[KhaamaPress] A helicopter crash killed two service of the U.S. military in Afghanistan, the NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A single organization with differing goals, equipment, language, doctrine, and structure.... -led Resolute Support Mission said in a statement.
"Two U.S. service members were killed in a helicopter crash on November 20, 2019 in Afghanistan," the alliance said in a statement. RIP
The statement further added "The cause of the crash is under investigation, however preliminary reports do not indicate it was caused by enemy fire."
The Resolute Support Mission did not disclose further information regarding the exact location of the incident and identities of the dear departed soldiers.
"In accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, the names of the service members killed in action are being withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin is complete," the statement added.
[KhaamaPress] A series of Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... s killed at least 19 Taliban ...Arabic for students... and ISIS holy warriors in five provinces of Afghanistan in the past 24 hours.
According to military officials, an airstrike in Sayyid Karam district of Paktiya killed 6 Talibs and destroyed a small cache of weapons.
The officials further added an airstrike in Dasht-e Archi district of Kunduz killed 3 Talibs.
Another airstrike in Achin district of Nangarhar The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country.. province killed 3 holy warriors of ISIS Khurasan, the officials said, adding that airstrikes in Pul-e Alam and Charkh districts of Pashtun-infested Logar killed a Taliban bully boy and destroyed a small cache of weapons.
The officials also added that an airstrike in Maraj district of Helmand ...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan... province killed 3 holy warriors of Taliban group.
The anti-government armed bully boy groups including Taliban and ISIS Khurasan have not commented regarding the airstrikes so far.
[KhaamaPress] The Afghan Special Forces ...established in 2007 with the intent of taking one conventional infantry kandak (battalion) from each of the regional ANA corps, giving them special training and equipment, and reorganizing based on the U.S. Army Rangers. Each battalion is assigned to one of the six regional corps. The commandos comprise 7% of the Afghan National Security Forces but conduct 70% to 80% of the fighting... killed 13 Talibs and arrested 14 others during separate operations in the past 24 hours.
The military officials said Tuesday the Special Forces killed 8 Talibs and destroyed a small cache of weapons in Baraki Barak district of Pashtun-infested Logar province.
The officials further added the Special Forces killed 5 Talibs and destroyed a cache of weapons during a separate raid in Gizab district of Daykundi province.
The Special Forces arrested 5 ISIS Khurasan bully boyz and destroyed a small cache of weapons during a separate raid in Shinwar district of Nangarhar The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country.. , the officials said, adding that the Special Forces arrested 3 Talibs during a separate raid in Deh-e Sabz district of Kabul.
The officials also added that the Special Forces arrested 3 Talibs and destroyed a small cache of weapons during an operation in Jaji district of Paktiya.
[NYPOST] Two hostages ‐ an American and an Australian ‐ who’ve been held since 2016 have been released in a prisoner swap that let three top Taliban ...Arabic for students... figures walk free, the Taliban said Tuesday.
American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks, both professors at the American University of Kabul, were released in the southern Zabul province.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the two men were handed over to Afghan government representatives, intermediaries or US forces.
King and Weeks were kidnapped outside the university three years ago. The following year, the Taliban released two videos of them and another in January 2017 in which they appeared pale and gaunt.
Both claimed at the time that they were being treated well and asked their governments to help in their release ‐ but it’s impossible to know whether they were forced to speak.
[KhaamaPress] Three senior Haqqani Network leaders including Anas Haqqani have arrived in Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... after being released from prison in Afghanistan, it has been reported.
Sources privy of the development have confirmed to media outlets that the Afghan government released the three senior Haqqani network ...a branch of the Afghan Taliban, based in Pakistain. The network is a family business founded by the later Jalaluddin Haqqani... leaders late on Monday night.
Presidential spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi earlier said President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani ...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money... phoned the Secretary of State of the United States Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser Rober O’Brien on Monday night to review the steps necessary to implement President Ghani’s recent decision to release the three high-level Taliban/Haqqani detainees.
