Bagram Air Crash Caught on Video

Roadside bomb kills three NATO soldiers in Afghan south

Roadside bomb kills three NATO soldiers in Afghan south | Reuters:

Taliban Spring Offensive - US Media Take (Clip)

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Police Commander Killed In North Afghanistan

Abdul Nazar, a local council member, said Tuesday’s blast in the Archi district of Kunduz province destroyed a car carrying the commander, his driver and two other police officers. They were traveling to Kunduz City.Nazar says the driver and the commander, Miran, were killed. The commander went by only one name, as is common in Afghanistan. The two officers were wounded. LINK

US forces in Afghanistan nearly destroyed vital airfield

US forces in Afghanistan nearly destroyed vital airfield | World news | guardian.co.uk:

"US officers who planned the withdrawal from Paktika had originally decided to totally abandon Sharana, apparently ignoring its key role in opening up the isolated and restive border region to the government in Kabul and its forces.
Just a few years ago FOB Sharana was considered so important that US forces started work to put in a second runway. They had expanded the perimeter fence to its current length before abandoning the expansion plans when the US president, Barack Obama, began bringing troops home."

American Drones Over Africa: New US Military Bases in West Africa

American Drones Over Africa: New US Military Bases in West Africa | Global Research:
Mali will no-doubt be one of the initial targets of the US drones, bordering as it does on Niger. The deployment of French surveillance drones in Mali was reported last October and there has been speculation that British drones could be deployed as part of Britain’s military support to French forces in Mali, however the British Defence Minister, Philip Hammond said recently that he had decided against sending drones as they are needed in Afghanistan.

The Taliban Just Have to Wait

'Alan Rodier, a French former intelligence officer, went even further than Bajolet in a phone interview with FRANCE24. He argued that “everyone knows very well that as soon as the NATO forces leave, it will be a matter of time before the Taliban regain power.”Rodier also said that whilst Bajolet is an “extremely esteemed” diplomat who has handled Afghanistan with “an iron fist in a velvet glove”, his speech didn’t bring anything new to the debate.' MORE

Cargo Plane Crashes At Bagram

A Boeing 747-400BCF cargo plane, operated by National Air Cargo, crashed on takeoff from Bagram Air Base (BPM), Afghanistan. A base spokesman said the aircraft crashed from a low altitude right after takeoff. A fire erupted. A local police chief reported that all crew members were killed in the crash.
Bagram Air Base has a single concrete runway, 03/21 of 11819 feet (3602 m) in length.
Reportedly N949CA operated into Bagram as flight NCR510 from
A thunderstorm with Cumulonimbus clouds was approaching the air base at the time of the accident. Read More

Rebelle Syrienne Devenue Sniper à Alep

What Motivated the Boston Bombers? Afghanistan and Iraq

The mainstream media and political forces shaping it have not thus far promoted fear of Chechens (only about a million people) in the ways they’ve promoted fear of Arabs (and Iranians). But for many the term “Chechen” lingers in the mind, vaguely associated with violent far-off actions involving Russia since the 1990s. There’s never been a campaign to specifically vilify Chechens in this country; indeed, prominent U.S. neocons have for their own purposes sometimes taken up the cause of Chechen separatism. But over the last week, repeated references in the media to Chechnya’s violent past (and such episodes as the Dubrovka Theater seizure in 2002), have conveyed an image of Chechens as a people inclined towards terrorism. In this context, it’s important to be clear on how the brothers accused in the Boston terror attacks actually relate to Chechnya. LINK

Robert Fisk: This was supposed to be a 'game changer' week in Syria

Robert Fisk: This was supposed to be a 'game changer' week in Syria, so why is it all the same? - Comment - Voices - The Independent: 

"So where do we stand in Syria today? Well, what happened in Libya – Nato support for rebels who killed Gaddafi and then turned their country into a series of Islamist fiefdoms where even the US ambassador could be murdered – probably saved Syria. Take a listen to the senior US Democrat Nancy Pelosi on Friday. “This is not Libya. The Syrians have anti-aircraft capability that makes going in there  much more challenging.” Indeed.
For journalists have forgotten – but I bet Pelosi hasn’t – that US aircraft did attack the Syrian military in Lebanon in the 1980s. One bomber was shot down in the Bekaa Valley, one of its crew killed and the other held for weeks in a Damascus prison until Jesse Jackson decided to “break the cycle of violence” and plead successfully with Assed père for his release. So no, Nato is not going to bomb the tanks of the Syrian regime."

