War News for Thursday, August 26, 2010

Flooding in Pakistan Spreads South

Key Karzai Aide in Corruption Inquiry Is Linked to C.I.A.


Reported security incidents

Diyala Prv:
#1: Insurgents killed six members of a government-allied Sunni militia in an ambush northeast of Baghdad on Thursday, police said. Diyala police spokesman Maj. Ghalib al-Karkhi said the government-allied fighters, known as Sahwa or Awakening Councils, were driving near the town of Muqdadiyah around 1:30 a.m. when their car hit a roadside bomb. The explosion killed four of the guards immediately, al-Karkhi said. Gunmen then attacked the two survivors, killing them, he said.


Mosul:
#1: One soldier was killed and another one was wounded Wednesday in an armed attack in western Mosul, according to a military source. “Unknown gunmen attacked an army checkpoint in al-Maash market, western Mosul, killing a soldier and wounding another one,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: A police officer was killed by mistake and another one was wounded in an attack in western Mosul on Wednesday, according to a security source. “A gunman opened fire on a police checkpoint near a fuel station in western Mosul, injuring a policeman,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The forces tracked down the attacker and opened fire on him, killing a passing police colonel by mistake,” the source added, without giving further details.

#3: Four civilians were killed and 11 were wounded on Wednesday in a car bomb explosion in western Mosul, a police source said. “A car bomb went off on Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 25) in Daourat Abou Alisi region, western Mosul, killing four civilians and injuring 11,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The car exploded while a bus was passing near it,” he added, noting that a woman and a six-month baby were among the victims.


Al Anbar Prv:
#1: Two policemen were wounded on Wednesday in an improvised explosive device explosion in southern Falluja, a police source said. “The bomb exploded this afternoon targeting a police vehicle patrol in Nahr Falieh river in al-Shuhadaa neighborhood, southern Falluja, injuring two policemen and damaging their vehicle,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: A car bomb was defused on Wednesday by policemen in central Falluja, according to a security source. “Falluja police department managed on Friday to defuse a car bomb near a restaurant on the Baghdad street in central Falluja,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#3: Army forces killed a suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt in eastern Mosul on Wednesday, according to a security source. “A force from the 7th brigade of the 2nd division of the Iraqi army killed a suicide bomber who was targeting a checkpoint in al-Mithaq neighborhood, eastern Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. This is the second incident of its kind in Mosul today as army forces killed a bomber driving a car bomb in al-Sada Bawieza region, northern Mosul.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: Insurgents killed eight Afghan police in an attack in the country's increasingly volatile north Thursday. More than 10 militants attacked a police checkpoint outside the northern city of Kunduz, said provincial police chief Abdul Raziq Yaqoubi, adding they suspected the attackers were from Russia's restive Chechnya region who are active in the surrounding province, also called Kunduz. He said two or three of the militants were wounded when the police fought back. The militants apparently hoped to steal the policemen's weapons, but were beaten back before they could do so, he said.

#2: Also Thursday, a candidate in next month's parliamentary elections said 10 of her campaign workers were kidnapped while traveling in the western province of Herat. Fawzya Galani said she lost contact with the group at about 6 p.m. Wednesday. Villagers told her armed men had stopped the group and driven off in their two vehicles, Galani said. No one claimed responsibility and local district chief Nisar Ahmad Popal said it wasn't clear whether the kidnappers were political rivals or members of the Taliban, which is seeking to sabotage the Sept. 18 elections for 249 seats in the lower house of parliament.

#3: NATO also reported that three Afghan civilians were killed Wednesday by a homemade bomb in Kandahar's Arghandab district, a Taliban stronghold that has had a growing coalition presence.

#4: Two Taliban commanders were also killed Wednesday in fighting with a joint Afghan-Taliban force in neighboring Uruzgan province, along with 12 regular insurgent fighters, the Afghan National Police reported. Four insurgents were captured in the operation, the police said.

#5: Three Afghan civilians were killed when they stepped on a roadside bomb in the Arghandab district of southern Kandahar province, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

#6: A roadside bomb killed two Afghan soldiers in southern Zabul province, the Defence Ministry said.


DoD: Pfc. Justin B. Shoecraft