Eight Afghan police killed in Badakhshan Taliban clash

[fd24]

Eight Afghan policemen have been killed and two injured in fighting against the Taliban in the north-eastern province of Badakhshan, officials say.

A spokesman for the provincial governor told the BBC that at least two militants were killed in the fighting.

The three-hour gunfight took place in the remote mountainous district of Wardooj in north-eastern Badakhshan.

Separately a bomb in the south of the country has killed a Nato soldier, officials say.

The death brings the number of coalition troops killed in Afghanistan this year to 173. Nato has not provided any further details about Wednesday's attack.

Officials say that insurgents have been more active in Badakhshan in recent months - attacking the police and forcibly collecting taxes from locals.

In other developments:

A tribal elder and two local officials were killed by a roadside bomb in Nangarhar province, officials say
At least four people including a child were killed in a grenade attack in Nangarhar

The UN on Wednesday released new figures which showed that despite the latest violence, the number of civilians killed in the war in the first four months of 2012 had dropped by 21% over the same period in 2011.

RIP to all the lost souls...

BBC News - Eight Afghan police killed in Badakhshan Taliban clash

 

[Sher Malang]

Afghan, NATO-led forces kill 22 Taliban insurgents: Official

Afghan and the NATO-led troops during a combine operation backed by airpower have killed 22 Taliban fighters including 18 foreigners in Khost province, 150 km southeast of capital Kabul, a local official said Wednesday. "In the operation conducted with the support of NATO-led forces in Woza village of Musa Khil district on May 28, four local Taliban insurgents and 18 foreigners were killed,"Asmatullah, spokesman for border police force in the area said. There were militants from Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Chechen among the foreign insurgents killed during the operation, he said, adding the bodies will be shifted by Afghan Red Crescent Society. Meantime, an official with the Red Crescent Society named Mohammad Yusuf said the bodies would be taken to the concerned families.

Source: Afghan, NATO-led forces kill 22 Taliban insurgents: Official | The Nation


Taliban Leader Killed in Maiden Wardak Raid

A Taliban leader was killed in an Afghan security forces operation in Maidan Wardak province on Wednesday morning, local officials said.

The operation launched in the Sayed Abad district killed the Taliban leader Farid Sulan and three others insurgents, provincial police chief spokesman Abdul Wali said.

One other insurgent was captured and many weapons were seized by the security forces, he said.

Meanwhile, Isaf said in a statement Wednesday that a Taliban facilitator was captured in a joint Afghan and Nato forces operation in Sayed district of Maidan Wardak.

The Taliban facilitator worked directly for the senior Taliban leader in the district and also supplied weapons, ammunition and equipment to insurgents for attacks against Afghan and coalition troops, it said.

As the combined force approached the leader's suspected location, multiple insurgents fired on the Afghan and coalition troops from within a building, which was later determined to be a mosque, it added.

Source: Taliban Leader Killed in Maiden Wardak Raid

 

[Armstrong]

Sher Malang yaar ! What are the views of the average Afghan on the Taliban and their movement; which is to say how significant is the oft-repeated 'Pukhtoon Nationalism' an element that factors in support for the Taliban ? I've met a few Pukhtoons on this side of the border (they were from Bajaur in FATA and Sibi in Balochistan) who had a soft-spot if not outright support for 'the Afghan Taliban'; so, yaara, how is it over there ?

 

[Sher Malang]

Sher Malang yaar ! What are the views of the average Afghan on the Taliban and their movement; which is to say how significant is the oft-repeated 'Pukhtoon Nationalism' an element that factors in support for the Taliban ? I've met a few Pukhtoons on this side of the border (they were from Bajaur in FATA and Sibi in Balochistan) who had a soft-spot if not outright support for 'the Afghan Taliban'; so, yaara, how is it over there ?

I have stated my views on that regard many times but most of members here ignore it or even don't trust what I say!

Afghans of the upper class hates Taliban at it's highest levels but wants to see them having a small share of the government so they could leave fighting, the middle class hates them for their wrong activities and also thinks of them as their own brothers and also encourage them to leave fighting because this country has suffered a lot, the lower class has always been bended with everyone who provided shelter, justice, safety and security.