Ghost Money in Afghanistan

C.I.A. Delivers Cash to Afghan Leader’s Office - NYTimes.com: 

“We called it ‘ghost money,’ ” said Khalil Roman, who served as Mr. Karzai’s deputy chief of staff from 2002 until 2005. “It came in secret, and it left in secret.”
The C.I.A., which declined to comment for this article, has long been known to support some relatives and close aides of Mr. Karzai. But the new accounts of off-the-books cash delivered directly to his office show payments on a vaster scale, and with a far greater impact on everyday governing."

NATO 'Optimistic' After 11 Years of Abject Failure

Departing French Ambassador Gives Game Away

 "The room, filled with diplomats, some senior soldiers and a number of Afghan dignitaries, went deadly quiet. When Mr. Bajolet finished, there was restrained applause — and sober expressions. One diplomat raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly; another said, “No holding back there.”
So what did he say?" 
Bernard Bajolet, Leaving Afghanistan, Has His Say - NYTimes.com:

Afghan Interpreters - An Interpretation

Two points arise from the recent controversy over the MOD's dilatoriness in offering asylum to their Afghan interpreters and helpers when NATO scrambles. 
1. They did it for the Iraqi collaborators, the argument goes, so why not the Afghans? Why not indeed. The BBC today covered the case of two brothers who were interpreters for the British army contingent of ISAF. One is here illegally now and one is still at home unable and unsafe to leave his house. On being asked why he cannot move around in his own town, he said 'Nowhere is under control in Afghanistan except the military bases. And even they are coming under attack now.' Leading to the question:
2. What happened to the safe, stable, democratic Afghanistan which Obama (with Cameron and Hague parroting) are still trying to spin to the media and apathetic public? You know, 11 (eleven) years down the road. Just how much failure is it possible to cram into 11 years?

3 Aghan Policemen Killed As Taliban Offensive Begins

(FNA)- Three policemen were killed and two others injured Sunday when their vehicle was bombed in Southeastern Afghanistan, an official said.

"Deputy police chief Mohammad Hussain and his two bodyguards were killed and two others were wounded by a roadside bomb placed by the Taliban in Zana Khan district this morning," Ghazni provincial governor's spokesman Mohammad Nabi said. 
Taliban insurgents said their spring military offensive would begin Sunday, the Voice of Russia reported. 

Security Incidents - April 27

Taliban announce start of spring offensive, signaling plans for more attacks

Afghan troops hold their ground at high cost 

NATO admits Afghan children killed in Kapisa

Hailstorm damage 50 NATO helicopters in southern Afghanistan

Reported security incidents
#1: Some unknown miscreants tore down 30-inch diameter gas pipeline running from Sui to Punjab near here, severing supplies to several areas of the province, FP News desk reported Saturday morning. Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNPL) said that gas supply to CNG stations in many cities/towns including Lahore, Sahiwal, Sheikhupura, Multan, Gojranawala and Gujrat of the province of Punjab has been suspended due to the busted gas pipeline.

#2: Taliban kidnapped five workers of an international non-governmental organisation (INGO), including, a Pakistani national in western Herat province, police sources said on Friday. Abdul Hamid Hamidi, security chief of the western Herat province told Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) that Taliban gunmen seized three employees of Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR) in the limits of Kohsan district. He identified the kidnapped persons as one Pakistani engineer, an Afghan engineer and their driver.

#3: An explosion in Karachi, Pakistan, killed at least eight people and injured more than 20, Karachi authorities said late Friday. The target of the blast, according to Salim Abbasi, a Karachi police official, was a meeting the the Awami National Party, an anti-Taliban liberal political party. "It's unclear what caused the blast," said police spokesman Naeem Shah. Emergency personnel were on the scene of the explosion on Karachi's west side and an investigation was under way, he added.


