Posted on 08/19/2018 2:00:08 AM PDT by robowombat
The fall of the base in Ghormach district of volatile Faryab province came with security forces already stretched by the days of fighting in Ghazni
Mazar-I-Sharif, Afghanistan: Taliban fighters overran a northern Afghan army base, officials said on Tuesday, killing at least 14 soldiers with dozens feared captured in a stinging blow to security forces already struggling to push insurgents from eastern Ghazni.
The fall of the base in Ghormach district of volatile Faryab province came with security forces - who have struggled to hold back the Taliban since NATO combat troops pulled out in 2014 - already stretched by the days of fighting in Ghazni, a strategic provincial capital two hours from Kabul.
Militants gained control of the base after days of heavy fighting, according to army spokesman for northern Afghanistan Mohammad Hanif Rezaee. He said around 100 soldiers were on the base when it was first attacked Sunday. "It is a tragedy that the base fell to the enemy. Some soldiers were killed, some captured and some fled to nearby hills," Rezaee told AFP.
Faryab MP Hashim Otaq said that 14 soldiers were killed and about 40 others were captured by Taliban fighters in the base, known as Chenaya. Tahir Rehmani - head of Faryab's provincial council - said the base fell after the soldiers begged for reinforcements and air support from Kabul but were ultimately ignored. "They were too busy with Ghazni," said Rehmani. The city, which the Taliban first assaulted late Thursday, remains in government hands, officials have said
But the insurgents appeared entrenched there Tuesday, according to residents who said they were burning buildings, killing civilians and firing on security forces conducting a clearing operation. Afghan security forces, beset by killings, desertions and under intense pressure, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014. The attack on Ghazni is the largest tactical onslaught by the Taliban since an unprecedented truce in June brought fighting between security forces and the Taliban to a brief stop, providing battle-worn Afghans some welcome relief.
Analysts have said the insurgents may be seeking to demonstrate strength as they come under increasing pressure since the ceasefire to join peace talks.
Ghost city
Fears were growing of civilian casualties in Ghazni as Afghan security forces backed by US airpower struggled to push the Taliban out on the fifth day of fighting. The United Nations said unverified reports put civilian casualties at more than 100, with residents also at risk from several days of US airstrikes. An MP from Ghazni, Shah Gul Rezaye, said Tuesday that some parts of the city had been cleared. But in others "the Taliban have positioned their fighters in high buildings shooting at security forces from there", he added. Communication networks remained largely down, making any information difficult to verify.
"Ghazni is a ghost city now. The Taliban are going from house to house to find government officials or their relatives to kill," said one resident, Sayed Zia. "Those who can are fleeing." Another resident also said the Taliban were killing civilians who refused to help them. "I saw two trucks full of coffins going toward a cemetery in the city. They all seemed to be civilians," said Abdullah, who asked to only use one name.
"The city is full of smoke. Everywhere they go they set the places on fire," he said, adding that shops were being looted, with water and food scarce. Other residents have told AFP of bodies littering the streets of the city in recent days. "So far the fighting has reportedly resulted in 110 to 150 civilian casualties. The numbers still need to be verified," said a report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Reports the Taliban are hiding in residents' homes and marketplaces "heightened the risk of civilian casualties arising from any military aerial response", the UN warned.
Bombs placed along the road leading north and south from the city also "prevented civilians from safely fleeing the violence", it said. On Monday the Afghan defence minister said at least 100 security forces had been killed in the fighting so far, and "20-30" civilians. Ghazni lies along the major Kabul-Kandahar highway, effectively serving as a gateway between Kabul and the militant strongholds in the south.
Please get out of there. We don’t care. Come home. Nuke up. Close borders. Keep moslems out of here.. simple.
These ANIMALS (no offense intended towards Dog/Livestock/ect) have been at War since they figured out how to pickup a Rock and bludgeon or throw it at somebody or something. They will never stop until either everyone has converted or been murdered by them OR We kill them All off like the Cockroaches they are.
They know nothing else besides War, ala-snack-bar, goat rape, camel humping, torture of Women and Children. Murder, Madness and Mayhem.
It’s past time to get Civil Humans outta there and Glass the He!!hole over, come back in 50-100 years and Bulldoze it back into sand and make Us a Resort.
Afghanistan was a peaceful and modernizing place in the 1950’s, run by a benevolent despot king, who was more or less a figurehead, who let his westernized brother run a secular government. Women in Kabul in 1960 dressed like their contemporaries in the West, they had the similar educational attainment and social status.
The Soviets destabilized the government, murdered the king and his brother and installed a Kremlin-friendly communist dictator, who riled up the rural mullahs. During the Cold War, the U.S. backed the mujaheddin, who seized power after the Soviet departure, and who gave a home to al-Qaeda and bin-Laden.
Afghanistan, like Cuba and to a lesser extent Venezuela, is part of the legacy of Soviet mischief during the Cold War.
The Taliban mosques are known
On some random friday, several Taliban mosques and everyone there should be destroyed. Dead Taliban and their wives are no longer enemies.
To defeat the Taliban, the Taliban must not be allowed to live
Post WW II rules on how to conduct war must be abandoned. To hell wth American lefttist and European views on war. Kill enemies.
You have to cut the u r bloodline by killing the offspring to end the generational nature that plagues them.
And part of our legacy to arm scorpions to fight snakes and then suffer the results when the scorpions win
Whatever were we thinking?
“anyone but Russia”
Absolutely true. But the mujaheddin on Russia’s doorstep seemed like a remote threat compared to Soviet nuclear missiles. Also, the Russians had stirred up the hornet’s nest in the first place, and they deserved to be stung, and stung hard.
Unless our special forces are on site directing the Afghan forces they don’t have the moral of mental discipline to fight. Most of the Taliban are fellow Afghanis so they don’t want to fight them.
I think you have a great suggestion. It is the least they can do for us., Here is a quote from WIKI “United States military casualties in the War in Afghanistan. As of July 27, 2018, there have been 2,372 U.S. military deaths in the War in Afghanistan. 1,856 of these deaths have been the result of hostile action. 20,320 American servicemembers have also been wounded in action during the war.”
This is outrageous foreign policy.
Genghis Khan has been the only person to successfully quell Afghan jihad.
Time to revisit his methods.
Have PUFF and the HeLLFiRes been grounded in Afghanistan?
or are they sitting in warehouses under thick coats of dust? Let’s cycle that damn ammo and munitions..
TaliBunny season is ON!! and there is no bag limit.
Interesting, I didn’t know that but I was only 2 when JFK was killed.
Sometimes DU isn’t completely worthless. Women at Cairo University:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10024727575
Habib use
1959: none
1978: none
1995: 35%
2004: 90%
Thank you, Jimmy Carter.
Great work, Barack Obama.
Go back in history and discover why Russia felt they had to invade Afghanistan
A bordering country that was lawless, exporting drugs and religious extremists and being set up by the West - as an ally ? Just another proxy against Russia in the never endung Western obsession with surrounding and “ containing” Russia in the heartland
Gee go back in history and discover why we invaded Afghanistan as a “ NATO” mission and are still there
except they are not on our border - Mexico is!
Doesnt even count the burgeoning suicide rate among veterans who spend multiple tours in that endless fruitless hostile mission
Gawd we need to get out of their just like Trump PROMISED!! Why is he reneging on that promise?
It seems our top brass national security establishment is more outraged by John Brennans revoked security clearance than by sending thousands of Americans to fight and die in a war where they cant even describe what “ victory” looks like
wondering what i the presidents description of victory in Afghan
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