U.S. airstrike kills top Taliban leader

Associated Press ^ | December 23, 2006

[HAL9000]

KABUL, Afghanistan - A top Taliban military commander described as a close associate of Osama bin Laden and Taliban leader Mullah Omar was killed in an airstrike this week close to the border with Pakistan, the U.S. military said Saturday.

Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Osmani was killed Tuesday by a U.S. airstrike while traveling by vehicle in a deserted area in the southern province of Helmand, the U.S. military said.

Osmani was the Taliban's chief military commander in southern Afghanistan and played a "central role in facilitating terrorist operations" including roadside bombs, suicide attacks and kidnappings, the U.S. said.

[aculeus]

More from Reuters



U.S. Says It Kills Top Taliban Leader
By REUTERS

Filed at 9:35 a.m. ET

KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. forces said on Saturday they had killed the Taliban's military chief in southern Afghanistan, who had close links to Osama bin Laden and was heir to the rebel leadership.

Akhtar Mohammad Osmani was the most senior leader killed yet and was targeted in a region where the insurgency is at its bloodiest, a military spokesman said. The Taliban denied he was dead.

Osmani and two other guerillas were killed in an air strike on their car on an isolated desert road on Tuesday, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition force, Colonel Tom Collins, said in Kabul.

``Mullah Osmani is the highest ranking Taliban leader that we've ever killed,'' he said. ``His death is very significant and will hit the Taliban's operations.''

The Taliban said Osmani, anointed by the group's leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, as his heir in 2001, was alive.

``We strongly deny this. He is not present in the area where American forces are claiming to have killed him,'' commander Mullah Hayat Khan told Reuters by telephone.

``The American and NATO forces from time to time make such false claims. It's just propaganda against the Taliban.''

Osmani could be the most senior Islamist militant killed since Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leading al Qaeda in Iraq, died in a U.S. air strike in June.

He controls the Taliban's fighting machine in six provinces in its southern heartland, including Helmand and Kandahar where foreign troops, mainly British and Canadian, have suffered their worst casualties this year.

``WE'RE SURE'' - U.S.

Osmani was also close to bin Laden and helped coordinate relations with al Qaeda and other militant groups.

Collins said Osmani's car was destroyed in the attack in Helmand and the U.S. coalition had taken four days to check intelligence and other sources to confirm his identity.

``We're sure that we killed Osmani,'' he said. ``It's a big loss for the Taliban. But the Taliban is also fairly adaptive. There is no doubt that they will put somebody else in that position and we will go after that person too,'' he said.

Neither the U.S. or Taliban comments could be independently verified. Another Taliban spokesman said three men were killed in Tuesday's attack, but not Osmani.

This has been the bloodiest year since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban's hardline government in 2001. More than 4,000 people have died and the worst fighting has been in the provinces under Osmani's command.

The Taliban has been strengthened by profits from a record opium crop in the world's biggest supplier, and Helmand is the center of the trade, and safe havens in Pakistan.

In an interview with Pakistani television in June 2005, Osmani gave one of the first reports that bin Laden was safe and healthy and that Mullah Omar remained in control of the Taliban.

[BlessedBeGod]

Merry Christmas, Osmani! And a happy New Year!

[Biscuit85]

good

[RetiredArmy]

Bin Laden's "close associate" killed in southern Afghanistan

Socialist Dimcrats, Hillary, Slick Willie, BentHarry Reid, Fat Ted Kennedy, Dashhole, Algore, communists, homosexuals, anti-Americans, leftists, and all how vote dimocrat, are deeply sadden.

[bcsco]

WOW! Your experience reads similar to mine. I trooped over on the U.S.S. Buckner to Bremerhaven, then took the train through Frankfurt to Göppingen, where 4th AD was headquartered.

As noted, the units in the 4th AD had been culled so they needed all manner of positions filled. I had office experience so they placed me in Btn HQ personnel, 1/35 Armor.

On arrival, the then Personnel Staff NCO (PSNCO) had just received orders for transfer (I forget where to), and he was replaced by an E5 with 2 months remaining on his enlistment. He transferred back to the U.S. for discharge, and I became battalion PSNCO. I served in that position until my discharge, becoming an E5 acting jack a few months prior to transfer out.

There were all kinds of rumors floating around about SS occupation of military posts. Our post at Ferris reportedly had an underground motor pool accessible through 'secret' doors in various headquarters buildings. This was later proven false. I also recall hearing of underground facilities at Furth (near Nurnburg). Supposedly, Hitler would fly into Furth when visiting Nurnburg for party rallies. He could then travel between the two cities underground. I've never heard this proven or disproved, but I have very serious doubts. Anyway, here's a toast of good German dunkel !

[popdonnelly]

That's a good start.

[popdonnelly]

"Unfortunately it's a lot like whack-a-mole."

Except that moles have more sense.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

"Isn't it comforting to know that our enemy has the Associated Press on speed dial?"

It seems that rather than having journalists 'embedded' with the troops, we should 'embed' intelligence officers in the AP.

[Max in Utah]

Unfortunately it's a lot like whack-a-mole.

Yep... we're going to be at it for a long time.

Hopefully we're working on new fiendish kuffar weapons to individually target the prominent islamists-- such as a nano-missile that burrows through the skin and seeks out major nerve pathways.

[LdSentinal]

Was he on his way for a wedding?

[Dog]

----Collins said Osmani's car was destroyed in the attack in Helmand and the U.S. coalition had taken four days to check intelligence and other sources to confirm his identity.----

--- ``We're sure that we killed Osmani"---

Bet we got his DNA.

[do the dhue]

few more to steal:







and one more because it must be said:

[Cap Huff]

Take a look at AJ's take on the strike:

"If it was a targetted attack knowing full well who the person was, then there must be a reason not to follow the path this guy left anymore."

http://strata-sphere.com/blog/index.php/archives/3140

[houeto]

Osmani was the Taliban's chief of military operations in the provinces of Uruzgan, Nimroz, Kandahar, Farah, Herat and Helmand.

Probably the equivalent of a Three-Star General. Thanks Hal.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Ho! Ho! Ho!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Alright!

[beyond the sea]

They're like bad bacteria.............. it's going to take a nuke.

[beyond the sea]

Top Taliban Leaders have a shelf-life of about two months

....... and body oder of about three years.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

It would really make my day to hear this news in a short video clip showing them taking his head to a taxidermist for mounting.

About now, his head probably looks like a lump of canned dog food.

[Sword_Svalbardt]

Way Good.