DoD: Capt. Aaron R. Blanchard

DoD: 1st Lt. Robert J. Hess

Armed drones in Afghanistan flown from UK for first time

Armed drones in Afghanistan flown from UK for first time - Telegraph:
"Chris Nineham, vice-chairman of the Stop the War Coalition, claimed drones were being used to continue the "deeply unpopular War on Terror" with no public scrutiny.
Calling for armed drones to be banned, Mr Nineham said: "They're using them to fight wars behind our backs."
Until now, the drones have been operated by RAF pilots based in the USA Creech Air Force Base in Nevada.
They have flown some 45,000 hours in Afghanistan in the last six years and fired around 350 weapons."
THE FIRST DEMO IS IN LONDON AT 12.00 TODAY

Six Afghan policemen poisoned, shot to death

Six Afghan policemen poisoned, shot to death; seventh is missing - latimes.com:

"The killings took place in the Dasht e Archi district in northeastern Kunduz, about 180 miles north of Kabul, the capital.
The incident was one of several in recent months in which insurgents have infiltrated Afghan security force units or recruited police or soldiers to poison or attack their comrades. In one instance, Afghan security force members were shot as they slept at an outpost.
The six officers in Kunduz were members of the Afghan Local Police, a village-based protective force created and trained by U.S. military units in conjunction with the Afghan government. The ALP, as it is known, was created in 2010 to protect villages and districts where Taliban insurgents are active and where the Afghan National Police or Afghan National Army have no significant presence."

Libye - Qui Sont Les Milices Armees?

Libye: qui sont les milices armées? - 26/04 by BFMTV

As Pakistan prepares for crucial election, Taliban turn on liberals

As Pakistan prepares for crucial election, the Taliban turn to force to squeeze liberals out of power - Asia - World - The Independent: 
"The deteriorating security situation affects all politicians who have backed Pakistan’s military operations against the Pakistani Taliban. A bomb was discovered today by the Islamabad police under a car near the residence of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who is currently being held under house arrest on charges of illegally detaining judges when he imposed a state of emergency in 2007."

Armed RAF Afghan Drones Now Flown From UK

Armed RAF Afghan Drones Now Flown From UK: 

Drones are controversial, largely because of their use in Pakistan and Yemen by the US government and a protest march is planned outside RAF Waddington this Saturday.
The pilots in Lincolnshire are operating in conjunction with British and American personnel still based in Nevada - this is largely based on a shift pattern to reflect the time difference and to allow for 24 hour operations."

MOD Confirm that RAF Personnel Have Flown US Drones in Afghanistan and Libya

This extract is from Hansard and has been largely ignored in the UK media.

Military Burials

The BBC coverage of the First World War soldiers' burial yesterday was quite moving. If the soldiers had died in Afghanistan they wouldn't have covered it at all.

US Drones To Remain In Afghanistan After NATO Departure

U.S. military command on Wednesday confirmed, one of the major elements of Afghanistan’s air war, armed drones operated by U.S. will remain after most U.S. troops have headed home.Air Force Maj. Gen. H.D. Polumbo, the commander of the U.S./NATO air war over Afghanistan, told reporters, “I come back to the remotely piloted aircraft. They can collect intelligence, but they also are armed. And they’re armed to be able to provide force protection to our coalition forces and then when our coalition ground force commanders, when they deem it appropriate, they can control that air-delivered munition capability from the RPAs to be put in support of the Afghans.” LINK

Les Otages Francais - Portrait

Afghanistan: portrait des deux otages français... by BFMTV

Taliban Hold Foreign Nationals

5 Children Killed in Roadside Bomb Blast in Southern Afghanistan

5 Children Killed in Roadside Bomb Blast in Southern Afghanistan: ""Four boys, aged between 4 and 10, were killed when a landmine planted by the Taliban went off in the Raski area of Maruf district," he said.
The victims were members of a family, he added.
It comes as, another child was also killed in a roadside bomb blast in Marjah district of Helmand province, yesterday evening."

