Posted on 02/16/2010 11:40:54 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Taliban fighters are increasingly using civilians as human shields in the assault on the southern town of Marjah, an Afghan official said Wednesday as military squads resumed painstaking house-to-house searches in the Taliban stronghold.
About 15,000 NATO and Afghan troops are taking part in the offensive around Marjah, which has an estimated 80,000 inhabitants and was the largest town in southern Helmand province under Taliban control. NATO hopes to rush in aid and public services as soon as the town is secured to try to win the loyalty of the population.
With the assault in its fifth day, insurgents are firing at Afghan troops from inside or next to compounds where women and children appear to have been ordered to stand on a roof or in a window, said Gen. Mohiudin Ghori, the brigade commander for Afghan troops in Marjah.
"Especially in the south of Marjah, the enemy is fighting from compounds where soldiers can very clearly see women or children on the roof or in a second-floor or third-floor window," Ghori said. "They are trying to get us to fire on them and kill the civilians."
The Marjah offensive is the biggest joint operation since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan and is a major test of a retooled NATO strategy to focus on protecting civilians, rather than killing insurgents.
Ghori said troops have made choices either not to fire at the insurgents with civilians nearby or had to target and advance much more slowly in order to distinguish between militants and civilians as they go.
Even with such caution on both the NATO and Afghan side, civilians have been killed. NATO has confirmed 15 civilian deaths in the operation. Afghan rights groups say at least 19 have been kille
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
“Shouldn’t those human shields have left the area? They were warned, no?”
In previous battles the civilians were urged to leave the area. For some reason this time they were urged to stay put.
Not the first Islamoslime to do so.
The Marines used to talk about the “Somali foxholes”. The “brave” Somali warriors would shot from between the legs of a woman, preferably holding a child, knowing out troops couldn’t return fire.
Taliban using human shields
Shocking! Gasp!!!
After a dozen or so 'Human Shields' are killed along with the Taliban, they'll see its a useless tactic and stop. But as long as we hold fire they'll continue to use them.
Or, to be humane -- have more Marine Scout-Sniper Teams in the field. They can put a round in a Taliban's skull without any problem or injury to the 'shield'. Seeing this the Taliban would also stop using 'human shields'.
Killing civilians isn’t the answer, leave that to the Taliban. Snipers are the answer and I’m sure they are getting quite a workout.
Military policy and ROE SHOULD be “If you are between us, and someone we want to kill or something we want to destroy, then you are going to die. And its your fault.”
Also, we should make a deliberate attempt to kill anyone who volunteers to be a human shields, then send the bill for the ammo or ordnance to the family.
How about rusty knives?
Ofcourse they are.
McChrystal has given a no shoot order if civis are in danger.
all they have to do is throw a couple of civis in the crowd and our Soldiers hands are tied.
If civis are in a group of terrorists they should be considered collaborators not innocents.
>at the mercy of the townspeople , who are themselves supplied
with new kitchen knives
I would only suggest that they use short, dull xacto blades dipped in pig feces.
I didn't mean to intentionally target civilians. Like attacking a village in force that's suspected of being a Taliban stronghold.
But if civilians are being used as shields by the Taliban during a firefight or ambush and you have to take both out to save yourself, your unit, or to achieve your mission then that's the way it goes. And when the Taliban realize that their shield tactic is failing they'll stop using it.
The Taliban are following Sun Tzu and The Art of War, while we're following the tactics of the Redcoats in 1776. And Sun Tzu has never been wrong, not in 2,500 years.
It’s funny how AP and the media only discover that the Taliban are using ‘human shields’ now to explain ‘civilian’ deaths. During the Bush years, they just did not seem to think this was occuring. Instead, every civilian death was proudly reported on as US military failure.
If they were to get the idea that the tactic did not work, they would switch to another tactic.
“
Taliban using human shields
“
I don’t know how to break this to “Yahoo News”.
This is NOT news to anybody that’s have a pulse...
since the First Gulf War.
Way back in approx. 1991.
At the same time, I do appreciate “Yahoo News” reminding at least a
few of my fellow citizens that the Taliban/Jihadists have no problem
at using innocent victims to prosecute their dirty wars.
Typical of terrorist and terrorist related groups....Taliban is no different.
Can we please get some photos or something of this? Something to shove up MSNBC douchebag noses when they decry the “fruitless” war on terror?
Wait a minute. If that “hayfield” belongs to some opium cartel, that means very deep pockets. Our class action lawyers will be smelling that smoke from the burning poppy fields all the way from New York.
Sounds good to me. As long as it’s long, slow, and painful. I wouldn’t hurt a fly. But muslim terrorists are beneath insects as far as I’m concerned!
Yea - soon we’ll be hearing about lawyers screaming “CASH! CASH! CASH!” on Afghani TV.
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.