NATO's Deadliest Days In Afghanistan

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LONDON, Aug 13, 2010 (AFP) - Two British soldiers have died after separate incidents in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said on Friday.

One, serving with Gurkha Reinforcement Company 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire), was involved in a "helicopter incident" in a patrol base in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province on Tuesday, the ministry said.

He was treated for his injuries in Afghanistan before being flown back to Britain where he died in hospital in Birmingham, central England, on Thursday.

The second soldier, from 21 Engineer Regiment, was killed by small arms fire in the violence-torn Sangin district of Helmand Province on Friday.

The soldiers' relatives have been informed.

The deaths bring to 330 the number of British troops killed since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

Around 9,500 British troops are in Afghanistan, making them the second largest contingent of the 150,000-strong international force battling Taliban militants.

 

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SYDNEY, Aug 14, 2010 (AFP) - An Australian commando was shot dead by insurgents in northern Afghanistan, officials said Saturday, taking the death toll among the nation's troops to 18 just one week before knife-edge polls.

The 29-year-old special forces trooper, Jason Brown, was shot during a "disruption operation" of insurgent activities in northern Kandahar, said Lieutenant General David Hurley, the acting defence force chief.

Brown, who had served in the army for 10 years, was gunned down during a firefight and, though rapidly evacuated for treatment, died of multiple gunshot wounds.

"The work is difficult, costly, but absolutely necessary if we are to achieve our goals in Afghanistan," said Defence Minister John Faulkner.

This year has been the deadliest on record for Australian troops, with six deaths in little over four weeks between June and July, including three commandos killed in a helicopter crash.

Australia has about 1,550 troops in the restive southern Uruzgan province, after last year sending 450 reinforcements, but has resisted calls from Washington to provide more.

Both the ruling Labor party and conservative Liberal/National coalition have vowed to keep Australian troops in Afghanistan ahead of August 21 polls, though the coalition has flagged a more prominent role for Australia in Uruzgan if elected.

 

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KABUL - Two foreign soldiers fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan have been killed in separate attacks, while a woman and two children died in an operation against insurgents with Al-Qaeda contacts, NATO said Saturday.

The dead soldiers' identities were not revealed, in accordance with NATO policy.

A statement from the alliance said both had died in insurgent attacks in southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban-led insurgency is concentrated.

One died on Friday, the other on Saturday, it said.

The deaths bring to 445 the number of foreign soldiers killed fighting in Afghanistan this year, according to an AFP tally based on that kept by the icasualties.org website.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a separate statement that a civilian woman and two children were "accidentally killed" on Friday in an operation in western Farah province, another insurgency hotspot.

Afghan and coalition forces were pursuing a "Taliban foreign fighter facilitator... known to traffic foreign fighters and weapons from Iran and associate with senior Taliban and Al-Qaeda leadership", it said.

"During the operation, six insurgents were killed and several suspected insurgents were detained.

"Also during the operation, a civilian woman and two children were accidentally killed when a coalition force air weapons team engaged the insurgents," it said.

 

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PARIS, Aug 23, 2010 - Two French soldiers were killed and three more were wounded in fighting in Afghanistan on Monday, President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said, bringing France's death toll from the campaign to 47.

The dead were a soldier and an officer from the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment, fatally wounded by small arms fire during an overnight operation south of Tagab, 55 kilometres (34 miles) northeast of Kabul.

"These soldiers gave their lives in the service of France's commitment to the peace and security of the Afghan people," Sarkozy said in a statement, condemning "murderous attacks" on NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Most of France's 3,500 soldiers inside Afghanistan are based in districts around Kabul in the east of the country, where they are part of a NATO-led multinational force fighting the Taliban.

Three of the French troops were evacuated after being wounded by insurgents and later the two others were "mortally wounded during a new exchange of shots while their unit was disengaging," said army spokesman Thierry Burkhard.

NATO also on Monday announced the deaths of two other soldiers in the force, identifying one as American. Hungary identified the other as Hungarian.

The four deaths reported on Monday brought to 455 the total number of NATO troops killed in Afghanistan this year.

 

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KABUL, Aug 31, 2010 (AFP) - Four US soldiers were killed in a Taliban-style bomb attack in Afghanistan Tuesday, NATO said, bringing the toll of Americans to 21 dead since Friday.

A NATO spokesman confirmed to AFP that four American soldiers were killed in eastern Afghanistan by an improvised explosive device (IED), one of the main weapons deployed by Taliban-led insurgents.

The deaths bring to 484 the total number of foreign troops killed in the Afghan war this year, compared to 521 for all of 2009, according to an AFP tally based on that kept by the independent icasualties.org website.

