US, NATO soldiers killed in southern Afghanistan

DPA, Tuesday, 09 Feb 2010,  14:32:18 GMT By : dpa

Earth Times, Kabul -

Two NATO soldiers, including a US service member, were killed in attacks in southern Afghanistan, where NATO asked the local residents to stay in their homes ahead of a major operation expected in the coming days, officials said Tuesday. The US soldier was killed in a roadside bomb blast in the volatile southern region on Tuesday, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) said in a statement.

Also on Tuesday, another NATO soldier died in a fight with suspected Taliban fighters in the same region, the statement said, but did not reveal the nationality of the deceased. Most of the NATO troops stationed in the southern region are from Britain, Canada and the Netherlands.

Tuesday's incidents came a day after the alliance announced the deaths of three British soldiers killed in separate attacks in the restive Helmand province. Nearly 10,000 British troops are stationed in the province as part of around 113,000 NATO troops.

The latest deaths took to 62 the number of foreign troops killed in the Afghanistan conflict so far this year.

Meanwhile, NATO said that its commanders in the Helmand province were encouraging the local residents to stay in the safety of their homes ahead of a major operation in the central part of the province.

The operation, dubbed Mushtarak, a Dari word for "together," is said to be the biggest since the ouster of the Taliban regime in late 2001.

Around 15,000 Afghan, US, British, French, and Estonian forces are expected to conduct the onslaught against the Taliban's last bastion in Helmand's Marjah district, which is home to more than 80,000 people.

Wary of their lives, hundreds of residents have fled the district ahead of the much-publicized operation, while locals have said that the Taliban in the region were digging in for the fight.

The ISAF statement said that only fewer than 200 families had left the central region of the province, while "combined force commanders are encouraging civilians to remain in the safety of their homes."

"Every effort is being made to ensure minimum disruption to the residents during the operation," it said.

NATO officials, whose soldiers are involved in the operation, have warned the public that there could be casualties as the Taliban have planted additional roadside bombs around the district to keep the combined forces at bay.

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Another U.S tank hits Mujahideen mine in Marjah

Tuesday, 09 February 2010 20:52 By Qari Yusuf Ahmadi

HELMAND, Feb. 09 -

There is another report from Kandahar province that a tank of the American troops was targeted by a landmine yet again in Trikh Naro area of Marjah district where a dozen of the U.S foot soldiers had been killed in the bombings in the morning hours of Tuesday.

In Tuesday's bombing the tank was destroyed leaving all the U.S soldiers dead which forced them to retreat from the area whose weapons and other sensitive stuff besides the struck tank fell into the hands of the Mujahideen.

Furthermore, two tanks of the U.S forces were destroyed in bombing last night with all their soldiers killed and injured last night in Abdullah Qulf area of this district.

Blast tears apart British tank in Helmand

Tuesday, 09 February 2010 19:43 By Qari Yusuf Ahmadi

HELAMD, Feb. 09 -

On earlier Tuesday, a tank of the British troops got struck by a roadside bombing in the province's Gerishk district that left the tank wrecked, killing the soldiers who were on board. The incident happened in Nihri Siraj area of this district where the helicopter was called in to evacuate the casualties.

French troops driven back in Kapisa

Tuesday, 09 February 2010 19:26 By Zabihullah Mujahid

KAPISA, Feb. 09 -

The French offensive have twice been pushed back in Kapisa's district of Tagab throughout Tuesday.

As per the details, the French troops backed by the U.S airstrikes have launched major operation

against Mujahideen prompting face-to-face fighting. The Mujahideen after causing  deadly losses to the enemy repelled the French troops.

At least 3 French soldiers were killed and a dozen injured during the fighting in the province Tagab district.

In another news from the province, Mujahideen on Monday killed 2 policemen during an attack on the police post in Afghania Darah of Nijrab district in Kapisa.

Remote-controlled bomb hits U.S. tank, kills a dozen in Wardak

Tuesday, 09 February 2010 14:33 By Zabihullah Mujahid

WARDAK, Feb. 09 - 

A remote-controlled bomb ripped into one of U.S tanks in Wardak's Sayedabad district, killing and wounding at least a dozen on Tuesday afternoon. According to the report, the U.S. military convoy was traveling in Tangi area of this district when one of their tanks was hit by the bombing. Soon after the incident took place, two U.S helicopters have landed the area to evacuate the casualties, said the locals.

Bombings in Marjah kill 4 U.S soldiers, wounded 5

Tuesday, 09 February 2010 14:04 By Qari Yusuf Ahmadi

HELMAND, Feb. 08 -

On earlier Tuesday, at least four U.S soldiers were killed and another five wounded in roadside bombings in Helmand who had been dropped off by the helicopters in Trikh Naro area of Marjah district while on a mission what the US and NATO military call U.K, U.S. embarking on Afghan campaign. Shortly after the U.S. troops approached the site were hit by blasts who have been caught in the area and retreated to the houses of the civilians, said the residents.

10 French soldiers killed in Kapisa

Tuesday, 09 February 2010 10:17 By Zabihullah Mujahid

KAPISA, Feb. 09 -

Some ten French soldiers  were killed Monday in a face-to-face fighting with the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate in Kapisa.

The head-on confrontation promoted by the Mujahidee's attack on the French patrol in the Sang-e-Buridah area of Tagaab district that inflicted fatal losses and damages on the enemy, while a Mujahid was slightly injured during the battle.

The residents say a number of civilian's houses were damaged by small and heavy arms fire used by the French troops during the fighting that lasted a more than 3 hours.