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Afghanistan
Helmand’s Marjah Cleared of ‘Insurgents’ After Four Years
2019-12-02
[ToloNews] The district was surrounded by the Taliban
...Arabic for students...
 for nearly four years, according to officials.

Helmand
...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan...
’s Marjah district has been cleared of bully boyz after security forces launched a military operation two weeks ago, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said in a statement on Saturday night.

"At least 37 Taliban, including their military commander Mullah Abdul Bari, have been killed and dozens of others have been maimed," the statement said, adding that "The district has been completely cleared of Death Eaters."

"The forces also cleared three roadside mines on the highways, destroyed two weapons caches and destroyed six Taliban recruiting centers during the operation," the statement said.

The Taliban have not yet commented over the operation.

Local officials confirmed that the district has been surrounded by the Taliban over the past four years and "all the highways were blocked to military convoys."

The Afghan forces were also supported by Afghan air forces during the operation, officials added.
Related:
Marjah district: 2019-12-01 Roadside blast kills senior army commander
Marjah district: 2019-11-28 17 Taliban Killed in Ongoing Helmand Operation
Marjah district: 2019-11-28 Airstrikes kill Taliban militants in Kandahar and Helmand
Related:
Helmand: 2019-12-01 Roadside blast kills senior army commander
Helmand: 2019-11-28 Airstrikes kill Taliban militants in Kandahar and Helmand
Helmand: 2019-11-28 Special Forces kill, detain 18 Taliban militants in Kabul and 4 other provinces
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Afghanistan
AAF airstrike kills Taliban’s shadow governor, finance and logistics chief in Farah
2019-08-03
[KhaamaPress] An Arclight airstrike
...KABOOM!...
 by the Afghan Air Force killed the shadow governor of Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
 for Farah and two other big shots of the group.
But the HR Director was OK, thank Allah!
The Ministry of Defense in a statement said the Afghan Air Force conducted an airstrike in Khak-e-Safid district.

The Afghan Air Force conducted the raid at around 8:10 pm local time tonight.

The statement further added that the airstrike killed Mullah Abdul Bari alias Mullah Mashar, the shadow governor of the group for Farah.

Furthermore, the defense ministry said the airstrike also killed Mawlavi Syed, the Ring Leader of Taliban.

The airstrike also killed Mullah Sadiq, the Finance and Logistics Chief of the group.

The Taliban group has not commented regarding the airstrike so far.
Link


Afghanistan
NDS Special Forces foil Taliban’s bid to carry out coordinated attack in Farah
2018-05-27

[Khaama (Afghanistan)] The Special Forces of the Afghan Intelligence, National Directorate of Security
...the Afghan national intel agency...
 (NDS), have foiled Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
’s bid to carry out a coordinated attack in western Farah province.

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) in a statement said the Special Forces of the directorate targeted a large compound of the Taliban group in Farah Rod district which the Taliban wanted to use for the attack.

The statement further added that the group’s shadow district governor for Khak-e-Safid Mullah Abdul Bari and two other senior commanders in charge of a group of 100 snuffies were using the compound to mobilize forces for the attack.

According to NDS, the bully boyz were looking to target several check posts located along the Farah and Farah Rod highway.

At least fifteen Taliban snuffies were killed during the operation including a commander of the group identified as Lawang, NDS added.

NDS also added in its statement that NDS Special Forces also confiscated six tons of explosives along with several weapons and ammunition during the operation.

Link


Afghanistan
Taliban’s military commission chief killed in Helmand drone strike
2017-06-13
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] A top Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
 leader was killed in an Arclight airstrike carried out in southern Helmand
...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan...
 province of Afghanistan late on Sunday night, the security sources said Monday.

According to a statement released by the 215th Maiwand Corps of the Afghan National Army, the Arclight airstrike was carried out in the vicinity of Nad-e-Ali district.

The statement further added that the military commission chief of the group for southern Helmand province was killed in the Arclight airstrike.

According to the 215th Maiwand Corps, the Taliban leader killed in the Arclight airstrike has been identified as Mullah Abdul Bari who was involved in various attacks while leading the military committee of the group in Helmand.

Helmand is among the volatile provinces in southern Afghanistan where the Taliban faceless myrmidons are actively operating in its various districts and often carry out insurgency activities.

The Afghan forces are busy conducting counter-insurgency operations in the restive parts of the province as they are receiving support by the foreign forces, mainly involving Arclight airstrikes.

The operations have been increased after the Taliban faceless myrmidons carried out numerous large attacks to capture the key districts of Helmand including the scenic provincial capital of Lashkargah city during the recent months.
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Afghanistan
Six suicide bombers among 17 killed in a military raid on Taliban prison in Helmand
2016-03-22
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] Military personnel have raided a Taliban prison in southern Helmand
...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan...
 province of Afghanistan and released everybody kept inside as hostages, the Ministry of Defense announced on Monday.