'Iraq, Afghanistan war inspired Boston bombers'

'Iraq, Afghanistan war inspired bombers' | News24: 

"Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, whose condition in hospital had been upgraded from "serious" to "fair", specifically mentioned the US military campaigns in Afghanistan, The Telegraph said, citing a Washington Post report.
The 19-year-old was captured by police on Friday after a day-long search for him following the death of his older brother, 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev,  in a shootout with police earlier that day."

9 Deminers Kidnapped In Kandahar

The men, all Afghans, were being driven back from a minefield Monday when they were seized in Maiwand district, provincial spokesman Jawid Faisal told AFP. "They had just finished their work in the area and were riding in two cars when they were taken by a group of gunmen," he said. MORE

German Clip - Afghan Children and the Opium Trade

Afghanische Kinder im Drogenrausch by AFPde_cac

Why Nation Building Is Doomed To Fail

The War in Afghanistan: What Went Wrong? by tvnportal

Reaper Drone Being Tested At US Air Base

Britain's secret role in America's drone war

Britain's secret role in America's drone war: Government approves UK defence company to supply technology to the U.S. | Mail Online: 

Last night human rights group Reprieve called on the Government to review its policy on granting the licences. Reprieve lawyer Catherine Gilfelder said: ‘US drones hover over towns in non-war zones 24 hours a day, seven days a week, terrorising communities and indiscriminately killing, in violation of international law.
‘The manufacture of components for Predators on British soil further implicates this country in these gross human rights violations.
‘The Government, by condoning the export of these components, is demonstrating a complete lack of concern for those affected by drones and for the UK’s reputation. Export controls urgently need to be tightened in order to end our complicity in this unlawful programme.’

Foreigners held by Afghan Taliban insurgents in Logar

BBC News - 'Foreigners held' by Afghan Taliban insurgents in Logar: 

"Seven Turks, two Russians and one Afghan were in a civilian helicopter which made a forced landing in Azra district in Logar province, the aircraft's operator told the BBC.
The Taliban told the BBC they had the group. The district is known to have a strong Taliban presence."

Taliban claim attacks that killed 10 Including Governor

Taliban claim responsibility for 2 attacks that killed at least 10 - UPI.com: 
"The first attack happened at a police checkpoint in Ghazni province, CNN reported. Six people were killed and all the weapons were taken from the checkpoint. A police officer left with the militants who carried out the attack, officials said."

Six dead in Taliban attack on Afghan police

Six dead in Taliban attack on Afghan police | Pakistan Today | Latest news | Breaking news | Pakistan News 
There is possible evidence of a change of tactics by the Taliban in the last 3 weeks. Very few attacks on ISAF but more than 30 Afghan police have  been killed in that period. Not that you would know it from our news outlets.
“One of the policemen who had links with the Taliban let them into the post while other policemen were sleeping. The Taliban were led to the post and killed six police,” district chief, Fazul Ahmad Tolwak told reporters. “The police who led the Taliban into the post joined the Taliban after the attack and went with them.”

Afghans Protest US-Led Civilian Killings

Fars News Agency :: Afghans Protest US-Led Civilian Killings: 
"The demonstration in the Eastern town of Tagab came on the heels of an overnight attack by foreign soldiers that killed two Afghans, press tv reported.
The protesters on Saturday carried the bodies of the slain civilians and chanted slogans against the US-led forces.
Over the past few months, night raids by the US-led forces have resulted in many civilian casualties in Afghanistan. The raids have increased tensions between Washington and Kabul. "

Dramatic War Footage From Syria

It will ne noted that this footage, mainly from French news sources, is from the rebel side. Apologies for any adverts which interrupt.

Syrie combats compilation  2013 by ABDLJABBAR

NATO asks Russians for info on Afghan troop withdrawal

NATO asks Russians for info on Afghan troop withdrawal - The Agonist: 
"NATO made a secret request to the Russian militry for information on the 1989 withdrawal from Afghaistan.
NATO commanders have unofficially asked the Russian Defense Ministry for information on the Soviet troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989, in order to use the experience in the planned pull out from the country, a Russian newspaper has revealed.
NATO officials are interested in meeting the participants of the 1989 operation and also in a joint study of all related papers Kommersant daily wrote quoting unnamed sources in NATO. 
The request was made in secret in order to not “draw parallels between the current coalition mission” and the Russian occupation of Afghanistan.
Too bad they didn’t meet before our 11 year occupation."

