08 May 2013/27 Jumada t-Tania 1434/18 Ordibehest 1391/29 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

U.S. led ISAF/NATO investigates its own personnel for misconduct during operations in Zabul Province at the end of April.  U.S. officials gave no further details. Apparently it’s the result of an internal ISAF/NATO complaint.

In Farah Province, Karwangah area at Bala Bolok District, Mujahideen ambushed Afghan National Army (ANA) and Police forces (ANP). Five government personnel killed, four wounded, and three vehicles damaged.

In Kandahar Province, Maiwand District, Afghans protested night time home invasions.  Fighting broke out between civilians and police.  At least eight people killed, 18 wounded, several arrested.

In Helmand Province, Baghranian area in Nahr-e-Saraj District, three civilians were killed and five wounded when they drove over a landmine.

In Kabul City, Human Rights Watch is accusing the government of arbitrarily detaining and torturing peaceful protestors: “The arrest and brutal beating of peaceful protesters seems aimed at sending a message to all Afghans not to publicly criticize the government.”-Brad Adams, HRW

Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed the U.S. led ISAF/NATO mission in Afghanistan: “There are all grounds to believe that we may face an escalation of the situation in Afghanistan in the short term. The foreign military contingent, whose backbone is American forces, has not achieved a breakthrough in the fight against terrorist and radical groups as yet. On the contrary, their [Mujahideen] activity has been particularly increasing lately…”

Putin also said it’s suspicious that illegal drug production is gaining momentum under the eye’s of the United States: “….a drastic increase in drug production in the territory of Afghanistan and the creation of stable drug trafficking routes to other countries….”

Reports that New Zealand has completed shipping metric tons of military supplies back to Kiwi Land.  It took 35 C-130 Hercules 16 flights to fly home 100 truck loads worth of NZDF equipment.  But not everything was brought home, Kiwi taxpayers unknowingly made a big donation to Afghanistan:  “When we arrived in Bamiyan we had to account for ten years’ worth of equipment and supplies. We identified what needed to be brought back to New Zealand, and items that could be gifted to the local community such as some vehicles, furniture, medical consumables and cleaning stores.”-Lieutenant Colonel Richard Weston, Royal New Zealand Air Force

The U.S. state of Georgia Army National Guard (GNG) announced they will bring livestock and seeds on their deployment to Afghanistan. It’s part of the GNG’s mission to help farmers in Afghanistan.  It will be the third time the GNG has deployed their Agribusiness Development Team, with the help of the University of Georgia.

07 May 2013/26 Jumada t-Tania 1434/17 Ordibehest 1391/28 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

Summer offensive Operation Khalid bin Waleed continues with Mujahideen attacking bases, ambushing convoys, several dozens killed and wounded, in the provinces of Farah, Laghman, Kapisa, Badakhshan, Jowzjan, Helmand, Kandahar, Maiden Wardak, Herat, Uruzgan, Zabul, Nimroz, Logar, Baghlan, Parwan, Kunar, Kunduz, Ghazni and Paktia.

Reports of school girls being poisoned are turning out to be false.  The overwhelming number of recent cases have resulted in no evidence of poisoning, but seem to be mass hysteria. The Afghan Education Minister, Ghulam Farooq Wardak, is threatening legal action if the games continue: “From now on, if I find anyone saying ‘I’m poisoned’ and the poisoning is not proved by the hospital, I will punish the student, I will punish the teacher, I will punish the head teacher and I will punish the school director!”

The World Bank gives Afghanistan more money! $100 million USD grant for the Afghanistan System Enhancement for Health Action in Transition (SEHAT) Program.

The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed that 2,201 U.S. personnel have died in Afghanistan, so far.

06 May 2013/25 Jumada t-Tania 1434/16 Ordibehest 1391/27 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

In Nangarhar Province, Goshta District, Pakistani and Afghan personnel attacked each other, again.  Afghan officials say the Pakistani troops started the fight, using artillery and tanks.

In Ghor Province, Mujahideen captured or destroyed as many as 13 government checkpoints, killing dozens and capturing weapons and ammo.

In Paktika Province, Barmal District, reports that U.S./NATO personnel abandoned a base.

In Helmand Province, Khanishan  District, reports that U.S./NATO personnel abandoned a base.

Mujahideen report major offensive as part of their Summer Operation Khalid bin Waleed.  Bases attacked, convoys ambushed, several dozens killed and wounded, in the provinces of Helmand, Kandahar, Maiden Wardak, Herat, Uruzgan, Zabul, Nimroz, Logar, Baghlan, Parwan, Kunar, Ghazni, Paktia, Khost and Ghor.

The U.S. Marine Corps is blaming a manufacturing defect in the driver seat of a LAV (Light Armored Vehicle) for the death of a Marine back in September 2011.  The investigation revealed that the hydraulically controlled seat suddenly rose during an after operation inspection, causing the seat back to crush the Marine’s throat.  For some odd reason the USMC didn’t release the results of the investigation until today, even though the investigation was concluded just one month after the incident.

05 May 2013/24 Jumada t-Tania 1434/15 Ordibehest 1391/26 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

In Farah Province, Korghan village in Khak-e-Safid District, four civilians killed and five wounded when they drove over a landmine.

President Hamid Karzai says the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) must continue its undocumented payments to the Afghan government: “I discussed the issue with head of the CIA in my office this morning and urged him not to cut the funds due to recent media reports since we need the funds to continue, and head of the CIA has assured that the funds will not be halted.”