War News for Wednesday, January 26, 2011

IED casualties in Afghanistan spike - The number of U.S. troops killed by roadside bombs in Afghanistan soared by 60 percent last year, while the number of those wounded almost tripled, new U.S. military statistics show. All told, 268 U.S. troops were killed by the improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, in 2010, about as many as in the three previous years combined, according to the figures, obtained by The Washington Post. More than 3,360 troops were injured, an increase of 178 percent over the year before.

Soldier from 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment killed in Afghanistan


Reported security incidents

Baghdad:
#1: An official of Iraq's National Security Ministry had been killed by unknown gunmen in central Baghdad on Tuesday evening, a security source said on Wednesday. "A group of unknown gunmen have killed an official of Iraq's National Security Ministry, while driving his car in central Baghdad's Alawi District on Tuesday night," the security source said, adding that the "assassins have escaped to an unknown destination," giving no further details.

#2: A member of the pro-government al-Sahwa (Awakening) Forces was shot dead by a group of unknown armed men in northern Baghdad on Wednesday, a security source said. "A group of unknown gunmen have shot dead an al-Sahwa (Awakening) Member, while driving his car in northern Baghdad's Tarmiya district," the security source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Diyala Prv:
#1: Three children have been injured in an explosive charge blast against their house, for which they returned after forcing them to flee away from it in Baaquba city, the center of northeast Iraq's Diala Province, a security source said on Wednesday. "An explosive charge blew off in a house, belonging to a family in Gatoun district, south of Baaquba, who they returned to on Tuesday, after being forced to desert it due to violence acts during the past few years, wounding three children," the security source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"


It's a slow news day, have a good day everyone - whisker.