Red Crescent Staff Killed In Taliban Attack

KABUL - AFP
Two local employees of the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) have been killed in a ‘shocking’ attack in the north of the country, Red Cross and Red Crescent officials said Wednesday.
Two other staffers were injured in the shooting Tuesday on a main road in the Khanaqa district while their mobile clinic was travelling to the provincial capital Shiberghan, officials said. They described the killings as ‘shocking and unacceptable’ but said the identity of the attackers was unknown. "It looks like they were deliberately attacked. The vehicle was clearly marked," said Robin Waudo, communication director of the ICRC.
The four-member mobile clinic team was providing medical help to people living in remote areas, the ARCS, ICRC and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said.

Karzai seeks to curb CIA operations in Afghanistan

Hamid Karzai seeks to curb CIA operations in Afghanistan | World news | guardian.co.uk: 
"Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faizi said the CIA controlled large commando-like units, some of whom operated under the nominal stamp of the Afghan government's intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), but were not actually under its control.
"Some of them are said to be working with the NDS, but they are not armed by the NDS, not paid by the NDS, and not sent to operations by the NDS. Sometimes they only inform the NDS minutes before the operation," Faizi said. "They are conducting operations without informing local authorities and when something goes wrong it is called a joint operation.""

13 Afghan policemen killed in Taliban attack

"GHAZNI, Afghanistan, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen Afghan Local Police (ALP) personnel were killed early Friday morning when Taliban launched attack on a checkpoint in Andar district in the country's eastern province of Ghazni, an official said.
"Taliban raided an ALP checkpoint in Gandaeer area in Andar district early Friday morning, killing 13 ALP cops," the district administrative chief, Mohammad Qasim Destiwal, told Xinhua.
The ALP was established in August 2010 to protect villages and districts around the insurgency-hit country where Afghan army and police have limited presence.
The official said an investigation into the incident was underway."

Attacks across Afghanistan kill 24

Attacks across Afghanistan kill 24 - PakTribune: 
"In western Afghanistan, seven women and children died when their truck hit a roadside bomb near Shindad in Herat province, said Muhiudin Noori, a spokesman for the governor.
In the east, another roadside bomb killed five men who were part of a government security force guarding a convoy of trucks in Ghazni's Qarabagh district, provincial spokesman Fazel Ahmad Sabaoon said.
Also in the east, insurgents attacked a checkpoint in Laghman province, killing four village policemen, provincial spokesman Sarhadi Zawak said."

The Recruiting Sergeant

Two ex-Blackwater contractors ordered to prison for killing Afghans

Two ex-Blackwater contractors ordered to prison for killing Afghans - UPI.com: "Christopher Drotleff of Virginia Beach, Va., and Justin Cannon of Corpus Christi, Texas, were each convicted of involuntary manslaughter for fatally shooting two Afghan men and injured another, The (Norfolk) Virginian Pilot reported Tuesday.
Investigators said the two Americans had left their military base without authorization to transport local interpreters. The lead vehicle in the convoy crashed and overturned, and Cannon and Drotleff opened fire into the back of a civilian car that tried to pass the accident scene."

At least 24 dead in Day of Taliban Attacks

BBC News - Afghanistan: At least 24 dead in violence:

"Some of the worst incidents took place in the west, where seven people were killed and three injured after a roadside bomb hit a civilian truck.
Afghan police have blamed the Taliban for the attack in Herat province.
The civilians were travelling to the town of Shindand when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device on Wednesday morning.
Women and children were among the casualties, provincial government spokesman Mohidin Noori said."

Senseless Drone Killings Continue

US torture of prisoners is 'indisputable' Independent Report

US torture of prisoners is 'indisputable', independent report finds | World news | guardian.co.uk: 
"A 580-page report published on Tuesday by the Constitution Project, a non-partisan Washington-based thinktank, concludes that the programme was unjustified and counterproductive, damaging to the country's reputation, and has placed US military personnel at risk of mistreatment if they are themselves taken prisoner.
In findings similar to those of a report published two months ago by the New York NGO Open Society Justice Initiative, the study concludes that the US rendition programme enjoyed widespread international co-operation, with the UK, Canada, Italy, Germany and Sweden identified as prominent supporters alongside Egypt, Syria, Morocco and Jordan."

