War On Terror News

2 SCOTS return from Afghanistan

A History and Honour news article

26 Apr 11 The last personnel from the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland to return from their six month deployment to Afghanistan arrived home today, Tuesday 26 April 2010.

Piper Corporal John Harvey leads (left to right) Lance Corporal Jason McGowan, Lance Corporal Warren Grant, Fusilier Robert Muir and Fusilier Dominic Milligan to Scots Corner the 2 SCOTS Community Centre
[Picture: Mark Owens, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

During their six month deployment, the Battalion operated from Lashkar Gah City in Helmand Province,with their supporting elements, to provide security in the region and train the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in preparation for them assuming full control of security in the country in the future.

The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS), deployed on Operation HERRICK 13 in September 2010.

During their time in theatre they improved the lives of the indigenous population by providing protection from the insurgents and implementing projects to raise the quality of life for the people.

Throughout the tour, the Jocks,

Border Control will be new challenge for Iraq

Iraqi PM: Help Needed to Protect Borders After US Withdrawal  26 April 2011 VOA News Iraq's prime minister says his country's forces do not need help in maintaining internal security beyond the December 31 U.S. troop withdrawal date, but that Baghdad may need assistance with external security.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Tuesday the country still faces external challenges because it needs more money and training, especially for its air force.

However, he added that he does not currently see any regional threats to Iraq's security. He said the country's sovereignty is protected at the moment because none of its “neighbors” have plans of entering by force.

Gas Pipeline in Egypt Explodes after Attack

27 April 2011 VOA News A pipeline carrying natural gas from Egypt to Israel has exploded following an attack by an armed gang.

Egyptian security officials say Wednesday's explosion was the second attack on the pipeline near the north Sinai town of El Arish in recent months.   "An unknown armed gang attacked the gas pipeline near Arish city," said a security official.  Authorities say they have closed the valves controlling the flow of gas in an effort to to stem the fire.

On Feb. 5, an explosion at a different section of the pipeline severed gas exports for weeks.

Last July the pipelone was attacked by Bedouin tribesmen of the Sinai Peninsula, but their attempt to blow up the pipeline failed.

Egypt exports gas to Israel and Jordan however lately the deals have come under attack because of the low price at which the gas is sold.

71 Escaped Prisoners Now Recaptured, Governor of Paktia Escapes Bomb Blast

27 April 2011 Update: 

Afghan officials say troops have recaptured 71 of the 488 inmates who escaped from Sarposa prison in southern Kandahar province on Sunday through a 300-meter-long tunnel in a massive security breach.

Security has been tightened along Kandahar's border with Pakistan, and officials say biometric data on each prisoner will help identify and capture the remaining inmates, most of them Taliban militants.

Afghanistan's Justice Minister Abibullah Ghalab acknowledged that the jailbreak must have involved inside collaborators, but he added that Afghan and international forces should have detected the plot.

The Taliban claimed responsibility. It said the prison break was five months in the making, with diggers starting the tunnel from under a nearby house.

26 April 2011 VOA News Officials say Afghan and international forces have recaptured 71 65 of nearly 500 inmates who escaped from a jail in southern Afghanistan, in a massive security breach claimed by the Taliban.

The prisoners, mostly Taliban militants, streamed out of Kandahar province's Sarposa prison overnight Sunday through a 300-meter long tunnel built over a five-month period.  

On Tuesday, local officials said a joint Afghan and NATO force

War In Afghanistan News 27 Apr 2011

War in Afghanistan News reports provided by ISAF Joint Command.  Operations are reported in the following provinces:  Baghlan, Ghazni, Nangarhar, Khost, Helmand and Kandahar.

Taliban leaders, a Taliban facilitator, a Haqqani network leader, weapons caches  and drugs were the name of the game in the news today!