Taliban are in no way Pashtun Nationalists! nor their way of Islam is Islamic their rule and law is a mixture of Pashtunwali, Islam and local tribalism. (if you haven't read their 'Rasmi Jareeda' I have it and I can share some of the rules here too)

Those who supported Taliban's rise after 2005 were either frustrated by the government or had previous links with the Taliban but the same people today started to hate them, from last 2 years there has been 6 incidents where local people started to fight the Taliban for various reasons e.g killing the elders, killing people for working with the civil government, banning students attending schools etc.. recently last week 12 Taliban were killed by local people in Wardag province and 15 others were arrested because they threatened the students and even fired shots at them for not attending school.

Attacks of Taliban and their presence was at it's highest levels during 2008 to mid 2010 but they are remarkably weakened this year (2012) they have lost their strategic grounds, supply routes, leaders etc..

I will give you an example of my province which is located just 60 KM from Kabul, Taliban presence was very big in 2010 and their operation were also effective in 2011 but this year their presence is smashed by ANSF, they can't gather anymore if so, they are killed by ANSF or captured.

ANSF's operations are 100 times better than ISAF/NATO/US, they are very well aware of the people and also the Taliban, they do their best to not harm the trust of the people and Alhamdulilah people trust them more than anytime before.

The major problem with the Taliban is their political front which is very weak or I say it doesn't exists!! their tactics in 2010 and 2011 were very much effective which were suicide attacks and IEDS but today they are no longer effective, suicide attackers and their suppliers are being busted every second week and IED causalities have decreased alot.

Aur yaar kuch poochna ho toh dil khol kar pooch liyo lol

 

[Armstrong]

@ Sher Malang : Thanks yaar ! I wonder why then do the Taliban have support in Pakistan ? I mean not just amongst the Pukhtoons but also amongst a few Punjabis I've met; though I do concede that their religious disposition made my stomach turn ! But it was disturbing to say the least that I've heard moderates here in Pakistan too exclaiming how 'When the Taliban came to power Afghanistan was a model of Peace and Justice and had financial support been given to the Taliban they would have added Prosperity to the mix too !' and yet when I read biographies like 'Meena - the founder of RAWA' and others they equally accuse the Taliban, the Northern Alliance and all other warlords of ravaging the country like never before.

P.S Do you see any rapprochement between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the future ? I mean the few Afghans I've met here in Pakistan were pretty caustic in their remarks towards my country and that naturally left a bitter taste in my mouth; heck one even said 'Pakistan koi Islam Qilla hai ? Yeh to Shaitan ka Qilla hai'. Khair koi nahin May God Bless Pakistan and Afghanistan !

P.P.S Yaar aab tou Durrand Line recognize kar lo ! Aur kitnaa sataao ge ?

 

[Sher Malang]

@ Sher Malang : Thanks yaar ! I wonder why then do the Taliban have support in Pakistan ? I mean not just amongst the Pukhtoons but also amongst a few Punjabis I've met; though I do concede that their religious disposition made my stomach turn ! But it was disturbing to say the least that I've heard moderates here in Pakistan too exclaiming how 'When the Taliban came to power Afghanistan was a model of Peace and Justice and had financial support been given to the Taliban they would have added Prosperity to the mix too !' and yet when I read biographies like 'Meena - the founder of RAWA' and others they equally accuse the Taliban, the Northern Alliance and all other warlords of ravaging the country like never before.

P.S Do you see any rapprochement between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the future ? I mean the few Afghans I've met here in Pakistan were pretty caustic in their remarks towards my country and that naturally left a bitter taste in my mouth; heck one even said 'Pakistan koi Islam Qilla hai ? Yeh to Shaitan ka Qilla hai'. Khair koi nahin May God Bless Pakistan and Afghanistan !

P.P.S Yaar aab tou Durrand Line recognize kar lo ! Aur kitnaa sataao ge ?

Lol yaar mera bas chalta toh kab ka Durand ka masla hal kardeta..

Same here I accuse all the culprits be it Taliban, former Northern Alliance or even this government! Taliban's rule in Afghanistan or anywhere else means a kick into the arse of development and progress!!

Well the relations have been damaged very much between Pakistan and Afghanistan, this can be repaired again but it will take time by mutual understandings I as an Afghan at my level best understand the concerns of Pakistan but see why Pakistan doesn't take solid steps to whip out the terrorists? it has hurted badly her self more than anyone else.