A statement released by the ministry states that the prison belonging to Mullah Abdul Bari Zakir in Shoraki area of Nahr-e-Siraj district was raided last night.

The statement adds that 16 civilians were released from the detention but their identities would be shared with media later.

17 Death Eaters, including six jacket wallahs, were killed in the raid, the blurb states, adding that there was no harm to the military forces.

Taliban have not yet commented on the report.

However,
there's more than one way to skin a cat...
 the group runs prisons in various parts of the country where they keep security personnel or others they have held on suspicion of being babus government employees or supporting government.

Link


Afghanistan
Rifts Among Taliban Set To Deepen: Analysts
2015-12-16
[Tolo News] Rifts among the Taliban after the death of their former leader Mullah Mohammad Omar will not end in the near future, say analysts and sources close to the group, adding that the roots of the differences among the Taliban's divided groups are well entrenched and will remain so for a long time.

It is believed that cracks among the Taliban leadership ranks were apparent in the past but only came to light after the news broke of Mullah Omar's death.

Zabul, Herat and Farah have so far been witness to heavy clashes between the two factions – those who support Mullah Omar's successor Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour and those who support the breakaway faction's leader Mullah Mohammad Rassoul Noorzai.

The recent clashes have resulted in numerous deaths among Taliban fighters.

"You heard recently that the Taliban factions fought in Batikot district [in Nangarhar province]. They [Taliban's divided factions] often fight each other and sometimes Daesh fighters interfere in their infighting," said Ghalib Mujahid, Achin district chief.

Security sources and analysts believe that the infighting among the Taliban factions will occur mostly in southern and western parts of Afghanistan.

"Mullah Mohammad Rassoul has more influence in Herat and his supporters are from Herat, Farah, Nimroz and some of them are from Helmand province. Therefore he will have influence mostly in southern and south-western parts," said Mullah Abdul Bari Fayaz, the head of the High Peace Council Committee in Helmand.

"On the other hand, Mullah Mohammad Mansour has more influence in Helmand because of tribal and regional issues, and his supporters are mostly from Helmand. It is expected that he will have more power in Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan provinces," he added.

However, it is believed that the rifts among the Taliban will extend beyond the borders and it is said that most Taliban fighters live on the other side of the border. One example of this is of recent reports that emerged stating Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour was wounded during clashes recently – across the border.

In addition, Mullah Manan Niazi, a spokesman for one Taliban faction linked to Mullah Rassoul, said recently that Mullah Mansour had been responsible for keeping Mullah Omar's death a secret and said Mullah Omar was killed on the day of the opening of the insurgent group's Qatar office. However, this claim has been rejected by Mullah Mansour.

Analysts meanwhile believe that the rifts will deep if the region's spy agencies interfere in their operations.

"If Mullah Mohammad Rassoul is supported by the region's spy agency(ies) the conflicts (among Taliban) will increase gradually," said Nazar Mohammad Motmaen, analyst in political affairs.

This comes at a time when peace talks are once again on the cards after President Ashraf Ghani announced this week that negotiations will restart in the near future.
Link


Afghanistan
Diggers issue 100 Virgin Vouchers
2009-04-25
AUSTRALIAN soldiers have killed more than 100 Taliban fighters and disrupted vast enemy networks in two of the biggest and most successful operations of the six-year Afghanistan campaign.

Details of the offensive were revealed during a secret visit to Afghanistan for Anzac Day by Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon who was accompanied by News Limited.

Operation Aabitoorah or Blue Sword began on March 19 in the northern Helmand province, south of the Australian base in Oruzgan Province and involved Dutch, British, American, Australian and Afghani forces.

The second, called Operation Shak Hawel or Mysterious Area, was fought by troops from the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force between April 3 and 15 around Patrol Base Buman in the Chora Valley north of Tarin Kowt.

More than 200 Diggers or almost half of the battle group led by Darwin based Lieutenant Colonel Shane Gabriel took part with an Afghan National Army battalion.

During the biggest battle on April 12 dozens of Taliban fighters perished as they attempted to defeat the diggers from Combat Team Tusk in the fertile green belt. "They tried to stop us doing what we wanted to do and they came off second best,'' Lt Colonel Gabriel told News Limited.

Troops from the task force have been engaged in numerous heavy fire fights during offensive patrols to mentor and instruct their Afghan comrades.