Tailor the way you get your War in Afghanistan News 

In other International Security Assistance Force Joint (ISAF) Command Operational News throughout Afghanistan:

Evacuation Team Carries Wounded Warriors Home

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Kelli Pedersen looks on as Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Worsham, a respiratory technician with the critical care air transport team, prepares her son, Army Spc. Dustin Morrison, for an aeromedical evacuation flight from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, April 26, 2011, for follow-on care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. DOD photo by Donna Miles (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, April 26, 2011 - By many accounts, 20-year-old Army Spc. Dustin Morrison is a living miracle – and a testament to the military medical system that's getting medical care to wounded warriors and moving them to progressively advanced levels of care faster than ever before.

Morrison, an Iowa Army National Guardsman, was severely wounded April 11 when his mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province.

Army Spc. Brent Maher, the vehicle gunner, was killed, and two other members of the Iowa Guard's Company B, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, were injured in the attack.

When Morrison's mother, Kelli Pedersen, flew to Germany after her son was flown here, the staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center laid it on the line about his prognosis. "They told me how very close we came to losing him," she said. His lungs were so severely damaged from the blast that the staff put him into a medically induced coma.

Newman's Car in Richmond Will Pay Tribute to U.S. Army Medical Personnel

U.S. Army Accessions Command

04.26.2011 Story by Sgt. 1st Class Scott Turner RICHMOND, Va. -- Ryan Newman's U.S. Army Chevrolet for Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway, April 30, will pay tribute to the U.S. Army Medical Department and the men and women who comprise the specialized Army Health Care Team.

Newman's No. 39 Chevrolet will display Army Medicine on the hood and rear-quarter panels during the Crown Royal Presents Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400 short track event. The AMEDD logo will also be included on the hood.

A rendering of Ryan Newman's No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet that will pay tribute to Army medical personnel in Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway in Virginia, April 30.  Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Scott Turner

"Showcasing Army Medicine on U.S. Army Chevrolet presents an excellent opportunity to not only recognize and honor the dedicated men and women of the Army Health Care Team but to raise awareness of the more than 80 medical career specialties available in the U.S. Army," said Col. Derik Crotts, Director of Strategic Marketing, Communications and Outreach, U.S. Army Accessions Command.

The U.S. Army Health Care Team is made up of six corps, each with a specific function.

France, Italy Seek to Re-impose Border Controls to Keep Africans Out

France, Italy Call For Schengen Reform 26 April 2011 VOA News France and Italy have called for reform of the Schengen treaty, which allows visa-free travel among European Union countries. They want a temporary resumption of border controls in the wake of an influx of migrants from North Africa.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi agreed to make the request in a letter to the EU president after talks in Rome Tuesday.

Mr. Sarkozy and Mr. Berlusconi both said they want to see the Schengen treaty survive. But they agreed that member countries should be allowed to re-impose border controls under extraordinary circumstances.

Scattered Yemen Protests Continue Despite Transition Accord

26 April 2011 VOA News Scattered protests were reported across Yemen on Tuesday despite an agreement on a Gulf-negotiated plan that would remove President Ali Abdullah Saleh from power.

Yemen's main opposition coalition agreed to the proposal on Monday, clearing the way for a political transition after two months of upheaval and violence. Under the plan, Mr. Saleh is to leave office 30 days after the plan is formally endorsed by the president and the opposition.

Western news agencies report that the agreement will be signed by both sides in Saudi Arabia within a week.

On Tuesday, some activists

U.S. Army MAJ Robert Federigan Receives "Silver Bundeswehr Cross of Honor"

4th CAB soldier awarded German honor

4th Combat Aviation Brigade

04.26.2011 By U.S. Army Sgt. Sean Harriman CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan – An American soldier holds the rare distinction of wearing a German Silver Cross of Honor for his actions in coordinating medical evacuation of casualties a February terrorist attack in northern Afghanistan. German Maj. Gen. Markus Kneip, commander of Regional Command - North, Afghanistan, presented U.S. Army Maj. Robert Federigan, medical operations officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division., International Security Assistance Force, with the Silver Bundeswehr (German military) Cross of Honor for outstanding meritorious service, April 25.

