06 January 2013
A new Afghan Defense Ministry report backs up claims that U.S. forces are instigating Green on Blue attacks by mistreating their Afghan counterparts. The latest report says U.S. personnel, with the help of some of their Afghan interpreters, are harassing and humiliating villagers in Maidan Wardak Province. Also, the report says U.S. forces are not coordinating military operations with Afghan National Army (ANA) troops, as promised in recent agreements. Afghan defense officials tried to detain the interpreters but: “When we asked NATO forces to hand over the interpreters, they told us that they are not here and have fled the area.”
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) commented on claims that U.S. led troops are abusing detainees, saying any abuse was at the hands of the Afghan interpreters and U.S. led troops were not involved or aware of the incidents.
According to data from the World Bank, and the United Nations, at least 133 Afghan children die everyday (43,545 per year). The main cause is dirty water. This should be a concern for U.S. and European taxpayers, as millions of USD has been spent on water projects most of which never happened. Recent investigations by U.S. government agencies revealed that many of the contractors who got the tax money to improve the water systems never showed up. Is this intentional? So much for U.S. claims to stabilize and improve life for Afghanistan.
In Kandahar Province, a suicide bomber blew himself up near a government compound. Then Mujahideen infantry attacked the compound. Local police say 10 people were killed, 15 people were wounded.
The Afghan government has freed hundreds of prisoners who were being held by U.S. forces at Bagram Prison, and at other prisons. General Mohammad Yar Barakzai said that despite “…no evidence to prove their involvement in the insurgency.”, U.S. forces held them in prison for at least a couple of years, Israeli style.
05 January 2013
Mujahideen warned of increased attacks if the U.S. does not withdraw all personnel at the end of 2014: “If America wants to leave a small or large number of its troops for whatever length of time then it means war and destruction will continue in the region for that same length.”
U.S. media reports have revealed that as many as 20,000 U.S. personnel could remain after 2014.
An official from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Saeed Jalili, arrived in capital Kabul. He said he was there on official invitation from President Hamid Karzai. Iran is funding dozens of reconstruction projects in Afghanistan.
04 January 2013
Pakistan claims 25 mortar rounds were fired into their country from Afghanistan. They say it was Afghan government border forces that fired the short range artillery rounds.
Afghan public health ministry officials say at least one woman dies giving birth every two hours in Afghanistan. However, they say this is an improvement. They claim that 11 years ago it was one woman dying during childbirth ever 24 minutes!
A British Red Coat, who survived an explosion in Afghanistan, killed himself while on Christmas leave back home in the United Kingdom. Officials said only that “Police are investigating the death of a soldier who was serving with 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards.”
03 January 2013
In Helmand Province, a religious cleric was assassinated while leading prayer in a Mosque. Reports say he was targeted because he supported the government. Also, an ISAF soldier from Denmark was killed by an explosion while on patrol: “An International Security Assistance Force service member died following an improvised explosive device attack…”
In Ghazni Province, reports of a girl being gang raped and the local government trying to cover it up. The girl is in critical condition and was sent to Kabul for treatment. A vigilante group claims to have detained one of the four men accused of the rape. Local police say they did not cover up the rape, that simply it was never officially reported to them by the family.
In Kunar Province, Mujahideen report attacking several checkpoints, killing and wounding a handful of ANA troops. Mujahideen also report destroying a Counter Terrorism Pursuit Team (CTPT) in Narang district, after a four hour battle.
In Laghman Province, Mujahideen report day long ambushes on Afghan government convoys. They claim they killed at least 17 Afghan government personnel, and wounded 13. Three Mujahideen were killed, as well as one civilian.