12-23-2015, 01:31 PM
Taliban in Afghanistan
Meanwhile, Afghanistan is experiencing more Taliban turmoil than it has in some time.
Military reinforcements have arrived in the Afghan district of Sangin to support police and soldiers besieged by Taliban militants, the Helmand deputy governor has told the BBC.
Mohammad Jan Rasoulyar also said that military planes had dropped food supplies to government positions in Sangin. He said the (Afghan) army was "now taking the fight to the Taliban".
Civilians have been fleeing the town amid continuing bitter fighting.
A spokesman for the Taliban said it has taken full control of Sangin district, but Afghan acting defence minister Masoon Stanekzai said fighting in Sangin was "ongoing".
Also this week, a suicide bombing near Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan killed six U.S. troops and wounded two other Americans and an interpreter. RIP. The victims have been identified: http://news.yahoo.com/york-city-detectiv...20630.html#
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing, which was the largest attack on foreign troops in Afghanistan since August.
It happened at around 1.30 p.m. local time in the vicinity of Bagram, the largest U.S. military facility in Afghanistan, according to U.S. Army Brig. Gen William Shoffner.
Mohammad Asim Asim, governor of Parwan province, where Bagram is located, said the bomber rammed an explosives-laden motorcycle into a combined NATO-Afghan foot patrol as it moved through a village close to the base, which is 28 miles north of Kabul.
Taliban fighters, sometimes working with other insurgent groups like the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, have managed to overrun many districts across the country this year, as well as staging a three-day takeover of the major northern city of Kunduz. They rarely hold territory for more than a few hours or days, but the impact on the morale of Afghan forces is substantial.
The war has intensified since the announcement in late July that the founder and leader of the Taliban, Mullah Mohammad Omar, had been dead for more than two years. His deputy, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, succeeded him, causing internal ructions and delaying the likelihood that a peace dialogue with the Afghan government, halted after the announcement of Mullah Omar's death, will restart in the foreseeable future.
The Pentagon released a report last week warning that the security situation in Afghanistan would deteriorate as a "resilient Taliban-led insurgency remains an enduring threat to U.S., coalition, and Afghan forces, as well as to the Afghan people."
The U.S. now has about 9,800 troops in Afghanistan, some of which are involved in counterterrorism missions. With NATO contributions, there are about 13,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan.
Refs:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35166136
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/12/21/...vince.html
Meanwhile, Afghanistan is experiencing more Taliban turmoil than it has in some time.
Military reinforcements have arrived in the Afghan district of Sangin to support police and soldiers besieged by Taliban militants, the Helmand deputy governor has told the BBC.
Mohammad Jan Rasoulyar also said that military planes had dropped food supplies to government positions in Sangin. He said the (Afghan) army was "now taking the fight to the Taliban".
Civilians have been fleeing the town amid continuing bitter fighting.
A spokesman for the Taliban said it has taken full control of Sangin district, but Afghan acting defence minister Masoon Stanekzai said fighting in Sangin was "ongoing".
Also this week, a suicide bombing near Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan killed six U.S. troops and wounded two other Americans and an interpreter. RIP. The victims have been identified: http://news.yahoo.com/york-city-detectiv...20630.html#
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing, which was the largest attack on foreign troops in Afghanistan since August.
It happened at around 1.30 p.m. local time in the vicinity of Bagram, the largest U.S. military facility in Afghanistan, according to U.S. Army Brig. Gen William Shoffner.
Mohammad Asim Asim, governor of Parwan province, where Bagram is located, said the bomber rammed an explosives-laden motorcycle into a combined NATO-Afghan foot patrol as it moved through a village close to the base, which is 28 miles north of Kabul.
Taliban fighters, sometimes working with other insurgent groups like the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, have managed to overrun many districts across the country this year, as well as staging a three-day takeover of the major northern city of Kunduz. They rarely hold territory for more than a few hours or days, but the impact on the morale of Afghan forces is substantial.
The war has intensified since the announcement in late July that the founder and leader of the Taliban, Mullah Mohammad Omar, had been dead for more than two years. His deputy, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, succeeded him, causing internal ructions and delaying the likelihood that a peace dialogue with the Afghan government, halted after the announcement of Mullah Omar's death, will restart in the foreseeable future.
The Pentagon released a report last week warning that the security situation in Afghanistan would deteriorate as a "resilient Taliban-led insurgency remains an enduring threat to U.S., coalition, and Afghan forces, as well as to the Afghan people."
The U.S. now has about 9,800 troops in Afghanistan, some of which are involved in counterterrorism missions. With NATO contributions, there are about 13,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan.
Refs:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35166136
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/12/21/...vince.html