U.S. Army Maj. Robert Federigan, the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade medical operations officer, shakes hands with the Regional Command – North deputy commander, Brig. Gen. Sean Mulholland, left, who presented him with a U.S. Army Commendation Medal, after receiving the Silver Bundeswehr (German military) Cross of Honor from the RC-North commander, Maj. Gen. Markus Kneip, April 25, for outstanding meritorious service in helping to orchestrate a mass casualty evacuation during an attack near Pol-e Khumri, Feb. 28. (U.S. Army photograph by 1st Lt. Alexander Babcock)

Federigan, who is a MEDEVAC pilot and medical planner for the 4th CAB, humbly accepted the award, Germany’s second highest military decoration for merit, at a ceremony hosted by 4th CAB staff and including senior RC-North German leadership and RC-North Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Sean Mulholland.

9th AML Monitors Radiation Levels Around U.S. Military in Japan

Soldier scientists monitor radiation deploys in support of Operation Tomodachi

40th Public Affairs Detachment

04.25.2011 Story by Sgt. Derek Kuhn AICHI, Japan - After the March 11 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami, much of north eastern Japan was left to recover from the destruction caused by the natural disasters. Complicating matters, the Fukushima nuclear power plant went off-line, which prompted many to evacuate what was left of their homes.

Odessa, Texas, native, Sgt. Ryan Wickenden, a Health Physics Technician with the 9th Area Medical Laboratory out of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., tests a sample of water for signs of radiation at Yokota Air Base, Japan, April 16. Despite dropping levels of radiation, Wickenden and the other members of the 9th AML continue to monitor the levels of radiation in the soil, air and water in the areas of operations for service members. Photo by Sgt. Derek Kuhn

The Army, along with other U.S. services, rushed to aid the Japanese Self Defense Forces in helping tsunami victims. United States Forces Command deployed a team of specialized soldiers to assess and monitor the conditions in which service members would be operating. The Army deployed the 9th Area Medical Laboratory out of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

The 9th AML is unique within the Department of Defense. It is one of two specialized mobile laboratories at the Army Medical Department‘s disposal.

The soldier-scientists of the 9th AML are performing surveillance, confirmatory analytical lab testing and health hazard assessments of environmental, occupational, and endemic disease concerns, in addition to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive threats in support of Joint Support Force efforts in the ongoing relief efforts. They do this by monitoring air, water and soil at U.S. installations in Japan.

RIP CPT Joshua M. McClimans

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Capt. Joshua M. McClimans, 30, of Akron, Ohio, died April 22 at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Khost province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with indirect fire.  He was assigned to the 848th Forward Surgical Team, U.S. Army Reserve, Twinsburg, Ohio.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.”  (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Motivated 1st SWTG(A) Soldiers win division at Bataan Memorial Death March

1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) Soldiers win division in Bataan Memorial Death March

United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School

04.25.2011 Story by Caroline Goins FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Five soldiers assigned to the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg traveled to White Sands Missile Range, N.M. last month to trek 26.2 miles through blazing heat and desert terrain, reaching elevations of 5,300 feet, carrying 40-pound rucksacks, with 40-mph winds blowing on their faces.

They were not alone. More than 6,500 civilians and American servicemembers participated in the 22nd annual Bataan Memorial Death March.

“It was by far the worst march any of us have ever been on,” said Maj. Abraham Foster, as team members beside him nodded in agreement.

At the end of this march, eight of the original Bataan Death March survivors were there to shake hands and speak with the participants.

RIP Sgt David P. Day

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Sgt. David P. Day, 26, of Gaylord, Mich., died April 24 while conducting combat operations in Badghis province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.”  (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

ISAF Confirms Number 2 Insurgent Killed in Coalition Airstrike

KABUL, Afghanistan (April 26, 2011) –The International Security Assistance Force confirmed their number two overall targeted insurgent in Afghanistan was killed during an airstrike in Dangam district, Kunar province, April 13.

