Taliban Insurgents Capture Remote Afghan Town

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

By REUTERS
Published: May 30, 2008
Filed at 6:17 a.m. ET

Skip to next paragraph GHAZNI, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Taliban insurgents seized a remote Afghan town overnight, patrolling the streets for some hours before withdrawing ahead of a government operation to retake it on Friday, residents and officials said.

Ghazni province where the attack took place is only a two-hour drive south from the capital, Kabul, and while not as unstable as provinces such as Kandahar or Helmand, the villages around the historic city of Ghazni have seen an upsurge of Taliban activity in the past two years.

Ghulam Shah, district governor of the captured district of Rashidan, had links with the Taliban and had handed over the district buildings to the militants, provincial Police Chief Khan Mohammad Mujahid told Reuters. The district police chief, meanwhile, had been taken prisoner, he said.

The provincial governor confirmed the attack.

"I know that last night there was an attack on the district and the preliminary investigations show that basically they have taken over the district," Shir Khosti told Reuters. "But right now we are dispatching our forces to recapture the district."



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-afghan-violence.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[maddezmom]

1. Over 100 rebels killed, Afghan government says

Over 100 rebels killed, Afghan government says
1 hour ago

KABUL (AFP) — Afghan authorities said Saturday they have killed more than 100 Taliban-linked militants in an operation to retake a remote district from the rebels in southwestern Afghanistan.

The rebels were killed during two days of operations by Afghan security forces and their international allies in Bakwa, a remote district in the southwestern province of Farah, which was captured eight months ago, they said.

"During two days of operations more than 100 enemies of peace and stability were killed," interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told AFP, adding that the district was recaptured from the rebels on Friday.

"We captured the district after eight months of enemy control," the spokesman said. Security forces were still chasing the rebels in the district, he added.

more:http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hSX9HT1sVWGofpPHarpgb1NqKAbw

May 30 airpower summary: Reaper patrols skies

5/31/2008 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations May 30, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs performed shows of force in order to deter enemy activities in Gardez and Ghanzi. Joint terminal attack controllers confirmed that the missions were successful.

In Kandahar, an Air Force MQ-9A Reaper fired hellfire missiles in order to destroy enemy combatants engaging friendly forces with rocket propelled grenades. The JTAC reported that the mission was successful.

In Gereshk, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle performed a show of force in order to deter enemy activities. The JTAC declared that the mission was successful.

more: http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123100921

[ohio2007]

2. Capture five mud huts then melt away into the night

Allah must be pleased with the spring offensive


they have undereported success in other areas ignored by the MSM;

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=944_1205294540

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5ca_1212187215

[ohio2007]

3. Al-Qaeda chief dies in missile air strike

The death of a senior militant in a controversial hit has led to claims of the terror group's defeat

An al-Qaeda trainer and explosives specialist involved in a range of European terrorist networks has been killed in Pakistan, the latest senior militant to die in a spate of controversial American missile strikes.

The death two weeks ago of Abu Suleiman al-Jazairi, a highly experienced Algerian militant, has been confirmed only in the last few days, intelligence sources in Pakistan and Western Europe told The Observer. Al-Jazairi, thought to have been 45, died along with at least 15 others when the house in which he was staying in Pakistan's Bajaur tribal district was hit by a missile fired from a Predator, an American pilotless drone.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/01/alqaida.pakistan?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

The spring offensive whimpers on without key figures in spite of the media being allowed in to cover impromptu protests of the Pakistani village bombing event.

/sarc

[Posteritatis]

4. I read that as "remote African town" and got *really* confused for a sec.. (nt)

[ohio2007]

5. Taliban flee U.S. Marines onslaught in Afghanistan

KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban insurgents are fleeing south towards the Afghan border with Pakistan in the face of a U.S. Marines offensive in volatile Helmand province

"In the last two days we have had many reports ... that the insurgents after experiencing these several weeks of pressure below Garmsir are trying to flee to the south perhaps to go back to sanctuaries in another country,"

Mainly British troops have been battling the Taliban in Helmand since March 2006, capturing a string of towns in the fertile strip along the Helmand River cutting through the desert.

But Garmsir, the southernmost town of any size in Helmand, and its surrounding villages had previously evaded capture.

REGIONAL DANGER

Afghan officials have accused Pakistan of harboring Taliban militants, giving the insurgent leadership a base from which to direct operations and allowing fighters to use Pakistani soil for training, rest and recuperation.

Pakistan admits there is a Taliban presence in its border regions beyond government control, but says it does not help the insurgents
If there are insurgencies in places not in Afghanistan, but very close by, and security forces are not taking them on, I don't think that bodes well for the whole region," said McNeill, who is to hand command of NATO's 50,000-strong International Security Assistance Force to another U.S. general on Tuesday.

"If there is no pressure on insurgents in sanctuaries out of the reach of security forces in this country then I think (insurgent) numbers are likely to grow," he said.

Still not mentioning any country by name, McNeill implied the danger of such truces was that they could backfire.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080602/wl_nm/afghan_violence_dc_10


Japan may send troops to Afghanistan: PM
AFP
Published: Sunday, June 01
TOKYO -- Japan is considering whether to send its first troops to Afghanistan on a reconstruction mission, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Sunday.

Tokyo has been a major donor to Afghanistan, pledging 1.3 billion dollars since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001.


snip

Already a major financial power on the global stage, it has now begun also to seek a greater presence in international security affairs to help carve out an expanded world role, including a permanent UN Security Council seat.

snip


Japanese media have reported that Tokyo plans to send military personnel to Sudan to take part in UN peacekeeping operations.


http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=3b5c19b5-75fc-4fd0-a881-a10557cc3ac3