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| Afghanistan |
| Two More Battles Kill Plenty |
| 2007-09-05 |
| Afghan national security forces, advised by coalition forces, killed nearly four dozen insurgents in a 12-hour long battle today in northern Kandahar province. The Sha Wali Kot District is an area where multiple attacks on ANSF and coalition forces have taken place in the past. Since Aug. 27, nearly 200 extremist Taliban fighters have been killed during failed attempts to attack ANSF and coalition forces. A combined force of Afghan national civil order police and coalition forces was on a combat patrol near Alekowzi Village, Sha Wali Kot District, Kandahar province, when they began taking small-arms and machine gun fire from approximately 10 insurgents. Within 20 minutes of the battle starting, the combined force was further engaged by an estimated 20 RPGÂ’s, fired from the nearby Hutak Village. The extremist fighters were visually observed firing on the patrol from compounds located within the villages. Throughout the engagement, insurgents reinforced their positions with an estimated 150 additional fighters. The ANCOP-led force repelled the attack using small arms, crew served weapons and later called in coalition close air support. Coalition aircraft destroyed the positively identified enemy firing positions with precision-guided munitions. More then 40 insurgents were killed in todayÂ’s engagement and no ANCOP, coalition or non-combatants were reported injured or killed. Afghan national auxiliary police officers, advised by coalition forces, defeated an attempted Taliban ambush west of the Musa Qalah wadi, Helmand province, today. The combined force was conducting a combat patrol in the vicinity of Anjir Shali Village, 17 km (10.5 miles) northwest of Sangin District Center, when it came under attack from a squad-size element of extremist Taliban. The insurgents attacked the patrol with small-arms, machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire from several buildings within the village limits. The patrol noted many of the non-combatants, who inhabited the village, had fled prior to the attempted ambush. The ANAP-led force immediately returned fire with small-arms fire and crew-served weapons. The enemy force reinforced their positions with additional fighters and also started firing from an extensive trench line located throughout the village. As they continued attacking the combined force from the buildings with machine gun fire, the ground force commander called in coalition close air support. Coalition aircraft conducted strikes on the positively identified enemy positions using precision-guided munitions. More than two-dozen Taliban insurgents were killed in the fighting. One non-combatant was injured by enemy fire as he attempted to flee the village prior to the engagement. He received a gunshot wound to the right leg and was evacuated by coalition forces to a medical treatment facility in Tarin Kowt. His prognosis is unknown at this time. No ANSF, coalition or other non-combatants were injured or killed in this engagement. |
| Posted by:Chuck Simmins |
| #2 What is astounding about these is that there are minimal coalition casualties. They are doing a great job and the Taliban are sending lambs to the slaughter. al-Haig is doing a great job. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-09-05 21:41 |
| #1 The loss of yet another company-sized equivalent, with nothing to show for it. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-09-05 21:27 |