Airstrike kills 2 Taliban commanders in southern Afghanistan

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17 March 2009

KABUL, Afghanistan – Members of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have killed a sought after insurgent, Jamaluddin Hanifi, near Now Zad in Helmand province on March 16. In the same precision air strike, another prominent facilitator of the insurgency, Maulawi Mohammed Saddiq was also killed along with two associates.

Jamaluddin Hanifi first came to prominence in early 2008. He established himself as an integral member of the insurgency in Now Zad, and was heavily involved in several improvised explosive device attacks, ambushes and the planning and execution of conventional attacks.

Hanifi was originally appointed by Mullah Abdul Rahim who is now in custody in Pakistan. Following the incarceration of Rahim, Hanifi answered to senior Taliban, Abdul Qayoum Zakir and Mullah Naim Barich, who direct insurgent activity from outside Afghanistan.

Maulawi Mohammad Saddiq came to view as an insurgent facilitator in late 2008. Involved in several illegal activities including the procurement of IEDs and other military hardware from Now Zad into central Helmand, Saddiq was also one of the main authors of the Taliban regulations for Helmand province.

Maulawi Mohammad Saddiq was a close associate of the well know central Helmand Taliban, Maulawi Sayed Rahman and answered to senior Taliban, Akhtar Mohammed Mansour and Mullah Naim Barich, who direct insurgent activity from outside Afghanistan.

The operation took place in an isolated area near Now Zad. Prior to the attack, checks were carried out to ensure no civilians were in the vicinity.

The death of Jamaluddin Hanifi and Maulawi Mohammad Saddiq is the latest in a series of operations against prominent insurgents and facilitators.

 

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NATO-led operation kills 29 Taliban fighters, injures 12
18 March 2009

The FINANCIAL -- KABUL, During a joint NATO -led operation with the Afghan army, 29 members of the radical Taliban movement were killed and another 12 injured, a spokesman said on March 18.

The NATO -led International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Army conducted a three-day joint operation in the Afghan province of Kapisa. One ISAF member was killed in the operation, the group's press office told RIA Novosti.

"The operation was carried out in a number of regions of the Alasay Valley, during which paratroopers were dropped. During the military operation, one ISAF soldier was killed," the spokesman said.

According to another report from the ISAF, two insurgent field commanders were killed on Tuesday in the town of Naw Zad in the Helmand province during an additional military operation using precision strikes. Both commanders, Jamaluddin Hanifi and Maulawi Mohammed Saddiq, have been linked to several militant acts in the province over the past few months.

Helmand is the world's largest opium-producing region, responsible for 42% of the world's total production. Much of the fighting between NATO and Taliban forces takes place in the province.

 

[osamaziadxb]

an old topic ....we dont want to listen anymore

 

[S-2]

"an old topic ....we dont want to listen anymore"

Speak for yourself. I find the topic of dead talibunnies fascinating-particularly given that I've just posted some neat and extensive video from a 3rd MarDiv embedded training team with the ANA in Kapisa.

This was a HUGE hit and is reflective of what we're going to be seeing all spring, summer, and fall. Serious negotiations won't begin until we've ripped some of the floor from underneath these miserable phucks.

There will be a LOT more ops run in Kapisa, Nuristan, Konar, Nangahar, Paktika, Khost, and Paktia. And Helmand is finally going to get all the attention it's lovely opium crops deserve. South of Garmsir is wide open badlands.

That's gonna change.

Thanks.

 

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Troops kill 40 militants in Afghanistan
12 April 2009

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AFP) – Afghan and international forces killed 40 Taliban militants in separate battles in the troubled country, authorities said on Sunday.

In one incident, the rebels ambushed a joint Afghan and foreign forces patrol in Shinkay district of Zabul province late Saturday, sparking an exchange of gunfire, provincial police chief Abdul Rehman Sarjang told AFP.

"Twenty-two Taliban were killed. The militants left the bodies behind. Four are Pakistani nationals and the rest are Afghans," he said.

Sarjang added the international forces called in air support after the ambush. There were no casualties to the joint forces.

The interior ministry gave the same toll in a statement.

But the US military said separately it had killed four Taliban in the same area, also on Saturday. It was unclear if it was the same incident.

Separately, troops killed 18 insurgents in the northeastern province of Kunar overnight, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said.

The Afghan and ISAF forces had been able to identify the group as militants and ambushed them, an officer said.

There are more than 70,000 international troops under NATO and US command in Afghanistan helping in the fight against the insurgents.

The Taliban rose from southern Afghanistan to sweep into government in Kabul in 1996. They were ousted in a US-led invasion in late 2001 that sent many of their leaders and Al-Qaeda allies into sanctuaries across in Pakistan.

Source: AFP