Don't you guys for a moment think that ISI has made it's own mistakes? and by that it hurted your country's sovereignty and people's will for a developed Pakistan? Pakistan which enjoyed edge over India before 2000 today is suffering from economical crisis? Why Musharaf allowed this mess in the region at first? Pakistanis love their country more than any nation and that's why your people are fooled at various points.

 

[Armstrong]

Lol yaar mera bas chalta toh kab ka Durand ka masla hal kardeta..

Same here I accuse all the culprits be it Taliban, former Northern Alliance or even this government! Taliban's rule in Afghanistan or anywhere else means a kick into the arse of development and progress!!

Well the relations have been damaged very much between Pakistan and Afghanistan, this can be repaired again but it will take time by mutual understandings I as an Afghan at my level best understand the concerns of Pakistan but see why Pakistan doesn't take solid steps to whip out the terrorists? it has hurted badly her self more than anyone else.

Don't you guys for a moment think that ISI has made it's own mistakes? and by that it hurted your country's sovereignty and people's will for a developed Pakistan? Pakistan which enjoyed edge over India before 2000 today is suffering from economical crisis? Why Musharaf allowed this mess in the region at first? Pakistanis love their country more than any nation and that's why your people are fooled at various points.

Yaar waisee hamarei bhi perspective seh dekho na ! Getting into the Afghan Jihad was, probably in retrospect, a fairly bad decisions but who was betting on the US and most of the world who were rooting for the Afghan Mujahideen to leave like that ! I mean we - the lot of us - created entire generations of Afghans and Pakistani Tribals who knew nothing but 'war' and they prescribed to a version of Islam (one that we taught them) which was disturbing to say the least and then when the time came of rehabilitating the country back into some sort of 'stability' the whole world turned its back on Afghanistan and Pakistan ! I believe the Taliban were Pakistan's attempt at trying to make the best out of a very...very bad situation ! The endless vendettas amongst Afghan Warlords had a terrible fallout on Pakistan where our already hurting economy due to sanctions was faced with an increasing influx of Afghan Refugees and an increasing radicalization of our society because all those elements who had fought in the Afghan Jihad - the same elements that we should have tried to rehabilitate back into society - were increasingly found on this side of the Durrand Line....so I believe the ISI supported the most amenable of the worst bunch - the Taliban - who went back to Afghanistan and put an end to the Civil War and the Opium Production that kept being smuggled into Pakistan ! Not a win-win situation by any stretch but an expedient one...an understandable one ! And then theres the support that many of them enjoyed amongst People on this side of the border. I'm not sure if the Pukhtoons in FATA and KP could identify as strongly with either Dostum, Rabbani or Masood but they could still identify with a Pukhtoon Movement and thats why, perhaps, the Taliban Movement was a way to ensure that some sort of stability be brought to Afghanistan utilizing the People and the ideology we had at our disposal namely 'Afghan Refugees' and 'Islamization' ! I think that was a pretty bad decision and one that placed us into precarious situations after another for example we couldn't enter North Waziristan because we didn't want to open up another front against the Afghan Taliban and we didn't want to engage the Haqqanis because we didn't want to be targeted by the Haqqanis once NATO and ISAF forces leave in 2014. All of which go back to the 'Afghan Jihad' - We should not have entered into it in the first-place because when you mix 'Religion, Guns and Poverty' together you end up with a very...very dangerous mix ! Khair whats done is done....! How do you suggest we move forward ? Because we can't just go into North Waziristan and engage the Afghan Taliban directly because then we'd have to content with them along with the TTP and whatever remains of Al-Qaeeda !

 

[53fd]

RIP to the dead. What futile loss of life. The fact of the matter is, no matter how many Taliban are killed, their 'recruiting power' in Afghanistan is extremely strong, it's their ideology that presents the resistance to the NATO & other foreign forces inside Afghanistan, & prevents them from 'winning'. As long as the ANA, ANP, Karzai regime act like mercenaries, & proxies hosting foreign powers (on their land) against their own people, Afghanistan will continue to be a failed state.

