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| Afghanistan |
| 75 Fewer Taliban |
| 2007-09-13 |
| Fighting in Afghanistan killed some 75 people as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began, including 45 suspected Taliban militants who died in airstrikes and Afghan army gunfire, officials said Thursday. In the southern province of Uruzgan on Wednesday, insurgents attacked a joint Afghan army and US-led coalition patrol with rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire, the coalition said in a statement late Wednesday. Afghan soldiers "cleared" Taliban fighters from firing positions within the village of Aduzay, while attack aircraft destroyed some fighting positions, it said. The coalition said more than 45 Taliban were killed. NATO's International Security Assistance Force on Wednesday said insurgents increased attacks during Ramadan last year and that they could do the same this year. "On the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, the enemies of Afghanistan have shown they will shun peaceful coexistence in favor of attacking government forces," said Army Major Chris Belcher, a coalition spokesman. "Fortunately for the citizens of Afghanistan, the (Afghan National Army) is improving their tactics." The coalition said no Afghan or coalition soldiers or civilians were wounded or killed in Uruzgan. It was not possible to confirm the death toll independently because of the remote location of the fighting. Fighting has increased dramatically the last several weeks in Afghanistan, with more than 300 suspected Taliban fighters killed since late August, according to the US-led coalition. More than 4,300 people - mostly militants - have died in insurgency-related violence this year, according to an Associated Press count based on figures from Western and Afghan officials. In the Zhari district of Kandahar province on Wednesday, an Afghan-NATO patrol discovered and defused three roadside bombs and shortly after was ambushed by Taliban fighters. A helicopter gunship joined the ensuing battle, which left 12 militants dead, said Syed Agha Saqib, the provincial police chief said Thursday. In Zabul province, 11 Taliban fighters were killed during a battle with NATO and Afghan soldiers on Wednesday, said Gulab Shah Alikhail, the governor's spokesman said on Thursday. Elsewhere in the country, three police were killed in Herat province during a five-hour fight on Wednesday, and one Afghan soldier was killed in Farah province on Thursday, officials said. Two civilians were killed by a bomb hidden in a cart that exploded near a police station in Takhar province, in the north. Police in Helmand province shot and killed a would-be suicide bomber before he could detonate his explosives on Thursday, said Gen Mohammad Hussein Andiwal, the provincial police chief. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #2 "More than 4,300 people - mostly militants - have died in insurgency-related violence this year" Awwwwwwwwwww - ain't that a goddam shame |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-09-13 23:25 |
| #1 More than 4,300 people - mostly militants - have died in insurgency-related violence this year That had to be painful for the reporter to write. S-cks when your team is loosing badly. |
| Posted by: N Guard 2007-09-13 22:35 |