News, July 2009
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Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses. |
Dozens of NATO Soldiers Killed in Fierce Afghanistan War Attacks, According to Taliban, One Only Killed According to AP
July 26, 2009
Editor's Note:
The pro-Taliban website ( http://www.alemarah1.net/english1/ ) has resumed reporting on the Afghanistan war, from the Taliban side. This is good news for the ccun.org and Al-Jazeerah readers as they will have reporting from the two sides of the conflict.If news agencies and corporate media units in NATO countries are allowed to be the only source of information about the Afghanistan war, the losers will be Americans and Europeans, who will then be denied access to information about the war from both sides of the conflict.
It's not in the US national security interest to have a pro-Taliban news agency to be shut down. To the contrary, such a measure destroys the public trust in the Obama administration, which promised CHANGE in the US foreign policy. It further brings us back to the Bush policies, which destroyed the public trust in government as a result of going to war on the basis of lies, weakening the United States militarily, economically, and financially, and ultimately losing the moral high ground.
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Videos:
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Afghan girl's death by stray Canadian bullet angers family
CBC.ca - Fri Jul 24, 11:26 pm ET
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Marine From Castle Shannon Killed In Afghanistan
KDKA Pittsburgh - Fri Jul 24, 6:19 pm ET
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Spiralling violence unnerves Afghanistan before vote
by Charlotte McDonald-Gibson Charlotte Mcdonald-gibson –
Sun Jul 26, 2009, 2:57 am ET
KABUL (AFP) –
Spiralling Taliban attacks and record Western military deaths have put Afghanistan on edge less than four weeks before key elections that many fear could be overshadowed by violence.
The August 20 presidential vote, only the second in Afghan history, is seen as a crucial test in the nearly eight-year effort led by the United States and NATO to stabilise Afghanistan since the (2001 US invasion and) overthrow of the Taliban.
Thousands of newly deployed foreign troops have flooded into southern Afghanistan to try to wrest back Taliban strongholds, but the resulting surge in soldiers' deaths has created a backlash in Western nations.
Violence has spread in the east and north, while coordinated suicide attacks in three Afghan cities killed six people last week, underscoring the vulnerability of the government as the clock ticks to nationwide polls.
"There are major security issues again in southern Afghanistan, in eastern Afghanistan," said Haroun Mir, analyst from the Afghanistan Centre for Research and Policy Studies in Kabul.
Suicide bombs which happened in Paktia and in Jalalabad, these are indications that Taliban fighters want to disrupt the elections.
The independent www.icasualties.org, which calculates military losses in Iraq and Afghanistan, records 67 troop deaths so far in July, the highest monthly toll since the US-led invasion followed the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Britain, whose apparent equipment and helicopter shortages have sparked fierce debate at home, has encountered some of the deadliest combat, while US military fatalities are also at record levels this month.
There are currently about 90,000 foreign troops -- mainly US, British and Canadian -- deployed in Afghanistan on a mission to stabilise the country, and more are flooding in to try and secure restive areas ahead of the polls.
About 4,000 US Marines and 3,000 British troops, backed by hundreds of Afghan forces, have battled behind Taliban lines in the south for weeks.
But even in districts recently secured by foreign forces, officials worry there is little time to prepare for voting in the presidential and provincial elections held together on August 20.
"For a long time this area was under the control of the Taliban," Afghanistan's counter-narcotics minister General Khodaidad told AFP on a trip to southern Helmand province's Garmsir district.
"We have very little time. We should have started this operation one year ago... I think it will be difficult to have people take part at the polling stations, especially in volatile parts of the country."
While the Taliban and other (resistance) groups have made no specific threat against the polls, attacks are intensifying.
On Saturday, seven suicide bombers tried to blow themselves up at state and security targets in the eastern city of Khost.
Although most were shot dead by security forces, one civilian was killed and the attacks will likely further unnerve Afghans already concerned about their security on polling day.
Similar commando suicide raids struck the eastern cities of Gardez and Jalalabad on Tuesday, also claimed by the Taliban, and Afghan officials warn that militant violence is seeping into the previously peaceful north.