 

[Armstrong]

RIP to the dead. What futile loss of life. The fact of the matter is, no matter how many Taliban are killed, their 'recruiting power' in Afghanistan is extremely strong, it's their ideology that presents the resistance to the NATO & other foreign forces inside Afghanistan, & prevents them from 'winning'. As long as the ANA, ANP, Karzai regime act like mercenaries, & proxies hosting foreign powers (on their land) against their own people, Afghanistan will continue to be a failed state.

SherMalang seems to think otherwise and I for one would think that a native Afghan would be a better judge of how strong the Taliban's recruiting may or may not be !

 

[53fd]

SherMalang seems to think otherwise and I for one would think that a native Afghan would be a better judge of how strong the Taliban's recruiting may or may not be !

Karzai is also a native Afghan, but is not representative of the common Afghan, & doesn't understand the average Afghan mindset. The events on the ground speak for themselves.

The Taliban have spread tremendously in the Northern & Western parts of Afghanistan, which have been considered to be "Taliban-free" regions for the most part, considering the non-Pashtun influence in the North.

 

[Armstrong]

Karzai is also a native Afghan, but is not representative of the common Afghan, & doesn't understand the average Afghan mindset. The events on the ground speak for themselves.

The Taliban have spread tremendously in the Northern & Western parts of Afghanistan, which have been considered to be "Taliban-free" regions for the most part, considering the non-Pashtun influence in the North.

I dunno yaar...! I fear that once the Taliban have dealt with the ANA and ISAF/NATO....they're coming for us ! Because we sold them out in 2000/1.

 

[53fd]

I dunno yaar...! I fear that once the Taliban have dealt with the ANA and ISAF/NATO....they're coming for us ! Because we sold them out in 2000/1.

The Taliban are not the Al-Qaeda. They are the Afghan people who want to rule their land, & they have no international agenda, unlike the Al-Qaeda.

 

[Armstrong]

The Taliban are not the Al-Qaeda. They are the Afghan people who want to rule their land, & they have no international agenda, unlike the Al-Qaeda.

The TTP still calls 'Mullah Omar' as their Ameer so I'm still not convinced. Besides it has less to do with an 'International Agenda' as it has to do with 'Revenge' for ditching us, providing air-bases and supply lines to the Americans to kill us and then actually starting operations against splinter groups of our very organization (the TTP, the Punjabi Taliban and the sort) !

The Taliban are not the Al-Qaeda. They are the Afghan people who want to rule their land, & they have no international agenda, unlike the Al-Qaeda.

The TTP still calls 'Mullah Omar' as their Ameer so I'm still not convinced. Besides it has less to do with an 'International Agenda' as it has to do with 'Revenge' for ditching us, providing air-bases and supply lines to the Americans to kill us and then actually starting operations against splinter groups of our very organization (the TTP, the Punjabi Taliban and the sort) !

 

[53fd]

The TTP still calls 'Mullah Omar' as their Ameer so I'm still not convinced. Besides it has less to do with an 'International Agenda' as it has to do with 'Revenge' for ditching us, providing air-bases and supply lines to the Americans to kill us and then actually starting operations against splinter groups of our very organization (the TTP, the Punjabi Taliban and the sort) !

They call Mullah Omar their Amir, yet they don't give a s*it to what he says about not attacking Pakistani civilians and troops. The TTP are being destroyed, their strongholds demolished, land they previously controlled has been taken back by Pakistan; & that is the ground reality. The Taliban in Afghanistan has not attacked Pakistan, they have condemned attacks against Pakistan; & the TTP, Punjabi Taliban have nothing (besides being a source of inspiration for their "Jihad") to do with them (unlike the Al-Qaeda).

 

[Armstrong]

They call Mullah Omar their Amir, yet they don't give a s*it to what he says about not attacking Pakistani civilians and troops. The TTP are being destroyed, their strongholds demolished, land they previously controlled has been taken back by Pakistan; & that is the ground reality. The Taliban in Afghanistan has not attacked Pakistan, they have condemned attacks against Pakistan; & the TTP, Punjabi Taliban have nothing (besides being a source of inspiration for their "Jihad") to do with them (unlike the Al-Qaeda).

I do hope thats true because the Al-Qaeeda was in bed with the Afghan Taliban too and unless I'm mistaken they did sanction attacks on Pakistan ! Khair...lets hope that you're true and to find that out 2014 is just around the corner !