Posted on 06/16/2008 8:44:44 AM PDT by BJClinton
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Hundreds of Taliban fighters took over several villages in southern Afghanistan on Monday just outside the region's largest city, and NATO and Afghan forces were redeploying to meet the threat, officials said.
Mohammad Farooq, the government leader in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, said around 500 Taliban fighters moved into his district and took over several villages.
Arghandab lies just north of Kandahar city — the Taliban's former stronghold — and a tribal leader from the region warned that the militants could use the cover from Arghandab's grape and pomegranate orchards to mount an attack on Kandahar itself.
"All of Arghandab is made of orchards. The militants can easily hide and easily fight," said Haji Ikramullah Khan. "It's quite close to Kandahar. During the Russian war, the Russians didn't even occupy Arghandab, because when they fought here they suffered big casualties."
The push into Arghandab comes three days after a sophisticated Taliban attack on Kandahar's prison that freed hundreds of insurgent fighters being held there.
NATO spokesman Mark Laity said NATO and Afghan military officials were redeploying troops to the region to "meet any potential threats."
"It's fair to say that the jailbreak has put a lot of people (militants) into circulation who weren't there before, and so obviously you're going to respond to that potential threat," he said.
Two powerful anti-Taliban leaders from Arghandab have died in the last year, weakening the region's defenses. Mullah Naqib, the district's former leader, died of a heart attack last year. Taliban fighters moved into Arghandab en masse last October, two weeks after his death, but left within days after hundreds of security forces were deployed there.
A second leader, police commander Abdul Hakim Jan, died in a massive suicide bombing in Kandahar in February that killed more than 100 people.
Elsewhere in Afghanistan, Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces killed 35 militants in two skirmishes in the south, the coalition said Monday.
Twenty militants were killed in Zabul province after they attacked a combined patrol with rockets, mortars and gunfire. The combined forces returned fire and called in airstrikes against the insurgents in the Sunday battle.
Fifteen militants were killed in the Sangin area of Helmand province Saturday after a group of men in a treeline fired on Afghan and coalition troops. Two hours of fighting ensued, and military aircraft were again called in.
More than 1,900 people have been killed in insurgent violence in Afghanistan this year, according to Afghan and Western officials.
Maybe this time we don't put them in jail?
Another 500 idiots who forgot about the good ol' fashioned AIR STRIKES!
Was the prison under Afghan control, NATO or US, does anyone know?
Well instead of feeding them they have become actual targets. AND...we need to make sure the path’s through the mountains are secured and blocked before engaging them.
I’m sure the villagers are delighted to have the Taliban back in control.
What could be more entertaining than the daily hangings, stonings, beheadings, and firing-squad executions?
Beats playing soccer with the coalition troops, no?
The scotus just made sure none are captured alive.
Recent events show that the only real solution to this cancer is to burn it out. Please strike hard and fast, and we will try to keep the morons in the black robes off your backs.
> The scotus just made sure none are captured alive.
Hmmm...
I wonder if that was the intent.
The best MO under these circumstances is to impose “debriefing” of captives with the help of the locals, then turn them over to the tender mercies of the locals whose families were disrupted by the captives.
Works for me.
Imagine, an entire country named after something ya throw over a couch...
Let's build mini-Gitmo's right next to all those traitorous black robed tyrants homes so in love with these scum terrorists. Consider grabbing land via eminent domain. A nice little prison in scenic New Hampshire next to the David (Weasel) Souter home will make a fine habitation for the = equal treatment under the law fellow-robed residents.
This will happen when you only fight a War half way.
Not sure we need a true ‘surge’.
A battalion of Rangers backed up by a couple AC-130s ought to do the trick.
Their suicide-bomber rescuers are in eternal torment, and these guys will soon join them. Probably they made a bad move.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.