 

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US deaths in Afghanistan hit record in 2010

KABUL: The number of US soldiers killed in the Afghan war in 2010 is the highest annual toll since the conflict began almost nine years ago, according to an AFP count on Wednesday. A total of 323 US soldiers have been killed in the Afghan war this year, compared to 317 for all of 2009, according to AFP figures based on the independent icasualties.org website. Foreign forces suffered a grim spike in deaths last month as the Taliban insurgency intensified, with NATO confirming on Wednesday that a sixth US soldier was killed on one of the bloodiest days this year. At 490, the overall death toll for foreign troops for the first eight months of the year is rapidly closing in the number registered in all of 2009, which at 521 was a record since the start of the war in late 2001. In all 1,270 American troops have lost their lives, out of 2,058 foreign military fatalities, since the conflict began with the US-led invasion of Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington in 2001. US President Barack Obama on Tuesday warned that the United States faced a “very tough fight” in Afghanistan, with more casualties and “heartbreak” to come. “We obviously still have a very tough fight in Afghanistan,” Obama told troops in Texas as the United States marked the formal end of combat operations in Iraq. “We have seen casualties go up because we are taking the fight to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban,” Obama said. “It is going to be a tough slog.” Military leaders say the spike in deaths reflects the injection of additional troops into the Afghan theatre, which leads to a higher number of battlefield engagements with Taliban-led insurgents. afp

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

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KABUL, Sept 2, 2010 - Two US soldiers in Afghanistan died Thursday after separate insurgent attacks, NATO said, compounding the bloodiest year yet for American forces in the Afghan war.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said both had died following insurgent attacks, one in the country's east, the other in the south.

ISAF confirmed to AFP that both were Americans.

A total of 326 US soldiers have been killed in the Afghan war in 2010, compared with 317 for all of 2009, according to AFP figures based on the independent icasualties.org website.

The number of international troops killed in Afghanistan so far in 2010 stands at 493, not far off the 2009 total of 521.

 

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10 Civilians Killed In NATO Air strike

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Sept 2, 2010 - An Afghan official said Thursday that 10 election campaigners had been killed in an airstrike by international forces in the relatively peaceful north of the country.

Two other people, including a candidate in the September 18 parliamentary elections, were injured in the alleged air raid in Rustaq district, in Takhar province, provincial government spokesman Faiz Mohammad Tawhedi told AFP.

The men were travelling in a "caravan" of vehicles when raided by "aircraft and helicopter gunships," he said.

The election campaigners were working for parliamentary candidate Abdul Wahed Khurasani, who had survived the bombing with injuries, he said.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the international counter-insurgency mission in Afghanistan, said it was "aware of the allegations".

"We're investigating to find out if it's true or not," an ISAF spokesman said.

NATO has around 150,000 troops in Afghanistan to fight a Taliban-led insurgency.

The international force has been responsible for scores of civilian deaths, many of them killed during air raids aimed against insurgents.

A recent UN report said about 20 percent of the more than 1,300 civilians killed in the first half of the year lost their lives in NATO and other pro-government troops' actions, with most of the rest killed by militants.

 

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KABUL, Sept 5, 2010 - NATO on Sunday announced the death of two foreign soldiers, one of them American, in southern Afghanistan's insurgent heartland.

One soldier whose nationality was not given died Sunday in an insurgent attack, NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement.

Another, confirmed as an American, died Saturday following a Taliban-style bomb attack, ISAF said.

The deaths brings to 497 the total number of foreign troops to die in the Afghan war so far this year, according to an AFP tally based on that kept by the icasualties.org website.

The total in 2009 was 521.

 

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LONDON, Sept 5, 2010 - A British soldier was killed Sunday by an exploding grenade in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence in London said.

The soldier, from The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was part of a reconnaissance force in the Nad-e-Ali district of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, a military spokesman, said the soldier "was part of an operation that was disrupting insurgents in northern Nad-e Ali when he was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade.

"Selfless in the course of his duty, he will be missed by his many friends. He was an inspirational soldier."

The soldier's family has been informed although his identity has not yet been revealed.

The death takes to 333 the British death toll in Afghanistan since 2001. Britain has around 10,000 troops as part of a 150,000 strong international force in the war-torn country battling the Taliban.

