Posted on 03/25/2006 12:22:24 AM PST by HAL9000
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - U.S. forces were involved in heavy fighting with Taliban guerrillas in Afghanistan on Saturday but there was no immediate word on casualties, a provincial official said.Afghanistan has seen a surge in attacks by Taliban insurgents and their militant allies in recent months and the Taliban have vowed to launch a spring offensive against U.S.-led foreign forces and the Western-backed government.
The clash erupted after U.S. troops backed by helicopter gunships launched an operation in the Sangin district of the southern province of Helmand, said an administrative official in the province.
"It's very heavy," the official, who declined to be identified, said of the clash.
Afghan forces had been sent to join the U.S. forces battling the insurgents, he said. U.S. and Afghan forces fought the biggest battle in months against Taliban fighters in the same district at the beginning of February.
A U.S. military spokesman said he had no information about a clash while Taliban spokesmen could not be reached for comment.
Helmand has been a bastion of Taliban insurgents since U.S. and Afghan opposition forces ousted their government in late 2001.
The province is also Afghanistan's main opium-growing region and the insurgents are in league with drug gangs, complicating efforts to bring security and stamp out drugs, security officials say.
British troops have been arriving in the province in recent weeks as part of an expansion of a NATO-led peacekeeping force into the Afghan south. In all, 3,300 British troops will soon be based in Helmand.
A British military spokesman said he had no word on British forces involved in fighting on Saturday.
Have we invaded Yale?
Heavy Fighting Reported in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
KANDAHAR, AfghanistanAfghan and U.S. troops backed by American aircraft battled suspected Taliban rebels in southern Afghanistan on Saturday and an unknown number of militants were killed, an Afghan commander said.
The clashes broke out in Helmand province's Sangin district, a hotbed of insurgency and the booming drug trade, said Gen. Rahmatullah Raufi, an Afghan army commander.
"Some Taliban have been killed, but we don't know how many. The fighting is still going on," he said.
A U.S. military spokesman said he had no details.
Fighting has spiked in southern Afghanistan in the past year, leaving much of it off limits to aid workers and raising concerns for this country's fragile democracy.
ping
The official must have been talking about his burka.
May God protect and guide our forces. May their efforts and sacrifices serve His ends. May His Word shape their honor and His mercy save thir souls. Amen.
"The Americans are converting Afghans to Christianity! Jihad!Jihad!"
L
From the BBC. It references Helmand province but not related to hostile action:
Last Updated: Saturday, 25 March 2006, 00:12 GMT
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4843744.stm
UK corporal dies in Afghanistan
A British soldier has died while serving in Afghanistan, it has emerged.
Corporal Mark Cridge, 25, of 7 Signal Regiment, died on Wednesday in the southern province of Helmand, the Ministry of Defence announced.
Inquiries so far suggested the death was not caused by hostile action, said a spokesman, who declined to comment further during the investigations.
His commanding officer paid tribute to an "instantly likeable young man, well respected by all ranks."
~snip
But notice that the first two sentences give the impression that in today's fighting it is the Taliban who are taking the initiative. Then look at the third sentence:
"The clash erupted after U.S. troops backed by helicopter gunships launched an operation in the Sangin district of the southern province of Helmand, said an administrative official in the province.
We cannot kid ourselves into thinking that all is well on the Afghan front, but it is irritating to see how jihadi Rooters and others seem to twist the picture.
I'm happy to see that we seem to be taking the initiative here.
ping ping
I think you're being too critical. It appears to me the US operation was launched because the Taliban is taking the initiative.
Thank you. My cousin's husband is there. It's his last stint. I pray every day that he makes it home.
http://hotzone.yahoo.com/
I know Kevin Sites has taken flak here in the past for some of his reporting in Iraq but he has been doing some good work for AP/Yahoo in Afghanistan with his "Hot Zone" series.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-03-25T104632Z_01_ISL15922_RTRUKOC_0_US-AFGHAN-VIOLENCE.xml
US solider killed in Afghan battle
Sat Mar 25, 2006 5:46 AM ET
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - One U.S. soldier was killed and one wounded on Saturday in an attack on Taliban insurgents in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said.
Afghanistan has seen a surge in attacks by Taliban insurgents and their militant allies in recent months and the Taliban have vowed to launch a spring offensive against U.S.-led foreign forces and the Western-backed government.
Fighting erupted after U.S. troops backed by helicopter gunships and jets launched an operation in the Sangin district of the southern province of Helmand, after being tipped-off about the presence of Taliban in a village, police said.
U.S. and Afghan forces fought the biggest battle in months against Taliban fighters in the same district at the beginning of February.
On Saturday, U.S. and Afghan forces attacked about 20 insurgents, the U.S. military said. It did not comment on Taliban casualties saying battle damage was being assessed. One Afghan soldier was wounded.
"There are known Taliban extremists in the Sangin district, and the Afghan National Army and coalition forces will continue to attack," said senior U.S. commander Major General Benjamin C. Freakley.
A Taliban commander, Mullah Zainullah, said earlier by telephone from the area Taliban fighters had killed five Afghan soldiers.
Several villagers from Sangin said by telephone some Taliban had been staying a house that got bombed.
Helmand has been a bastion of Taliban insurgents since U.S. and Afghan opposition forces ousted their government in late 2001.
The province is also Afghanistan's main opium-growing region and the insurgents are in league with drug gangs, complicating efforts to bring security and stamp out drugs, security officials say.
British troops have been arriving in the province in recent weeks as part of an expansion of a NATO-led peacekeeping force into the Afghan south. In all, 3,300 British troops will soon be based in Helmand.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060325/ap_on_re_as/afghan_fighting
Fighting in Afghanistan Kills U.S. Soldier 1 hour, 30 minutes ago
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Afghan and U.S. troops backed up by American aircraft fought suspected Taliban rebels in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, leaving one U.S. service member and an unknown number of militants dead, officials said.
A second U.S. service member and an Afghan soldier were wounded in the fighting in Helmand province's Sangin district, a hotbed of insurgency and the booming drug trade, a U.S. military statement said.
American war planes dropped 11 guided bombs on about 20 militants taking part in the clash, the U.S. military said. "Some Taliban have been killed, but we don't know how many," said Afghan army commander Gen. Rahmatullah Raufi.
The slain U.S. service member's name was withheld pending notification of relatives. His death brought to 222 the number of U.S. service members killed in and around Afghanistan since the ouster of the Taliban regime in 2001.
"Coalition forces will continue to attack these enemies of Afghanistan until the district and province are safe and secure," said U.S. commander Maj. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley.
The wounded troops were evacuated to a coalition base for treatment.
Fighting has spiked in southern Afghanistan in the past year, leaving swaths of it off-limits to aid workers and raising concerns for this country's fragile democracy.
Praying for out troops.
Geeze..... out s/b our
When in God's name will we stop our stupid War on Drugs?!!!!
Here is another blatant and in your face reason to end the War on Drugs!
No underground drug economy.....no Taliban making a fortune off drug dealing and no being held hostage by Muzzies about drugs. It's bad enough they hold us hostage on oil!
I really don't want to hear anything from "conservatives" with their moral pontificating and stupid excuses for why we should continue a War on DRugs we have LOST and this absurd prohibition is crucifying us globally and at home!!!
Are you suggesting that this operation is primarily aimed at the poppy fields? I didn't get that from my reading.
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