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U.S. Helicopters Bomb Tent in Afghanistan, Killing 10 Tribesmen and Two Taliban
Associated Press ^ | Sep 20, 2003 | Noor Khan

Posted on 09/20/2003 4:50:34 AM PDT by New Horizon

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - U.S. helicopters attacked a tent in southern Afghanistan, killing two Taliban militants and 10 nomadic tribesmen after the Taliban sought shelter there, a deputy governor in Zabul province said Saturday. A spokesman for the U.S. military at Bagram air base said he could not immediately confirm the report.

The deputy governor, Mullah Mohammed Umer, told The Associated Press by satellite phone that the incident took place Thursday night in the district of Naubahar, 120 miles northeast of Kandahar.

The Taliban militants had taken refuge in the tent after seeing the American helicopters, he said.

A local Taliban commander, Mullah Mohammed Gul Niazi, who has been leading attacks against U.S.-led coalition forces in Zabul for the past year, was among the dead, Umer said.

"We only know that Mullah Mohammed Gul Niazi was using a satellite phone when two American helicopters reached there," he said. "Ten innocent nomads were killed because of these Taliban."

Remnants of Taliban have recently stepped up attacks against coalition forces, which are battling Taliban and al-Qaida fighters who are believed to have scattered across much of Afghanistan.

U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban from power in Afghanistan in late 2001 because of their alliance with al-Qaida.

Meanwhile, in Zadi Dhushph district, 25 miles west of Kandahar, suspected Taliban or al-Qaida gunmen killed a district police chief late Friday, district government head Haji Abdul Ghani said.

The police commander, Haji Fardar Mohammad, was in his vehicle with two bodyguards when it came under fire, Ghani said. His two guards were wounded. The gunmen escaped.

In eastern Afghanistan on Friday, an Afghan security official died while defusing a bomb planted on a road, police officials said.

The security official, whose name was not released, was trying to defuse the bomb in Khost province when it exploded, police official Gul Haider Zedran told AP by satellite phone from Khost.

Also Friday, an explosion caused by locals handling unexploded ordnance killed three people and injured five at a house near the U.S. military headquarters at Bagram air base, officials and local residents said.

U.S. and Afghan troops rushed to the scene of the blast, which occurred when the father of a family living in the house tried to open a rocket.

Afghanistan is awash in rockets, shells and ammunition left over from more than two decades of war. Accidents, most involving scavengers looking to use the metal for scrap and farmers who step on mines, are common.

The country is considered to be the most heavily mined in the world.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; killed; southasia; taliban; wot
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killing two Taliban militants and 10 nomadic tribesmen after the Taliban sought shelter there...

Shelter in a tent...brilliant.

1 posted on 09/20/2003 4:50:34 AM PDT by New Horizon
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To: New Horizon
They obviously thought of the tribesmen as human shields. It didn't work.

Good. Next time the locals may think twice about letting the rats scurry into their tents.
2 posted on 09/20/2003 4:54:22 AM PDT by Ronin (When the fox gnaws -- smile!)
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To: New Horizon
Taliban "Militants"?

This means that AP is a terroristophilic news organization.

3 posted on 09/20/2003 4:55:33 AM PDT by Diogenesis (If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us)
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To: New Horizon
"We only know that Mullah Mohammed Gul Niazi was using a satellite phone when two American helicopters reached there,"

See, cell phones are hazardous to ones health. :-)

4 posted on 09/20/2003 5:13:45 AM PDT by sd-joe
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To: New Horizon
Helicopters on a "bombing" mission. What a novel concept on the tactical employment of rotary wing aircraft!
5 posted on 09/20/2003 5:16:39 AM PDT by verity
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To: New Horizon
Remnants of Taliban have recently stepped up attacks against coalition forces, which are battling Taliban and al-Qaida fighters who are believed to have scattered across much of Afghanistan.

U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban from power in Afghanistan in late 2001 because of their alliance with al-Qaida.

This is pure unprofessional, anti-American spin. AP chooses to follow the paragraph re. "recently stepped up attacks" with "U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban", conveniently leaving out the fact that the forces in Afghanistan were recently taken over by NATO.

6 posted on 09/20/2003 5:24:28 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl ("This isn't going very well for the enemy." ~ Brit Hume)
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To: MJY1288; Calpernia; Grampa Dave; anniegetyourgun; Coop; Ernest_at_the_Beach; BOBTHENAILER; ...
A local Taliban commander, Mullah Mohammed Gul Niazi, who has been leading attacks against U.S.-led coalition forces in Zabul for the past year, was among the dead, Umer said.

Ex-Taliban commander.

 Thanks, Tonkin!

If you want on or off my PRO-coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days). All links are added to my homepage, link above.

7 posted on 09/20/2003 5:27:59 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl ("This isn't going very well for the enemy." ~ Brit Hume)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Or perhaps...The LATE Taliban commander.
8 posted on 09/20/2003 5:32:43 AM PDT by tsmith130
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To: New Horizon
LOL...I was just going to post that....a tent is not much protection against a chopper gunship.
9 posted on 09/20/2003 5:42:28 AM PDT by mystery-ak (Happy Birthday, Mike...wish you were here.)
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To: verity
My thoughts exactly...I did not know Helos had bomb bays...But must be some new kind of secret helocopter the Bush admin developed behind the congresses back...The AH-17
Flying Helofortress!
10 posted on 09/20/2003 5:50:10 AM PDT by DAPFE8900
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To: New Horizon
"Ten innocent nomads were killed because of these Taliban." Ummmm...no. How quickly they forget. Remember the statement: "And those who harbor terrorists"?
11 posted on 09/20/2003 5:51:41 AM PDT by TheBattman (Did I really need a sarcasm tag?)
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To: TheBattman
OOPS.
12 posted on 09/20/2003 6:03:54 AM PDT by contessa machiaveli
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
We only know that Mullah Mohammed Gul Niazi was using a satellite phone when two American helicopters reached there," he said. "Ten innocent nomads were killed because of these Taliban."

The ever courageous Taliban take their martyrdom to innocents.

13 posted on 09/20/2003 6:23:42 AM PDT by BOBTHENAILER (One by one, in groups or whole armies.....we don't care how we getcha, but we will)
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To: TheBattman
You associate with terrorist morons you become one.
14 posted on 09/20/2003 7:12:21 AM PDT by boomop1
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To: New Horizon
Bump.

For Great Justice!

15 posted on 09/20/2003 7:16:43 AM PDT by DoctorMichael (Thats my story, and I'm sticking to it.)
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To: New Horizon
Important safety tip: do not give shelter to Taliban.
16 posted on 09/20/2003 7:20:28 AM PDT by Starrgaizr
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Bump!
17 posted on 09/20/2003 8:43:30 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: verity
The Apache, Cobra and Kiowa/Scout are all attack Helicopters.
18 posted on 09/20/2003 10:09:25 AM PDT by Vets_Husband_and_Wife (CNN: Where " WE report what WE decide!!")
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
More dead bad guys ~ Perfect!
19 posted on 09/20/2003 10:30:46 AM PDT by blackie
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
The Bush Doctrine at work again.

"I said that if you harbor a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorist; if you feed one or hide one, you're just as guilty as those who came and murdered thousands of innocent Americans."


20 posted on 09/20/2003 10:38:25 AM PDT by swheats (Bush....4 more years!)
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