[DAWN] The Talibansnuffies released two Western hostages ‐ Kevin King from the United States and Timothy Weeks from Australia ‐ on Tuesday in a prisoner exchange deal with the Afghan government, two Afghan officials said.
"This morning at around 10am two American University professors were released in Nawbahar district of Zabul province. They were flown out of Zabul by American helicopters," a local police source said.
"The two professors are safely freed and are being taken care of now," one of the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity ... for fear of being murdered... , told Rooters.
The American and Australian were exchanged with three Taliban leaders, including key krazed killer figure Anas Haqqani, added Rooters.
[ToloNews] The US White House issued a statement on Wednesday responding to the release of Kevin King, American, and Timothy Weeks, Australian, saying: “The Taliban have indicated that the release of the two professors is intended as a goodwill gesture, which the United States welcomes.”
It added that the United States condemns the taking of innocent civilians as hostages.
The White House statement continued, “Additionally, we welcome the Taliban’s impending release of 10 Afghan prisoners, and the Afghan government’s release of 3 Taliban prisoners,” the statement said.
"We see these developments as hopeful signs that the Afghan war, a terrible and costly conflict that has lasted 40 years, may soon conclude through a political settlement," the statement added. "We commend President Ashraf Ghani and the Afghan government for advancing that goal while simultaneously working to strengthen and reform Afghanistan’s security forces."
According to the statement, during the past two years, President Ghani extended an offer to talk to the Taliban “without preconditions” and “called for a ceasefire during the Muslim holiday of Eid-ul-Fitr in 2018, which the Taliban reciprocated.”
The statement addresses the complex Afghan political environment: “The United States also commended the many Afghan politicians who put their political differences aside and did not use these humanitarian gestures for personal political gain.”
Notably, the statement acknowledged that a change in recent Taliban attacks might indicate an opportunity for peace talks: “Along with a reduction of violence in Kabul during the past few days, the above developments give us hope for the success of intra-Afghan peace negotiations, which the United States stands ready to support.”
Meanwhile, US envoy in Kabul, John Bass, said in a tweet that "today we saw important humanitarian steps by Afghan govt and Taliban. American Kevin King, Australian colleague Tim Weeks and 10 ANSDF members will soon reunite with families. One step leads to a step in response. More steps create a pathway to peace in Afghanistan."
[Mil.com] MOGADISHU, Somalia ‐ A Somali intelligence official says a U.S. drone strike has killed a senior officer with the al-Shabab extremist group.
The official says the unidentified officer had maintained links with foreign extremist groups with the aim of coordinating future attacks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.
Residents said the officer’s vehicle was struck Tuesday outside the al-Shabab-held town of Kunya Barow in southern Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region.
The U.S. military in a statement confirms the strike and says the al-Shabab member had direct ties to al-Qaida. The U.S. says the strike was carried out in coordination with Somalia’s government.
A United Nations expert report released this month says al-Shabab remains a potent regional threat and now makes its own explosives.
Mali and Niger forces were carrying out a joint operation when a patrol was attacked by Takfiri terrorists near the northeastern town of Tabankort,
...long time center of the intermittent Tuareg rebellion to establish their Azawad homeland...
the army said on social media.
According to the military the total toll was "24 dead, 29 injured and material damage" while 17 of the terrorists were killed and a hundred more suspects captured.
The prisoners are in the hands of Niger soldiers, the statement said.
In an earlier statement, which gave a lower death toll, the army said French and Niger forces took part in a counterattack.
[Libya Observer] Libya's Misrata city was under Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... attacks in different areas by Khalifa Haftar ...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all... 's warplanes, which; according to commander of the military intelligence in central Libya Ibrahim Baytalmal, were foreign aircraft.
Baytalmal assured Misrata people that the response to the airstrikes will be tough as it was to ISIS in Sirte.