Mr Fitzgibbon received full details of the operations and spoke to the troops during a secret two-day tour of Australian bases in the lead up to Anzac Day at Tarin Kowt where Vietnam war hero and Victoria Cross holder Keith Payne was the guest of honour. Mr Fitzgibbon became the first Australian minister to venture "outside the wire'' flying in a Chinook chopper low along the fertile valleys to forward operating bases framed by snow capped peaks, to judge the progress for himself.

Australian commander Major General Mark Kelly said Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) troops from the Perth based SAS Regiment and Sydney based Commando Regiment operated deep inside a Taliban stronghold for 26 days during "Blue Sword".

He said the number of enemy dead was not a measure of success, but he told News Limited that the tally was in excess of 80. "It is a significant achievement by our soldiers over an extended combat mission.

"It has really disrupted the insurgent network in this part of regional command south,'' General Kelly said.

The specialist Diggers were attacked by roadside bombs, rocket propelled grenades, mortars and small arms fire and despite the intensity of the action just one Australian, Sydney based bomb disposal expert Sergeant Brett Till, was killed and four others wounded including one who lost his legs.

In addition to the number of enemy casualties, including bomb maker and leader Mullah Abdul Bari, the Australians uncovered numerous weapons caches and up to 14 improvised explosive devices in a day.

Mr Fitzgibbon, who toured Australian built hospitals and schools as well as fighting bases, said the latest operations were a major setback for the Taliban. He said it was vital for the Australian people to understand these intense and deadly operations and just how dangerous and challenging the job was for the Diggers.

"We are making real progress in Afghanistan. I wish to thank every man and woman in the Australian Defence Force who is making a contribution to what is a very important campaign,'' Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Commander of Regional Command South Dutch Major-General Mart de Kraif said the operation had disrupted insurgent activities including the drugs trade. He said Australian special-forces troops had applied massive pressure to the insurgent leadership.
Link


Afghanistan
Australian Soldiers Kill Taliban bomb expert
2009-04-02
Story is a couple days old but i couldn't find anything on it while browsing through Rantburg so i thought i would post it up.
AUSTRALIAN special forces and Afghan troops have killed a senior Taliban insurgent leader responsible for improvised explosive device (IED) and suicide attacks against Australian forces.

Mullah Abdul Bari was known to have controlled suicide bombers, the training of foreign fighters and distribution of weapons, the Australian Defence Force's chief of joint operations Mark Evans said. Mullah Bari was also identified as a primary IED facilitator and was responsible for the coordination of device emplacement in Oruzgan province.

"His weapons of choice were roadside bombs and suicide bombers and his death means that Taliban insurgents operating in the region have lost one of their key facilitators,'' Lieutenant General Evans said.

The removal of Mullah Bari would significantly disrupt Taliban insurgent efforts to conduct actions that injured and killed Afghan and coalition troops, he said. "Mullah Bari has also been confirmed to have been directly involved in the placement of the improvised explosive devices which have targeted Australian troops,'' he said.

IEDs have claimed the lives of four Australian soldiers, most recently Sergeant Brett Till, an explosive ordnance disposal technician killed on March 19 in the detonation of a device he was trying to disarm.

Members of the Australian special operations task group have specifically targeted insurgent leaders and bomb makers, killing or capturing more than a dozen in the past year.

Defence revealed few details of the latest operation, other than to say it resulted in the death of several other Taliban insurgents. "This operation will contribute to a safer, more stable environment for the people of Oruzgan,'' Gen Evans said.
Link


Afghanistan
Thirty Taliban killed in joint strikes
2008-02-21
THIRTY Taliban militants were killed in a joint Afghan and foreign special forces operation backed by air support in southern Helmand province. The five-hour coordinated attack on four targets also killed a Taliban commander, Mullah Abdul Bari, according to the Afghan defence ministry. Eleven others were arrested.
"Into the paddy wagon wit' yez! You, too, One-eye!"
"Mullah Abdul Bari, a Taliban commander, was wounded in the attacks and later died of his wounds in hospital," it said.
"Roseburrrrrrr..."
The troops attacked insurgent cells between Musa Qala and Kajaki districts of Helmand province. Musa Qala was a Taliban stronghold for most of last year and the militants still control at least three districts in Helmand province. The forces said they also seized weapons, two trucks full of explosives and 500kg of drugs. They also destroyed a heroin-processing factory.
"Awww, man! They got my stash!"
"There, there, Mullah Omar! We'll get more! Here! Try some of this coca paste that nice man sent from Venezuela!"
"Whoa! Primo stuff! Lissen to the colors!"
The Afghan defence ministry would not specify if their operation was conducted together with NATO-led troops or US-led coalition forces.
"I dunno. I didn't notice. We were busy at the time."
It said there were no casualties among the joint forces or civilians in the operation.
"No, we didn't kill any civilians. None. At all. Piss off."
Link



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