Rear Admiral Greg Smith, spokesman for the commander of foreign troops here General Stanley McChrystal, told AFP the rising military deaths were linked to increased troop activity, but said rebels could take advantage of the polls.
"We said all along we expect insurgents will use this election period as a means to communicate their intent -- they don't want this government to succeed, they don't want people to have the right to vote," he said.
He said Afghan forces were "doing everything they can" to ensure security on polling day, but analyst Mir was not so confident.
"There will be 7,000 voting centres in Afghanistan and I think neither the Afghan government and coalition forces have enough personnel to provide security for each of these voting stations," he told AFP.
The consequences, he said, will be that people stay away from the polls, or the legitimacy of the ballot will be called into question with election monitors also scarce.
US service member killed in battle in Afghanistan
AP, Sun Jul 26, 9:29 am ET
KABUL –
An American service member was fatally wounded by (Taliban fighters') fire in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said Sunday, bringing to at least 39 the number of U.S. troops killed this month in the country.
Officials released no other details about the Saturday battle, which was reported by the NATO command. A U.S. military spokesman, Navy reservist Lt. j.g. Tommy Groves, would only confirm that the service member was American.
July has been the deadliest month for U.S. and NATO forces in the Afghan war. Some 60,000 U.S. forces now operate in Afghanistan — a record number. President Barack Obama has increased the U.S. focus on Afghanistan as American troops pull out of Iraq.
Overall, at least 68 international troops have died in July.
Also Sunday, one of President Hamid Karzai's vice presidential running mates in next month's election escaped injury when his convoy came under fire in northern Afghanistan, officials said.
Mohammad Qasim Fahim, the former commander of the Northern Alliance that helped oust the Taliban in 2001, was traveling from Kunduz to Takhar province when militants opened fire on his 30-vehicle convoy, according to Kunduz Gov. Mohammad Omar.
A Karzai aide, Abdul Jalal, said one cameraman working for the campaign was wounded and Fahim's armored car was struck by bullets but the candidate was not hurt.
(This version CORRECTS the death tolls for July.)
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The Taliban side of the story, as reported by www.alemarah1.org/english1/ :
An American Helicopter Shot Down
Q. Y. Ahmadi Farah
In
Bala Boluck district of Farah province, Mujahideen attacked
a military convoy of the invading forces. The armed
encounter was continuing for two hours
More than Eight US Soldiers Killed in Wardack
Z. Mujahid Wardack
In
separate mine blasts; Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate
blew up three American tanks. All the crews
have been killed. Details of Martyrdom-seeking Operations in Khust City
administrator
Mujahideen
of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan launched surprising
martyrdom-seeking operations against some important security
and military targets in Khust.A total of 15 Mujhaideen took
part in these operations.
Nine British Soldiers were Killed in Helmand
Q. Y. Ahmadi Helamand
In a mine explosion at Sangain
district bazaar, Mujhaideen destroyed a military pick-up,
killing six soldiers including their officers.
Eight Americans were killed in Jalriz, Wardack province.
Z/ Mujahid
24.7.
09) In Jalriz district, Wardack province, Mujahideen
destroyed two American tanks by a remotely
-controlled device. Witnesses say, eight American
soldiers were killed in this blast. The destroyed
tanks are lying in the site.
Three Tanks Destroyed in Zurmat District
Z. Mujahid Paktya
(
24.7. 09) On the basis of reports received from Zurmat
district of Paktya province, Mujahideeen blew up a
military tank in Surki area.
Five Foreign Soldiers Killed in Zeray District
Q. Y. Ahmadi
(
24.7. 09) In two separate explosions, five soldiers were
killed. The first explosion occurred when the enemy
soldiers were on foot patrol nears the center
Tremendous Casualties Caused to the Enemy in Ghazni
Z. Mujahid Ghazani
In Rami area, Rashaidan District, Ghazni province, an
enemy tank stamped on a planted mine and was destroyed
whereas its crew was killed. Mujahideen also
Nine Military Vehicles of the Stooge Regime Destroyed in Wardack
Z.Mujahid Wardack
Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan destroyed 4 vehicles—3 Serf land cruisers and 1 corolla—in an ambush at Sheikh Abad area of Sayed Abad district.
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