Meanwhile, ...back at the Council of Boskone, Helmuth ordered the entire 614th quadrant searched. The Green Lensman must be found!... the Health Ministry denied any casualties or serious injuries in the airstrikes on Misrata, while Misrata medical center said 13 injured people arrived in there after the airstrikes.
The media office of Volcano of Rage Operation posted on Facebook photos of the aftermath of the airstrikes, saying that the emergency and accident section of Misrata medical center received 13 injured civilians, including one woman.
[DW] German authorities watched the suspected illegal banking operation for a year before their raid. The suspects are accused of running an illegal hawala banking system between Germany and The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...Qatar's satrapy in Asia Minor...
German authorities have carried out a raid on an organized international network suspected of illegally transferring millions of euros to Turkey.
Why Turkey?
Police searched about 60 apartments and offices in Tuesday's early-morning raids across Germany. Officers say 27 people are suspected of being involved in the scheme; six arrest warrants have been issued.
Posted by: chris ||
11/20/2019 10:47 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Because it takes time to get all the evidence, the addresses and accounts, Chris. By any estimate, one year of investigation and getting a conviction on even half the operators is a top notch job.
Perhaps one day this obstreperous gentleman will be publicly identified, and we’ll be allowed to know whether he had arrived legally, whether his asylum request had finally been rejected... all the usual stuff.
[DW] German authorities say they've arrested a Syrian observed in chat networks seeking ingredients to make the explosive TAPT. When and where the suspect, allegedly with Islamist leanings, was planning an attack is unclear.
Special federal police units detained a Syrian man in his Berlin apartment early Tuesday on a charge of preparing a text aimed at perpetrating a terror act endangering the state, prosecutors said.
Federal prosecutors said the suspect had begun to procure the "requisite components and chemicals for the construction of an bomb" with the intention of killing as many people as possible.
"This was intended for detonation at an unknown point in time and at an unknown location in Germany," they added.
In August he had purchased hydrogen peroxide and acetone ‐ two chemicals used to synthesize the high explosive TATP.
UNDER OBSERVATION
Berlin prosecutors said that since early 2019, the Syrian had been observed nine times in an electronic message group affiliated with the terror militia "Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... " (IS).
Topics had included instructions on plastic explosives, packet and magnet bombs, and booby trap-explosives, followed by Kalashnikov K-47 guns and machine pistols.
German public broadcaster ARD said initial tips had been given by an unidentified foreign secret service to Germany's domestic intelligence agency (BfV).
EMPLOYED AS CLEANER
The suspect was employed as a cleaner at one of Berlin's primary schools and had been under observation since early this year, according to Berlin city-state's interior senator Andreas Geisel.
The Berliner Zeitung daily said the suspect lived near the town hall in Berlin's district of Schöneberg.
Before working at the school, he had been employed at Berlin's renowned Bode Museum.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
11/20/2019 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11126 views]
Top|| File under: Islamic State
[IsraelTimes] Assailants wielding knives and machetes ambush a Revolutionary Guard and two members of the Basij militia west of Tehran.
Three members of the Iranian security forces have been stabbed to death by "rioters" near Tehran, the ISNA and Fars news agencies reported late Monday.
The assailants wielding knives and machetes ambushed the three ‐ a Revolutionary Guard and two members of the Basij militia ‐ west of the capital, the news agencies reported.
The deaths take to at least five the number of people confirmed to have been killed in violent demonstrations that erupted across Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan, the abbreviation IRGC is a cognate form of Stürmabteilung (or SA), the term Supreme Guide is a cognate form of either Shah or Führer or maybe both, and they hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... on Friday against a surprise gas price hike.
One of the three was identified as Morteza Ebrahimi, a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Fars.
The other two were Majid Sheikhi, 22, and Mostafa Rezaie, 33. Both served in the Basij militia, a volunteer force loyal to the establishment.
State television said a ceremony would be held for Ebrahimi and Rezaie in Tehran on Tuesday afternoon.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
11/20/2019 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11136 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
During our strike of Iranian & Syrian terror targets, a Syrian air defense missile was fired despite clear warnings to refrain from such fire. As a result, a number of Syrian aerial defense batteries were destroyed.
