StlToday.com
Hundreds of Afghan soldiers detained, sacked for insurgent links -- Reuters
Afghan soldiers fired during insider attacks probe -- Washington Times
Afghans create 'Western culture' manual to help counter insider attacks -- Stars and Stripes
General Assesses Progress, Momentum in Afghanistan -- US Department of Defense
US, Pakistan eye transition plan for Taliban -- The Hill
Trilateral initiative: Formal talks begin on safe passage for Afghan Taliban -- Express Tribune
'Insider Attacks' Give Urgency to Afghan Pullout: HASC Dem -- defense News

Is talking to the Taliban worthwhile? -- Arif Rafiq, Express Tribune
Making Western soldiers safer in Afghanistan -- Washington Post editorial
The dangerous political battle for Afghanistan -- Chris Sands, Global Post

U.S. General Ignored 'Auschwitz-Like Conditions' At Afghan Hospital

Horrific: Dawood National Military Hospital was described as having 'Auschwitz-like conditions'

U.S. General Ignored 'Auschwitz-Like Conditions' At Afghan Hospital To Spare Obama Embarrassment Ahead Of Elections -- Daily Mail

The three-star general leading the Afghanistan training mission allegedly ignored reports of rancid conditions and corruption at a U.S.-funded Afghan military hospital because it came too close to the general election.

Col Mark Fassl claims he asked for an investigation into the the state of an 'Auschwitz-like' hospital but was forced to withdraw his request by Lt Gen William Caldwell.

Fassl, who was inspector general for the training command, made his claims to a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee panel on Tuesday.

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My Comment: Cannot get this story out of mind. Talk about exercising horrible judgement .... and a Lt. General to boot who has seen past top 4-star generals being fired (i.e. Gen. Stanley McChrystal) for less. If these allegations are true .... Lt Gen William Caldwell should resign immediately.

Are Afghan Security Forces Succeeding In Keeping The Peace In Kandahar City?

Smoke rises from a building during a gun battle between Taliban members and government forces in Kandahar City on Monday afternoon, July 9. Police managed to kill all 14 suicide bombers involved in the attack, but the fighting left three policemen dead and 18 injured. Six civilians were also injured. Ahmad Nadeem/Reuters

Once The Conflict's Center, Kandahar City Calms -- Christian Science Monitor

The province has seen a 75 percent drop in insurgent attacks and activity compared with the same time last year, according to the Kandahar governor's office in Afghanistan.

Taliban insurgents attacked the police headquarters and several parts of Kandahar City on Monday afternoon in the sort of attack that's grown less frequent in this once turbulent southern city.

Police managed to kill all 14 suicide bombers involved in the attack, but the fighting left three policemen dead and 18 injured. Six civilians were also injured.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which was part of the group’s regular warm weather offensive, said Qari Yousef Ahmadi, a spokesman for the Taliban. He added that the date of this attack was also meant to come near the one year anniversary of the assassination of President Hamid Karzai’s half-brother, Ahmad Wali, formerly one of the most prominent figures in southern Afghanistan. Ahmad Wali was killed by someone from his inner circle on July 12 of last year.

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My Comment: What's my take .... I call this the 'lull before the storm'.