Terror Tuesdays At The White House

"An Associated Press photograph brought the horror of little children lying dead outside of their home to an American Audience. At least 10 Afghan children and some of their mothers were struck down by an airstrike on their extended family household by order of President Barack Obama. He probably decided on what his aides describe as the routine weekly “Terror Tuesday” at the White House. On that day, Mr. Obama typically receives the advice about which “militants” should live or die thousands of miles away from drones or aircraft. Even if households far from war zones are often destroyed in clear violation of the laws of war, the president is not deterred."
MORE HERE:
Two Obamas, Two Classes of Children » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names:

Spain Feeds The War Beast In Afghanistan

Spain making a contribution to killing a few more Afghans before the rush for the exits ramps up and the whole rotten edifice collapses.
Spain deploys Tiger attack helicopters to Afghanistan - News - Shephard: "The Spanish Tiger helicopters are scheduled to operate alongside three Boeing CH-47D Chinook and three Eurocopter AS532UL Cougar transport helicopters which have been stationed at Herat for some time. After a short familiarisation period, the new attack helicopters will be used for armed reconnaissance, escort, close combat attack and rotary wing close air support duties."

Afghan opium cultivation to rise in 2013-U.N. report

Afghanistan has no economy to sustain even its own army after the departure of the occupier. The Taliban have no such problem. Against this backdrop and that of the institutional corruption, the whole house of cards will come down within months of NATO's tail between the legs exit. The whole operation since 2001, including the 'war' against the opium trade, will have been an abject exercise in futility.
 Afghan opium cultivation to rise in 2013-U.N. report - AlertNet:
"Experts say uncertainty over the future after most foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 could boost opium growth as a means of earning money.
Last year, the area used to grow poppies was 154,000 hectares, Raithelhuber said. While the area is expanding, it was unclear if it would reach the record of 193,000 hectares in 2007.
The UNODC report, prepared together with Afghanistan's Ministry of Counter Narcotics, said there was a link between insecurity, lack of agricultural aid, and opium farming.
Villages with poor security and those which had not received agricultural help were much more likely to grow poppies in 2013 than others, it said."

Rockets Hit NATO Base

Ahmad Zeya Abdulzai spokesman of Nangarhar governor confirmed firing of two rockets in the Airport and said nothing about casualties of the incident.
Airport of Nangahar located in the east of Jalalabad center of the province. More

US documents show Brennan’s ‘no civilian drone deaths’ claim was false

Throughout the first half of 2011 US intelligence sources had been insisting that civilians were no longer being killed by drone attacks. On June 29 2011 Brennan said ‘there hasn’t been a single collateral [civilian] death‘ in Pakistan in 10 months.The Bureau was the first to challenge this assertion. After carrying out a field investigation in Pakistan’s tribal areas, it submitted to the US administration a list of 45 civilians killed in drone strikes in the period Brennan had referred to. A senior US counter terrorism official refuted the findings at the time, insisting: ‘The most accurate information on counter-terror operations resides with the United States.’

The Guantanamo Tribunals Can't Continue Like This

The Guantanamo Tribunals Can't Continue On Like This - Andrew Cohen - The Atlantic: 

"The discovery of the misplaced e-mails follows other questions about government intrusion and secrecy that have undermined the legitimacy of a judicial process that has struggled to establish itself as an effective forum for the prosecution of some terrorism cases. In February, a military lawyer acknowledged that microphones were hidden inside devices that looked like smoke detectors in rooms used for meetings between defense counsel and their clients. The military said the listening system was not used to eavesdrop on confidential meetings, and had been put in the rooms before defense lawyers started to use them. The government subsequently said it tore out the wiring."

Bomb Kills Afghan Police Chief, Bodyguards

Bomb Kills Afghan Police Chief, Bodyguards: 
A local police chief and two bodyguards have been killed by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan.
Local officials said the police chief of Chora district of southern Uruzgan Province and two of his bodyguards were on patrol when the bomb struck their car overnight.
The province's police spokesman said all three died on the spot and their car was destroyed.
Violence has been escalating around Afghanistan as the spring fighting season has started.
Insurgent attacks usually drop during the harsh winter season."

