Taliban targeted near Kandahar

by Al Jazeera (reposted)

Wed, Jun 18, 2008 7:49AM

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 : Joint Afghan-Nato operation in aims to force anti-government fighters from villages.

"A group of enemies of the people was targeted by Nato air force in Ta-been village in Arghandab [district]," an Afghan defence ministry statement said. "Based on information received, 20 local and foreign terrorists were killed."

Another statement said two Afghan soldiers were "martyred".

Meanwhile, four Nato soldiers died and two were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded in Helmand province.

The British defence ministry confirmed the deaths on Wednesday, saying that one of those who died was a female soldier.

She would be the first British female soldier to die in Afghanistan.

Roads blocked

The Arghandab operation began at 8am local time [0300 GMT], the deffence ministry said.
Mark Laity, a Nato spokesman, said: "As part of the overall operation in Kandahar, specific operation in Arghandab was commenced this morning." The number of troops involved in the operation is "substantial", he said. Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Kandahar, said that the main road leading to Arghandab was blocked and that more army reinforcements were heading towards the district, including tanks, armoured vehicles and soldiers.

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For more information: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/BFF...

§Taliban Fighters Make Gains Near Kandahar

by NPR (reposted)

Wed, Jun 18, 2008 7:52AM

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 : Taliban militants have seized a string of villages and fruit orchards just outside the southern city of Kandahar, within a few miles of a major NATO base. The move comes just days after Taliban militants attacked Kandahar's main prison, freeing more than 1,000 detainees, including many Taliban members.

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http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...

§Afghanistan Battles Taliban Insurgency in Kandahar

by NPR (reposted)

Wed, Jun 18, 2008 7:53AM

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 : Officials in Afghanistan on Wednesday said it launched an operation to drive Taliban insurgents from villages on the outskirts of Kandahar. Afghan government troops have been joined by Canadian forces in the operation.

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http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...

§NATO, Afghan Troops Move to Defend Kandahar

by NPR (reposted)

Wed, Jun 18, 2008 7:53AM

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 : NATO and Afghan soldiers have mounted an offensive into the densely packed fruit orchards of the Argandab District, less than 15 miles from the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. On Monday, Taliban insurgents infiltrated and occupied at least a half dozen villages in Argandab.

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§Four soldiers killed in Afghan blast

by via UK Independent

Wed, Jun 18, 2008 7:57AM

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 : A female soldier has been killed in Afganistan. She was was of four killed in an explosion, raising the total of UK deaths in the country to nine in nine days.

The victims were taking part in an operation east of Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province when their vehicle was caught in an explosion at about 3.40pm local time yesterday.

Three of the soldiers were killed in the blast, while the fourth was pronounced dead on arrival at Camp Bastion, the Ministry of Defence said.

It is understood that the woman was serving with the Army's Intelligence Corps.

Gordon Brown expressed his condolences to the families of the four soldiers. The Prime Minister said: "They were in the most dangerous of jobs in the most difficult of circumstances.

"I salute not just their bravery, dedication and professionalism but that of all our armed forces. Our troops are the best in the world and fighting for the noblest of causes."

A fifth soldier wounded in the attack is said to be in a stable condition.

Nine British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan in nine days, marking a sharp upturn in violence against troops in the troubled country.

Five soldiers from 2 Para, based in Colchester, Essex, died in two separate incidents last week.

By contrast, the total death toll for UK forces between January and May was 11.

Yesterday's incident was the biggest single loss of life for British troops since September 2006, when 14 personnel were killed when an RAF Nimrod came down near Kandahar.

The deaths take the number of British service personnel who have died in Afghanistan since the start of operations in November 2001 to 106.

§Analyst: Afghan Insurgents Unlikely to Succeed

by NPR (reposted)

Fri, Jun 20, 2008 7:30AM

Thursday, June 19, 2008 : NATO and Afghan forces are fighting back after Taliban forces occupied villages near Kandahar. But Harvard's Mark Kramer says that if history is any indication, the recent Taliban insurgency won't last very long.

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Taliban targeted near Kandahar

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