 

[ejaz007]

Afghan foreign troops death toll hits 500 for 2010

KABUL: The number of foreign troops killed in Afghanistan this year has reached at least 500, compared with 521 in all of 2009, according to an independent monitoring site on Monday and a tally compiled by Reuters. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said an ISAF service member was killed in an insurgent attack in the east on Sunday. No other details were immediately available. There has been a sharp increase in foreign military deaths, as foreign troops launch more operations to counter a growing insurgency that has spread out of traditional strongholds in the south and east. At least five ISAF troops have been killed since Friday, including the first Georgian killed in the conflict. Violence across Afghanistan has hit its worst since the Taliban were ousted by US-backed Afghan forces in late 2001. Military and civilian casualties are at record levels with US and NATO commanders warning of tough fighting ahead. The spiralling death tolls come despite the presence of almost 150,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan and will be another worrying statistic when US President Barack Obama conducts a strategy review of the war in December. reuters

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[Awesome]

LONDON, June 21, 2010 (AFP) - Britain announced its 300th death in Afghanistan Monday, prompting Prime Minister David Cameron to pledge he will withdraw troops as soon as the war-torn state can handle its own security.

The grim landmark comes during a year which has already seen the second-highest number of British fatalities since operations began in 2001 -- 55 -- and amid signs that most Britons want troops to be pulled out.

Cameron said Britain was "paying a high price" in Afghanistan and that people "should keep asking why we are there and how long we must be there".
"The truth is that we are there because the Afghans are not yet ready to keep their own country safe and to keep terrorists and terrorist training camps out of their country," he said.
"But as soon as they are able to take care and take security for their own country, that is when we can leave."

The latest victim, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, died in hospital in Birmingham, central England, Sunday after being seriously injured in an explosion in Sangin, Helmand Province, on June 12, the Ministry of Defence said.

Britain has around 9,500 troops in Afghanistan, making it the second largest contributor after the United States to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.
Its troops are based in the troubled southern Helmand province, battling Taliban insurgents and training local security forces.

The death toll in Afghanistan has risen steadily since 2006 and the number of fatalities surged in 2009, when 108 troops died, many killed by makeshift bombs. The death toll reached 200 on August 15 last year.

The spike followed the launch of Operation Panther's Claw in the build-up to Afghanistan's presidential elections.

As the operation tried to shift from front-line fighting towards training local Afghan forces, the death toll did not slow up as new threats emerged.

Cameron warned last week that Britain "must be ready for further casualties over the summer months" and described 2010 as "the vital one" for overcoming the Taliban insurgency.

There are increasing calls in Britain for troops to be pulled out of Afghanistan.

A BBC opinion poll in February found that 64 percent of Britons think the war is unwinnable, while other polls have suggested growing support for a troop withdrawal.
The name of the dead marine has not yet been released although his family has been informed of his death. Of the 300 British personnel who have died in Afghanistan, 266 were killed as a result of hostile action.

Every leader during elections promises troop withdrawal. After being elected, pussyfoots around the issue.

 

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KABUL, Sept 17, 2010 (AFP) - Two NATO soldiers were killed Friday fighting insurgents in southern Afghanistan, the military said, as the death toll of foreign troops edges closer to last year's record.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force said the soldiers died in separate battles with militants. Their nationalities were not disclosed.

The latest deaths bring to 509 the number of international soldiers to die in the Afghan war so far this year, compared to 521 for all of 2009, according to an AFP count based on the tally kept by icasualties.org.

They follow the deaths of three soldiers on Thursday in two separate attacks and a Taliban-style bombing.

The insurgents have been waging war against foreign troops and the Western-backed Kabul government since their brutal regime was overthrown in a US-led invasion almost nine years ago.

 

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KABUL, Sept 18, 2010 (AFP) - A Taliban-style bomb attack on NATO troops in southern Afghanistan left one soldier dead, the alliance said Saturday, as polls opened for the country's parliamentary election.

Friday's death brings to 510 the number of foreign troops to have died in the Afghan war since the insurgents were overthrown in a US-led invasion in 2001, according to an AFP count based on the icasualties.org tally.

The toll is rapidly closing in on the record annual figure of 521 in 2009.
NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement the soldier -- whose nationality was not revealed -- "died following an improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan (Friday)".

 

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KABUL, Sept 18, 2010 (AFP) - Three NATO troops were reported Saturday to have died in separate incidents in Afghanistan, one a non-battle injury.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement that one soldier died Friday in an improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan.

On Saturday one soldier died in the south in a "non-battle injury" and another trooper in the country's east following an insurgent attack, ISAF said in separate statements, giving no further details of the incidents.

The deaths bring to 512 the number of foreign troops killed in the Afghan war since the insurgents were overthrown in a US-led invasion in 2001, according to an AFP count based on the icasualties.org tally.

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