BBC News - Afghanistan attack: Taliban raid 'kills 13 soldiers'

BBC News - Afghanistan attack: Taliban raid 'kills 13 soldiers': 
The outpost is said to be located in a remote and mountainous area vulnerable to attack.
The Taliban frequently launch attacks in Kunar province, a volatile province bordering Pakistan.

Civil war is the price Afghans will pay for the criminals the west installed

Civil war is the price Afghans will pay for the criminals the west installed | Lucy Morgan Edwards | Comment is free | The Guardian: 

"These regional chiefs, or warlords, were mostly brought back from exile. They were unpopular, having committed war crimes during the civil war. But instead of sidelining them, the US and UK re-empowered them with cash and weapons and made them the allies' sole reference points. They still are, to the bemusement of ordinary Afghans, many of whom, particularly in rural areas, would have preferred a more genuine engagement with the more legitimate local leadership. Unfortunately, the use of strongmen to fight al-Qaida and Taliban has led to chaos in rural areas and a further fragmentation of the tribal system that we should have worked with instead."

Mali refugees endure 'appalling' UN-Run Camp

BBC News - Mali refugees endure 'appalling' Mauritania camp - MSF: 
"Refugees are receiving only 11 litres (2.9 gallons) of water a day in 50C (122F) heat, and there is a desperate shortage of toilets, though more are now being built.
An MSF study at the camp last November revealed a critical nutrition situation, with mortality rates above the emergency threshold for children under two years old.
And conditions have worsened since the French intervention in Mali prompted a fresh wave of 15,000 refugees."

25 killed/injured in NATO airstrike in Kunar, Probe team

25 killed/injured in NATO airstrike in Kunar, Probe team - Khaama Press (KP) | Afghan Online Newspaper:
The airstrike was carried out during a joint military operation conducted by Afghan and coalition security forces in Shegal district of eastern Kunar province three days.
The delegation met with the families of the victims after being appointed by president Hamid Karzai.
According to the visiting delegation, at least 11 kids were killed along with four women and 10 others including 8 women and 2 children were injured.

Fewer than 2% of drone-strike victims in Pakistan are senior AQ

Fewer than 2 percent of drone-strike victims in Pakistan are senior al Qaeda leaders | FP Passport:

At least 265 of up to 482 people who the U.S. intelligence reports estimated the CIA killed during a 12-month period ending in September 2011 were not senior al Qaida leaders but instead were "assessed" as Afghan, Pakistani and unknown extremists. Drones killed only six top al Qaida leaders in those months, according to news media accounts.Forty-three of 95 drone strikes reviewed for that period hit groups other than al Qaida, including the Haqqani network, several Pakistani Taliban factions and the unidentified individuals described only as "foreign fighters" and "other militants." ...
At other times, the CIA killed people who only were suspected, associated with, or who probably belonged to militant groups.

Afghan Powerbroker Noor Blasts US Campaign as Failed

Afghan Powerbroker Noor Blasts US Campaign as Failed: 
"The [High] Peace Council is wasting its time and spending its money. What is the response? Suicide and the killing of our elders and leaders," Noor said. "Unless Pakistan cooperates honestly, there will not be any lasting peace nor will there ever be a sovereign government in Afghanistan."
He added that Pakistan's cooperation is the key to talks with the oppositions and ensuring stability in Afghanistan.

Cutting and running from Afghanistan

Retreat From Kabul

Sanitised and spin-merchant government-speak in this piece. But it shows clearly what the UK securocracy is trying to sell as a 'success'.

Cutting and running from Afghanistan » Spectator Blogs:
"It is even more difficult to claim that Afghanistan has been pacified than it was for Iraq. Opium cultivation has risen by a fifth last year, according to some reports. The Taleban has a parallel governing structure in preparation for the withdrawal."

4 Afghan Police Killed in Nimruz Blast

4 Afghan Police Killed in Nimruz Blast: "The incident took place Tuesday in Zarang, the capital of the province, when a police vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED) in the road, police said."