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British troops kill up to 100 Taleban fighters
Times Online ^ | January 11, 2007 | David Byers and agencies

Posted on 01/11/2007 1:35:59 PM PST by neverdem

British troops claim to have wiped out up to 100 Taleban fighters and destroyed an enemy "regional headquarters" in Afghanistan in the Army's biggest single raid since it started policing the volatile Helmand province.

The Taleban compound, in the area of Kostay south of the town of Garmsir, was attacked during an operation lasting nearly four hours by around 100 British troops backed up by air support, the Army said in a statement today.

In what could be a significant advance for the Helmand operation, UK commanders said both buildings in the compound, which intelligence said housed between 60 and 100 Taleban fighters, were completely destroyed while no British casualties were reported.

NATO also claimed to have killed 150 Taleban fighters in a seperate battle in eastern Afghanistan, after they were spotted crossing from Pakistan.

In the British raid, which began at 3.30am today local time, troops from the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF), part of 3 Commando Brigade, supported by the Light Dragoons, crossed the Helmand river and took up positions around the Taleban compound.

Men on the ground were supported by jets and Apache attack helicopters with twin airstikes launched against the buildings.

Both attacks were direct hits, the UK forces said, with first reports suggesting there was no collateral damage to other buildings or civilians. The troops left the scene at around 7am.

Major Mike Geldard, who co-ordinated the operation from UK Task Force headquarters in Lashkar Gah, said it was not possible to say how many Taleban may have been killed but he said it was believed to be a significant number.

He said: "It was a very successful operation. This was probably the biggest action in Helmand we have conducted to date in terms of a pre-planned operation.

"We have been building up information about this target up for about two weeks. Through intelligence we were able to pinpoint these two locations that we considered to be a Taleban regional headquarters for the south of the province."

Meanwhile, in a seperate operation, a NATO statement claimed as many as 150 Taleban militants had been killed in a battle in eastern Afghanistan.

The statement said that two groups of Taleban were monitored and tracked as they crossed the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and then attacked.

The Afghan defence ministry earlier estimated 80 fatalities, while Dr Muhammad Hanif, a Taleban spokesman, was quoted by agencies as saying that the figure of 150 Taleban fighters killed was "a complete lie". There was no independent confirmation of numbers.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; taleban; taliban

1 posted on 01/11/2007 1:36:04 PM PST by neverdem
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To: neverdem

Excellent news.


2 posted on 01/11/2007 1:38:59 PM PST by jveritas (Support The Commander in Chief in Times of War)
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To: neverdem

Bring out the Helmand's and bring out the BEST!........


3 posted on 01/11/2007 1:42:00 PM PST by Red Badger (New! HeadOn Hemorrhoid Medication for Liberals!.........Apply directly to forehead.........)
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To: neverdem

I say, Good show chaps. Jolly Good Show.


4 posted on 01/11/2007 1:48:01 PM PST by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
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To: jmc1969

ping


5 posted on 01/11/2007 2:00:02 PM PST by elhombrelibre (Saddam was against Iraq's liberation before the Democrats and MSM.)
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To: theDentist

.....time for some tea....some fish n' chips and back to kill more Muzzies....a great day at work......


6 posted on 01/11/2007 2:00:33 PM PST by NorCalRepub
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To: neverdem

Good Show!


7 posted on 01/11/2007 2:13:51 PM PST by moose2004 (You Can Run But You Can't Hide!)
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To: neverdem

I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere but winter is usually a time of no fighting at all over there. The fact that NATO has disallowed them time for R&R has to be a significant blow to the Taliban.


8 posted on 01/11/2007 2:34:57 PM PST by Straight Vermonter (It takes a school to bankrupt a village.)
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To: Red Badger

LOL!! BTW, it's "Best Foods" for those of us West of the Rockies.


9 posted on 01/11/2007 2:36:59 PM PST by HKMk23 (PRO-LIFE: Because a Person's a Person, no matter how small.)
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To: neverdem

Man all these terrorist deaths ,They will run out of Virgins!


10 posted on 01/11/2007 2:43:31 PM PST by ustanker (The cave dwellers are happy!)
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To: neverdem
100 bad guys whacked - 0 good guys.

That's good shootin!
11 posted on 01/11/2007 2:44:15 PM PST by reagan_fanatic (You'll shoot your eye out, kid)
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To: neverdem

Capital! First Rate! :)


12 posted on 01/11/2007 2:45:40 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: neverdem
Way to go, guys!

Lord, bless these brave warriors and keep them safe.

13 posted on 01/11/2007 3:44:44 PM PST by CremeSaver
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To: neverdem

"British troops kill up to 100 Taleban fighters"

GOOD!


14 posted on 01/11/2007 4:39:09 PM PST by Garvin (Tairngrecht Bas (Death Foretold))
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