June 24, 2013 - 11:00 PM EDT - The Presidential palace ("the Arg") in Kabul, Afghanistan was attacked by four Taliban suicide bombers Monday morning. None breached the palace's security walls. One bomber blew himself up and three others were shot by Afghan security forces. Casualties were reported but the number is not known.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai was in the palace compound when the attack began around 6:20 AM local time (0200 GMT). Karzai had a scheduled meeting with journalists.
Karzai "never appeared to be in danger," reports The Guardian. He was "behind several more walls inside the heavily fortified palace itself. One source who was inside the complex, which has outer walls several dozen metres thick in places, said the fighting never approached the inner area."
The attack was put down entirely by Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Earlier this month, ANSF took the lead in providing security for Afghanistan, with NATO now in a support-only role. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, and said their targets included the Ariana Hotel, which is home to the CIA station in Kabul.
Afghan security officials said they believe the attack was actually executed by the Taliban-linked Haqqani Network, reports Reuters. "The Haqqani Network is accused of masterminding high-profile attacks in Kabul and is believed to have close links to al Qaeda."
June 10, 2013 - The bodies of two boys named Khan and Hameedullah, 10 and 16, were discovered with their heads cut off. And the media can't get the motivation straight.
Map of ISAF regional commands in Afghanistan Provinces
Source: undispatch.com
"News of the 10-year-old's death was all over Twitter yesterday, but "later on Monday the Kandahar provincial government office confirmed that a second boy had also been beheaded," says BBC News today. Many reports are saying that the Taliban killed the boys, but they deny responsibility for the murders. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi "insisted to the BBC the group had not beheaded any children in the area."
Kandahar's governor, Dr. Toryalay Wessa, condemned the killings as inhumane and un-Islamic and insists the Taliban is guilty of killing the boy. A manhunt for the killers has been ordered.
"The boys were on their way back ... when they were stopped by Taliban insurgents who beheaded them," the chief of Zhari district, Jamal Agha, told Reuters. "Both of them were innocent children and had nothing to do with government or foreigners."
Were They Looking for Food?
There is media confusion over the motivation behind the killing of the two boys. Many reports say the boys were killed while seeking food, but at least one report says that the boys may have actually been selling food.
The Kandahar provincial government office issued a statement last night that said the boys were probably suspected by the Taliban of giving information to police in exchange for food,says The Telegraph. "In separate incident, it was claimed, the boys were questioned about spying and their heads were then cut off." A Reuters report at Gulf News says that Khan and Hameedullah "had traveled to Afghan army and police checkpoints near their home in the southern province of Kandahar, scrounging for leftover food to bring to their families, the officials said."
Which is it? Were the boys scrounging for food or given food in exchange for information?
Or Were They Selling Yogurt? However, a very different report from Voice of Journalists (VOJ) says that the boys may have been killed "because they sold yogurt to Afghan Police and Army personnel. The boys were warned that they should not have any business dealings with any Afghan official. However, today when the boys were coming back after selling their 'Lassi', a yogurt-based drink, they were captured and then ruthlessly beheaded."
Video: In 2012, Taliban Islamist insurgents beheaded 17 party-goers.
A spokesperson of Kandaha governor said that the boys had a flock of sheep and goats, reports VOJ. "They would create lassi out of yogurt and then swap this drink with Afghan Police and Army to get some food in return. For this reason, they were warned by the Taliban. They were asked not to conduct any business with Afghan Police or help them in any matter."
The Telegraph also notes that "Afghans officials believe the Taliban carried out the executions as a 'warning' to other youngsters not to co-operate with the Coalition forces at a time when they are launching fresh attacks in Afghan cities on Western and Afghan forces as part of their Spring offensive which has so far seen a series of high profile attacks."
Afghan police to the attack in Kabul. Photo: Reuters
UPDATE, 12:50 AM CDT, June 10 -- "Today’s clashes in Kabul ended with all of the insurgents killed by Afghan security forces. Two insurgents were able to detonate their explosive-laden vests and five others were killed by security forces. The clearance operation inside the building is underway. Five suicide vests and some weapons were left at the scene. In this incident, civilians and security forces were unharmed. The situation is back to normal." - via ISAF: NATO forces in Afghanistan Facebook page, quoting Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior (MoI).
A report from Bakhtar News says that 7 suicide attackers were killed. "General Ayoob Salangi police chief of Kabul said BNA, at 5 am, seven suicide attackers armed with heavy and light weapons attacked Kabul International Airport from two under construction buildings near the Airport. According to him, two of the attackers exploded their suicide vest and five others were killed in 3 hour clash by security forces." There were no casualties among civilians or the security forces.
