Article

2003-09-19 Afghanistan

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve 2003-09-19 9:09:08 AM|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Details: U.S. and Afghan troops rushed to the scene of the blast, which occurred around noon when the father of the family living in the house apparently tried to dismantle the 122mm rocket, officials said. Maj. David Long said two bodies had been recovered and a third may have been buried under the rubble of the house. He said five injured people were taken to the hospital at the U.S. base. Long said the man had apparently been trying to dismantle the rocket to recover scrap aluminum. But Mohammed Araf, an Afghan commander, said the man, Shah Mohammed, was trying to extract explosives for use in a construction project. Explosives are often used to clear rocky areas or to break down large rocks into smaller ones used for building. Mohammed's wife and two children were killed, and Mohammed was injured, as were three other members of his family, Araf said.
Well that sucks, he's breaking up rockets in the living room, and his wife and kids pay the price.

Posted by Steve 2003-9-19 9:27:09 AM|| 2003-9-19 9:27:09 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 Do I hear smell a Darwin Award Winner? Or perhaps at least an honorable mention?

Posted by CrazyFool 2003-9-19 9:43:24 AM|| 2003-9-19 9:43:24 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 More details from Islam Online:
At least six people were killed Friday, September 19, in two blasts at a house owned by an explosives trader next to the U.S.-led coalition's Afghanistan headquarters at Bagram Air Base, witnesses said. A trader was storing mortars and rockets inside the house which exploded around 1:00 pm (0830 GMT), according to residents. "The owner of the house was buying rockets and bombs and then he removed the explosives and sold them to people mining for precious stones in Badakhshan province and the Panjshir valley," villager Jan Mohammad told AFP.
Mohammad said the owner had lost his left leg and left eye two years ago in an explosion but he had continued his trade. "It's a good business; he was making a lot of money."
I'd look for a new line of work, or at least move your operation to a remote area. Need to work on those zoning laws.

Posted by Steve 2003-9-19 11:10:16 AM|| 2003-9-19 11:10:16 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Doesn't appear to be a lot of Federal oversight for "explosives traders" over there, huh? Too bad, Lefty...

Posted by tu3031 2003-9-19 3:25:16 PM|| 2003-9-19 3:25:16 PM|| Front Page Top

18:36 Anonymous
11:33 whitecollar redneck
09:52 Aris Katsaris
08:03 raptor
06:22 Ptah
03:37 SteveS
02:11 Not Mike Moore
02:09 Not Mike Moore
02:07 Not Mike Moore
02:02 Not Mike Moore
01:57 Not Mike Moore
00:11 True German Ally
00:08 Charles
23:44 True German Ally
23:42 whitecollar redneck
23:34 Aris Katsaris
23:31 Not Mike Moore
23:26 Pappy
23:13 Not Mike Moore
23:13 True German Ally
22:59 Aris Katsaris
22:52 Aris Katsaris
22:52 Not Mike Moore
22:45 Not Mike Moore