[Jpost] "During the attack, Syrian air missiles were fired, despite a clear warning that was ignored. As a result, several Syrian aerial defense batteries were destroyed." KER-WHUMP !!
A spokesperson for the IDF confirmed early on Wednesday morning that IAF fighter jets performed targeted air strikes against dozens of military targets belonging to the Iranian Quds Force (IRGC) and the Syrian army on Tuesday night in Syria.
The targets included air-to-ground missiles, headquarters, warehouses and military bases.
"During the attack, Syrian air missiles were fired, despite a clear warning that was ignored. As a result, several Syrian aerial defense batteries were destroyed," the IDF said.
The attack was carried out in response to rockets which the IDF said were launched by an Iranian force from Syrian territory into Israeli territory in the early hours of Tuesday morning, that despite being intercepted, were intended to hit Israeli territory.
"The Iranian attack on Israeli territory yesterday is further proof of the current Iranian purpose in Syria. Their presence in the region is a danger to Israel's security, regional stability and to the Syrian regime."
Breaking video footage emerges huge fire ripping through unknown object in southern #Damascus amid #Israeliairstrikes. pic.twitter.com/5LHaG3AHxO
- Majd Fahd (@Syria_Protector) November 19, 2019
"The IDF also sees the Syrian regime as responsible for what is happening in its territory, and warns it not to act or allow action against Israel."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement following the attack, saying in it that "I made it clear that whoever harms us - we will harm them."
"That is what we did tonight in Syria against Iranian Quds Force targets and Syrian military targets, after rockets were fired from its territory towards Israel. We will continue to aggressively guard the security of Israel."
According to Syrian news agency Sana, Syrian aerial defense systems were able to intercept some of the missiles before they were able to reach their targets. In fact, some zealous launchers themselves met them head on.
Warning of a possible retaliation, the IDF closed their statement by saying that "the IDF is highly prepared for a variety of scenarios In each of which, Arabs and Iranians end up dying
and will continue to operate as required for the security of the citizens of the State of Israel. The Home Front Command instructions should be obeyed if required."
The Quds Force is the overseas arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
The Times of Israel has a brief video here ‐ it looks to me like something interesting is cooking off. The article also adds:
SANA added that the aggression was carried out from "Lebanese and Paleostinian territories." Israel sometimes launches its attacks on Syria from planes flying over neighboring Leb.
Early Tuesday morning Israel’s anti-missile defense system intercepted four rockets fired from Syria toward the Golan Heights. All four were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.
Shortly afterwards blasts were heard near Damascus International Airport, the official SANA news agency reported. The agency gave no further details, but its statement came shortly after the Israeli army had announced that it had intercepted the rockets fired from Syria.
Some Syrian outlets speculated that the blasts were an Israeli Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... , while others said it may have been the sound of the rockets being launched at Israel.
The rockets triggered sirens in the northern Golan Heights and Galilee region at 4:52 a.m., sending residents rushing to bomb shelters.
Posted by: 3dc ||
11/20/2019 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11133 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Syria
[NPASYRIA] The Ottoman Turkish military and its backed armed opposition groups continue their military attacks on areas in Tal Tamr northern countryside, targeting villages with artillery shells, in addition to the abduction of two young men from the area of Abu Rasin (Zargan). As Ottoman Turkish-backed armed opposition groups launched a large-scale attack, on Sunday evening, on Tal Tamr northern countryside, targeting several villages including Qasimiya, Manakh, Dardara, Rashidiya, and the surrounding farms and hills, the festivities continued until Monday morning.
Moreover, those gangs targeted villages along the road between Tal Tamr and Abu Rasin (Zarkan) with artillery shells, injuring one person.