UPDATE, 1:08 AM CDT, June 10 -- "Kabul police saying that all 7 bombers whom were wearing Afghan Border police (ABP) uniforms were gunned down 2 civilians injured." via Sharifullah Sahak (@sharifsahak) The attack focused on the US Air Force facility and a nearby detention center where drug traffickers are held. TOLO news reportsthe attack is on an area that houses an ISAF/NATO command center. (Via The Australian.) In related news, the British Embassy in Kabul said on June 9 that the Afghan detainees will be handed over very soon,reports TOLO.
Earlier Reports: June 9, 2013 -- 7:30 PM CDT -- A major terrorist offensive is occurring now at Kabul International Airport. Large explosions and gunfire have been heard, suicide bombers are intruding, and there are reports of insurgents firing rockets. Targeted areas seem to include NATO and US Air Force areas, a counter narcotics building. The attack began around 4:20 AM local time. See current time and weather in Kabul.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. "Spokesman [Zabiullah] Mujahid in a text message to journalists claiming responsibility for #Kabul attack on military side of the airport," tweeted Sharifullah Sahak (@sharifsahak), a journalist working for The New York Times in Kabul.
Chicago News Bench was the first to speculate that the attack might be reprisal for the arrest of a Taliban leader today: "An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader and two other extremists during an operation in Kandahar City, Kandahar province, today. The leader oversees a group of extremists involved in improvised explosive devices operations in Kandahar City. He has a history of building multiple types of IEDs and directing his subordinates to carry out attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in Kandahar City." (Source: ISAF news release, 9 June 2013) 1TV Kabul apparently agrees with Chicago News Bench's assessment, later quoting the same ISAF news release. (Thanks for reading CNB, 1TV!)
"One insurgent detonated himself at compound entrance in the centre of the city at the start of fighting, which left several buildings destroyed or damaged by rocket-propelled grenades, gunfire and explosions," reports The Telegraph UK. "One policeman, two civilians and all four militants died in that attack, with the government lauding the response of the Kabul security forces for preventing further casualties."
The US embassy in Kabul was on lockdown for a while but seems to be in "all clear" status as of approximately 8:15 PM CDT. The embassy earlier confirmed an "on-going attack" in Kabul, the capitol city. The US embassy is located next to NATO's ISAF headquarters (International Security Assistance Force). SEE MAP. At 8:00 PM CDT, ISAF tweeted,"Shelter in Place lifted, Camp Lockdown still in effect at ISAF HQ."
Wired.com reports (Dec. 4, 2009): Earlier this year, blurry pictures were released by the French magazine Air & Cosmos of a previously unknown stealth drone taken at Kandahar in Afghanistan. The photos, snapped in 2007, prompted a wave of speculation about the classified aircraft.
Aviation Week also has a report(Dec. 4, 2009): The U.S. Air Force has confirmed the existence of the “Beast of Kandahar” UAV that was seen flying out of Afghanistan in late 2007. The jet aircraft – a tailless flying wing with sensor pods faired into the upper surface of each wing – is the RQ-170 Sentinel, developed by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works. An Air Force official revealed to Aviation Week Friday afternoon that the service is “developing a stealthy unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to provide reconnaissance and surveillance support to forward deployed combat forces.”
Blame Bush! That's the unofficial mantra of the Democrat Party, and Barack Obama is not immune to the pyschosis. Michael Swartz points out that blaming Bush is a hollow that has little - if any - substance this late in the game.
Swartz writes that"since his swearing in on January 20 Barack Obama has continued to blame his predecessor for 'inherited' problems and the President may indeed have had a few legitimate complaints." Obama's eagerness to blame the previous administration for current woes, however, is hypocritical. Swartz addresses points this out, noting Obama's hypocrisy:
Yet he’s been unwilling to change many Bush-era policies, particularly in the realm of national security. Obama has also chosen to ramp up the war in Afghanistan while continuing the withdrawal from Iraq begun in the latter stages of President Bush’s term. As Commander-in-Chief President Obama has the perfect right to halt these military endeavors but chosen against complete withdrawal, frustrating his support base on the antiwar Left to no end. Full Post at NetRight Nation...As for the war that Obama inherited, it should be remembered that both presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon inherited a war in Viet Nam from a previous administration - that of John Kennedy. Both Johnson and Nixon continued that war, escalating it exponentially from the Kennedy days. Whereas Obama shows no sign at this point of escalating the war effort in either Iraq or Afghanistan, he is showing a deadly similarity to Johnson and Nixon in one crucial way: His willingness to stay in a war without a willingess or the fortitude to actually win it. That cost Johnson his presidency when the Democrat Party made it clear to him that he would not get their support for nomination to a second term. Johnson decided to not seek a second term. Obama has apparently not learned the lesson of Viet Nam: Don't start (or engage in) a war that you have no intention of winning.
