20 January 2013

Heavy fighting reported in Helmand Province: An Afghan National Army (ANA) troop was sniped in the Charkhakyano Manda area of Sangin district. In Haji Gul Baba village of Sangin district, three ANA personnel were killed and one wounded when they drove over a landmine.   In the Samanji Karez area of Musa Kala district, Mujahideen captured four motorcycles and many weapons from local police.  In Sra Shakh and Mir Hamza Aka areas of Nahr Siraj region, Gerishk district, a U.S./NATO/ANA heliborne operation met resistance by Mujahideen.  In Basolano area of Nawa district, two cops were killed, one wounded, after their vehicle was hit with a bomb.   Near Gorgano village of Babaji district’s Loe Manda, a U.S./NATO armored vehicle hit a landmine, reports say two crewmen were killed.  In Kala Shamir region’s Mandozo area, Maiwand district, three people were killed when Mujahideen attacked a security check post.  U.S./NATO/ANA personnel invaded the Bari Gul bazaar, Shawal and Sawi Sarachi areas.  Mujahideen report that one of their own was killed.  In the Khairabad area reports say cops from the Khan-e-Sheen district HQ attacked border police personnel. Three HQ cops killed, five wounded.  No info on border cop casualties. In Nawzad district’s Sra Kala area, two separate ambushes were launched against Georgian/ISAF personnel.  The battles lasted for hours, no info on casualties for either side.

In Kunar Province, villagers report a U.S. led drone strike killed a family of five.  No other info.

In Herat Province, local police say a family blew themselves up while making explosives.  Police officials say a leader of local Mujahideen was killed, along with his wife, their two sons and a daughter.

The Afghan parliament finally approved a budget for Solar Hijri year 1392.  Most lawmakers refused to approve early budgets because most of the money went to military and national police.  Now, according to Finance Minister Hazrat Omer Zakhilwal, $1 billion USD will go to military/police and $2 billion for development/social projects.  The overwhelming majority of the funding is still coming from the taxpayers of other countries (like the United States).

Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) officials admitted to beating two reporters shortly after a suicide bombing in Kabul city last week.  NDS officials say they were simply concerned for the safety of the reporters and did not want them to get any closer to the crime scene!

19 January 2013

In Kunar Province, Mujahideen report launching an artillery attack on a U.S./NATO/Afghan National Army (ANA) forward operating base (FOB) in Asmar district.  They believe at least two FOB personnel were killed.

In Nangarhar Province, Achin district, Mujahideen reported an hour long ambush on U.S./NATO/ANA troops. Four troops killed, one wounded.  Mujahideen say two of their own were killed.

In Herat Province, two suicide bombers died before reaching their target.  The target was a local government building, but police say their explosive vests went off too soon, while they were riding a motorcycle.

The Afghan government has accused a European based military contractor of refusing to pay taxes.  According to Afghan government sources, supplies for U.S./NATO personnel are not taxed, but no bid food supply contractor, Supreme Group, is supposed to pay taxes on the supply services rendered.  After years of bickering, Afghan police finally arrested Supreme Group employees: “Three employees of Supreme Group including a Canadian Citizen, French Citizen and Afghan were arrested but were freed after they paid taxes.”-Rahmatullah Nazari, Deputy Afghan Attorney General

This is not the first time Supreme Group has been in trouble. Since 2005 the no bid contractor has handled food supply for the U.S. military in Afghanistan.  In 2010 the United States renewed the contract for $4 billion USD, without any bidding from other contractors.  In 2011 company officials confirmed to Newsweek that they were being investigated by U.S. officials, over possible fraud. Court documents also showed that Supreme Group was using taxpayer money to pay another contractor.  That contractor is also being investigated.

U.S. Pentagon officials gleefully reported that U.S. troop casualties due to bombs decreased in 2012.  They reported a 46% decline in U.S. deaths compared to 2011.  But get this, Afghan government troops saw a 124% increase in bomb attacks against them!  U.S. Army Lieutenant General, Michael Barbero, said that after more than ten years “Finally, our war fighters and commanders in the field are the best counter-IED capability we have. They get it and have a deep and thorough understanding of the enemy, the IED threat and how to attack it.” (yeah, it’s called pull back and force the Afghan National Army to do your dirty work)

18 January 2013

In Paktika Province, locals of Omana district say Afghan government personnel raided a village.  They kidnapped four people and stole eight motorcycles, one truck and 25 sacks of pine nuts.

In Khost Province, local Mujahideen say they assassinated a spy working for the United States in Alishir district.

Pakistani officials announced plans to release all Afghan Mujahideen prisoners still in its detention.

In Nangarhar Province, four cops were killed when they drove over a landmine.

To add insult to injury for U.S. taxpayers, after the Pentagon canceled a program to supply Afghanistan with Italian made C-27 Spartan aircraft ($600 million already spent), Airbus says they are now trying to get the Pentagon to spend money on their own transport aircraft.

European company, Airbus (a direct competitor to Boeing), wants the U.S. taxpayer to fund the use of their CN235 and CN295 aircraft.  The planes are similar to the canceled C-27 Spartan.