Local sources confirmed that the gangs kidnapped two young men, from the village of Um Harmala of Zarkan district, while they were cultivating their land, as the gangs demanded ransom money estimated at 15 million SYP from their families. Field sources also indicated that heavy fire shot took place between the Death Eaters of those gangs in Bab al-Khair area, which is controlled by those gangs affiliated with The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... , in the eastern countryside of Ras al-Ain (Sere-Kaniye), amid reports of deaths and injuries among them.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have confirmed that Ottoman Turkish military and their affiliated Syrian armed opposition groups have taken control over 60 villages since the ceasefire was declared. While Kino Gabriel, SDF spokesperson said: "The Ottoman Turkish military and its affiliated gangs are still launching the heaviest attacks on the villages of the town of Tal Tamr, and did not commit at any moment to the ceasefire agreement."
Furthermore, the head of the SDF Press Office Mustafa Bali told North-Press that "Since the ceasefire was declared on the 17th of October, neither Turkey nor the pro-Ottoman Turkish Syrian National Army groups have committed to the ceasefire, rather, they have continued launching attacks in all axes," he said.
Mr. Bali added that since the ceasefire up until now, Ottoman Turkish military have taken control over 60 villages and festivities have continued in the vicinity of Tal Tamr. He pointed out that the Ottoman Turkish-backed gangs supported have targeted the town of Tal Tamr, while sporadic festivities still occur in the vicinity of Ein Issa on more than one axis.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/20/2019 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11129 views]
Top|| File under: Sublime Porte
[NPASYRIA] The Ottoman Turkish military and its affiliated armed opposition groups (mostly Islamist militias under an umbrella name of National Army), continue to keep their control over Sharakrak silos on the Highway M4, near the town of Ein-Issa, northern Raqqa.
Special sources told North-Press that the Russian forces continue to negotiations with the Ottoman Turkish military and its backed gangs to push them to withdraw back from the strategic silos point, that was controlled by the Ottoman Turkish military.
This information came in conjunction with the Russian claim in Ein-Issa, that it is seeking to persuade the Ottoman Turkish military controlling the silos to withdraw, after taking control over the point about 48 hours ago.
The operation of control took place by the infiltration of the Ottoman Turkish military and the gangs to the area and into Sharakrak, after the separation of the Russian and Ottoman Turkish patrols from each other, after a tour in which they explored the area.
Since October 9, 2019, the Ottoman Turkish military and its affiliated Syrian armed opposition groups have been conducting military operations in the area from (Sere-Kaniye) Ras al-Ain to Abu-Rasin (Zargan), and Tal-Abyad (Gre-Spi) to Ein-Issa countryside. These military groups were able to control large areas, including looting of civilian properties, private and public facilities by those gangs in northwestern Syria.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/20/2019 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11132 views]
Top|| File under: Sublime Porte
#1
Where is Lex? - this whole schmegga needs a Sh*tshow serial number.
Our reporter: A military vehicle of the Turkish patrol runs over a woman's leg in the village of Terri, in the eastern countryside of Kobani A passing by civilian's car hit by the Turkish patrol vehicle, in the same area. pic.twitter.com/ebuCGBdcia
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[KhaamaPress] A helicopter crash killed two service of the U.S. military in Afghanistan, the 
...
...established in 2007 with the intent of taking one conventional infantry kandak (battalion) from each of the regional ANA corps, giving them special training and equipment, and reorganizing based on the U.S. Army Rangers. Each battalion is assigned to one of the six regional corps. The commandos comprise 7% of the Afghan National Security Forces but conduct 70% to 80% of the fighting...
...Arabic for 
/Haqqani detainees.
[Mil.com] MOGADISHU, Somalia ‐ A Somali intelligence official says a U.S. drone strike has killed a senior officer with the al-Shabab extremist group.
...
...Qatar's satrapy in Asia Minor...
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling 
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for 
[Jpost] "During the attack, Syrian air missiles were fired, despite a clear warning that was ignored. As a result, several Syrian aerial defense batteries were destroyed." 
...
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