Democrat and liberal voters are growing more and more frustrated with Obama every week over broken promises, not the least of which is his action - or inaction - regarding our overseas military engagements. Obama might want to get to work now on a withdrawal speech. No, not withdrawal from Iraq or Afghanistan, but withdrawal from the 2012 presidential election. It's time for Obama to stop whining and deflecting responsibility, or to get out of the way.
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Obama's trip abroad is not as sweet as some would like present it. To watch the American media yesterday and today, one might think that all is going swimmingly for the Messiah Obama, who has some in the U.S. that he can turn urine into water.
Some major German politicians are concerned that Obama's professed desire to increase the allied troop load in Afghanistan is a dangerous one. They have told him this in no uncertain terms.
Spiegel Online reports today that"Germany's Social Democrats are feting BarackObama's visit to Berlin this week, but behind the scenes they are distancing themselves from the Democratic Party's candidate. Leading SPD members are warning Obama against demanding more German troops for Afghanistan."This raises concerns for a lot of reasons, two of which are: (1) Obama's now-demonstrated ability to piss off allies even before he is nominated, and (2) Obama's hypocrisy in wanting to bring U.S. troops home within 16 months if elected, yet his desire to greatly increase U.S. troop numbers in Afghanistan. FULL ARTICLE at Spiegel Online...
"It was the stupidest, most southern-fried, lamebrained decision I ever made in my life," Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell writes. [Source]
Luttrell, Navy SEAL, was the only one of his group to come out if that "lamebrained decision" in Afghanistan. Luttrell ended up with three cracked vertebrae in his back, but was able travel more than seven miles on his own. Talk about endurance. Talk about heroism.
Sabraytribsemen in a Pashtun mountain village protected him by bestowing "Lokhay" upon him. Lokay is a Pashtunwali guarantee of safety for a wounded traveler, with the promise of protecting him from any enemy. One of those enemies, the Taliban, wanted Luttrell to be given to them. And they did not have a tea party in mind for him.
Marcus Luttrell has written a compelling book, "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10." He will speak before a live audience at thePritzker Military Library on Monday, May 19th at 3:00 p.m. Interviewer Ed Tracy will guide the show, which will be webcast live. Get information about how you can view the live webcast.
RELATED:Video (below)Reasoned AudacityPower Line: A Lone Survivor's StoryBLACKFIVE: Marcus Luttrell is "The One" - Sole Surviving Navy SEAL
Another of many good stories coming out of Afghanistan that the major media just don't - and won't - report. One commenter put it succinctly: "Why am I not surprised the only places I was able to find this were here, Free Republic, and the DoD?"
An excerpt from "Afghan Commandos Capture Taliban Leaders":Afghan national police forces assisted by the army's 203rd Commandos also arrested a suspected deputy Taliban commander during the operation. Evidence points to him being involved in several direct attacks in the Sabari district, and he was implicated in destroying the Zambar village school. In addition, according to reports, he was responsible for a number of IED attacks that killed several Afghan national police officers.Several other insurgents were captured, including a suspected insurgent responsible for providing financial support to IED cells in the Sabari district. Another suspected insurgent was implicated in stealing from Afghan government employees, transporting weapons, assisting IED-placement facilitators, and delivering terrorizing "night letters" to intimidate local villagers. FULL STORY at BlackFive...
Reporters Without Borders today voiced deep shock at the murder overnight of Zakia Zaki, a leading figure among Afghanistan’s independent journalists.
Two armed men broke into the family home of the head of radio Sada-e-Sulh (Peace Radio) in Jabalussaraj, in the northern province of Parwan, and gunned her down in front of her two-year-old son, firing seven bullets before fleeing.
Zakia Zaki, who was 35, had run the radio since it was founded in 2001 and was also head of a local school. She had received several death threats after openly criticising warlords and the Taliban. FULL STORY at Reporters Without Borders...
The ladies sing in English. Don't let the German guy scare you off, this is cool.
The Taliban of Afghanistan banned music and forced women to wear burqas. Things have changed, and this video highlights it. Several women in this video rock out, sarcastically wearing blue burqas. Their lyrics note that women in Afghanistan can even wear blue jeans now.
This video is a report from "Die Nacht" (The Night), a German language news show. It's fun because it's happy that these women are freely expressing themselves, but also because they sing in English. There are German subtitles, of course, as this is a German show. But I was most fascinated by the fact that this rock video gives a glimpse into life in Afghanistan today, and it was shot mostly outside on the streets of some city (I assume Kabul) in plain view during the day - and without any apparent fear of retribution. God Bless America.
BIG hat tip to Backyard Conservative for this one.
