33 Taliban Whacked In Overnight Battle
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghan and NATO forces clashed with Taliban militants in a dangerous southern region overnight, leaving 33 suspected insurgents dead, the provincial governor said Tuesday.
The joint forces carried out the nighttime operation in the Zhari district of Kandahar, said provincial governor Asadullah Khalid. Four other suspected militants were arrested. There were no casualties among Afghan or NATO forces, he said.
NATO spokesman Maj. John Thomas said the military used airstrikes in the operation around daybreak Tuesday, and that it was possible a “small number of insurgents” were killed. Wounded militants were provided with medical care, he said.
Zhari was the site of one of NATO’s largest-ever operations last fall and remains a volatile area. Seven Afghan police died in a roadside bomb explosion in Zhari on Monday.
Southern Afghanistan has seen fierce fighting in the last several weeks. More than 2,900 people—mostly militants—have been killed in insurgency-related violence in Afghanistan this year, according to an Associated Press tally of numbers provided by Western and Afghan officials.
Police in Kabul, meanwhile, detained a man from Saudi Arabia whom they accused of planning suicide attacks against high-ranking government officials.
The 35-year old man, identified as Yousuf Ibrahim, from Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh, was detained after a brief scuffle with police in the capital on Tuesday, said Gen. Ali Shah Paktiawal, the head of criminal investigations for Kabul.
Ibrahim, who was brought handcuffed in front of reporters, had spent the last eight years in Afghanistan, fighting alongside the Taliban in Kandahar, Paktiawal said.
Ibrahim, speaking in Arabic, said he was not in Afghanistan to fight against the government.
“We are here to fight against the Russians, Americans, Jews and infidels,” he said, while seated on a chair in Paktiawal’s office. “I am a mujahedeen (holy warrior) … and I will fight against them until the end of the earth.”
Elsewhere, U.S.-led coalition troops killed a suspected militant and detained two others during an operation in eastern Afghanistan Tuesday, officials said.
The suspected militant was shot as coalition troops were entering a compound suspected of housing militants in the Zana Khan district of Ghazni province, a coalition statement said.
In neighboring Zabul province, Taliban militants ambushed a police patrol Monday in the Mizan district, killing one policeman, said Ali Khail, spokesman for the Zabul governor.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
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The Taliban’s great and widely touted “Spring Offensive” has been remarkably successful, don’t you think?? A few more offenses like this debacle and they’ll run out of Taliban
July 3rd, 2007 at 2:10 amGreat to hear good news from Afghanistan. I hope they run out Talibanis to whack.
July 3rd, 2007 at 2:18 am““We are here to fight against the Russians, Americans, Jews and infidels”. He’s a hateful SOB isn’t he? Poor deluded Ali-Baba. I’m sure the the Afghanis will give him a nice reception when they take him to their prison.
July 3rd, 2007 at 3:51 amAQ also getting whacked hard in Iraq.
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12668&Itemid=128
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070703-05
July 3, 2007
Coalition Forces combat extremist fighters
Multi National Force – West
RAMADI, Iraq – At least 23 insurgents were killed in fighting 4 kilometers south of Ramadi on Jazzera al Humar (Donkey Island) along the Nassar Canal June 30 and July 1.
Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces received reports that a significant number of anti-Iraqi forces had gathered on the outskirts of Ramadi to stage a series of large scale attacks. The group, affiliated with al Qaeda in Iraq, intended to regain a base of operations in Al Anbar with suicide car and vest bomb attacks.
The battle began at approximately 9:20 p.m. Saturday when Coalition Forces were attacked with small arms fire from two trucks near their position. U.S. Soldiers returned fire and pursued the fleeing attackers with the help of Army AH-64A Apache helicopter gun ships, Marine F-18 Hornet and AV-8B Harrier fighter jets. Helicopters killed at least one insurgent and wounded another, and destroyed the two trucks, later determined to be loaded with weapons, ammunition and explosives.
A detailed search of the area at 5 a.m. Sunday discovered 22 dead insurgents, including seven who were wearing suicide vests, as well as 24 homemade grenades, 20 pressure plate improvised explosive devices, assault rifles and machine guns, military uniforms, suicide vests and backpacks with first aid kits. Most of the enemy were dressed in similar white dishdashas and white running shoes, an outfit often associated with extremist fighters prepared to kill themselves.
Coalition Forces continued their search for any remaining enemy or weapons caches in the area. Around 2 p.m., extremist forces again attacked with machine gun fire, grenades and a suicide vest. Coalition Forces responded with small arms fire and grenades, killing at least one insurgent. Helicopter gun ships and fighter jets provided aerial surveillance and engaged multiple enemy positions, including the destruction of an enemy bunker complex with precision guided munitions.
Coalition Forces detained two enemy fighters and transported them to a military detention facility for questioning.
July 3rd, 2007 at 7:30 amOne Shot: “A few more offenses like this debacle and they’ll run out of Taliban
” Haha funny phrase: to run out of Taliban 
July 3rd, 2007 at 8:08 amQuestion, why was he allowed to broadcast his message of Jihad to the rest of the world. To paraphrase our enemy Lenin, he would be classified as a useless person. Too far gone to ever come around to reality. Besides, they did not sign, or believe in the Geneva Convention. The ideal method of deaing with him would be to remove his gene pool from the earth. They all saw how the Afghan people embraced our arrival. They do not want a part of it. They are too much in love with thier own brand of mayhem. They are too far gone. Total wack jobs. His only value in capture is intel to get more maggots like him.
July 3rd, 2007 at 8:29 amJust like most of those in Gitmo, you will never change their mind because they are so completely brainwashed. If ever let out, even if it be 20 years from now, all they will strive to do is murder the infidel to their dying breath. The only thing that will get killing of the infidel out of their mind is a 7.62mm lobotomy.
July 3rd, 2007 at 10:32 amI like getting good news!!!!!!!!!
July 3rd, 2007 at 11:04 amCan you imagine all the jihadi’s the spec ops and green badgers are killing in Afghanistan and Iraq that we NEVER hear about anywhere? I know it’s alot. Happy 4th of July! Yahoo!
July 3rd, 2007 at 1:13 pmHonestly, I think it will be a while still before they start to run out of Talibans. Don’t start going ADD on me. Just resign yourselves to a long hard slog, like the president told us five years ago. Stay focused, make ammo, and play catch up in the media war. That’s the front on which we’re losing.
July 3rd, 2007 at 1:43 pmjak
All Muslims are potential Taliban.
July 3rd, 2007 at 4:51 pmWhen there are over a billion Muslims out there, thats a lot of recruits.
They estimate 10-15% of Muslims are Taliban.
Out of a billion how many is that?
This is reminding me of a night in VietNam when a ROK infantry company of around 200 slayed 1200 VC by exfiltrating their position, let Charlie slip into a beautiful ambush. I am pleased.
July 3rd, 2007 at 7:11 pm