Al-Qaida senior leader Abu Hafs al-Najdi, also known as Abdul Ghani, a Saudi Arabian national, operated primarily from Kunar and traveled frequently between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He directed al-Qaida operations in the province, including recruiting; training and employing fighters; obtaining weapons and equipment; organizing al-Qaida finances; and planning attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

Abdul Ghani, and numerous other insurgents, including another al-Qaida leader, Waqas, were killed in the April 13 airstrike.

Abdul Ghani was responsible for the coordination of numerous high-profile attacks. On the morning of his death, he reportedly directed the suicide attack that killed

Detainee Operations Run Smoother with Upgrades to Meals

NCO improves detainee food program

Written by Staff Sgt. Edward Daileg, USF-I Public Affairs Monday, April 25, 2011 CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - At the age of 16 he started his first job in the food service industry as a dishwasher at a local restaurant. Going home soaking wet everyday didn’t stop this teenager from succeeding in the food service industry.

He used his love and interest for serving up the best possible meal for his customers, earning him the position of kitchen manager eight years later. In 2004, he combined his passion to prepare the best meal and love for his country by enlisting in the Army as a food service specialist.

Today, Sgt. Jeremy McPhail, from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, a detainee dining facility noncommissioned officer-in-charge, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 40th Military Police Battalion set a goal to improve the existing food program at the Theater Interment Facility located on Camp Cropper to provide the most nutritional and appetizing meals possible for the detainees. 

RIP SFC Bradley S. Hughes

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Sgt. 1st Class Bradley S. Hughes, 41, of Newark, Ohio, died April 24 of a non-combat incident, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 528th Sustainment Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.”  (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Senegalese, Nigerian special forces show U.S. Marines how its done!

Senegalese, Nigerian special forces show Marines small boat amphibious tactics during APS-11

U.S. Marine Forces Africa

A group of service members from the U.S. Marines, Senegalese Marines and Nigerian Navy search for targets during a live-fire shoot on the river here.   Photo by Master Sgt. Grady Fontana

04.25.2011 Story by Master Sgt. Grady Fontana TOUBAKOUTA, Senegal - A fast-moving river boat bouncing up and down the waterways can be an easy target for the adversary who may be dug in at each bank of the river. To compound on the boat’s liability it can prove to be a difficult platform to hold steady when returning the enemy’s fire. Accurate shooting on a fast river boat takes a skill that the Nigerians have honed.

In the spirit of multilateral collaboration and cross-border cooperation—both cornerstones of Africa Partnership Station 2011—the Nigerian Navy provided six instructors to share their experiences with the Security Cooperation Task Force in riverine operations, while the Senegalese contributed their expertise is small boat maneuver.

“Our specialty is we teach how to fight on water, on a fast patrol boat,” said Nigerian sailor, Cpl. Abiodun Egbikume, able seaman and a native of Lagos, Nigeria. According to Egbikume, the Nigerian navy has a lot of experience with security in the Nigerian waterways protecting oil rigs from pirates.

Steak Team Mission........mmmmmm!!!!

Steak Team Mission, a privately funded, non-profit organization from Dallas, Texas traveled to Camp Leatherneck Afghanistan and beyond to serve Marines and Sailors of 2nd Marine Division (Forward) a steak dinner!

 “We want to go to the dirtiest, nastiest and ugliest places,” said Booth. “(We want) to get to the guys whose boots are in the dirt and who are really taking the fight to the (enemy). That’s who needs us, and that is where we want to be. We just want to bring them a little piece of home.”

Boerne, Texas, native Lance Cpl. Wayne Snelling (left), looks on as Lance Cpl. Taylor Slay, a Baton Rouge, La., native, shares a piece of his steak with Mac, a military working dog with 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. Steak Team Mission, a privately funded, nonprofit organization from Dallas, served the Marines and sailors of 2nd Marine Division (Forward) steak dinners in seven separate locations within a five-day period.

Photo By Sgt Earnest J. Barnes

[Editor's note:  Now that's what I call Troop Support!!]

Complete story follows below the videos.

Rwandan Genocide Trial Set to Begin in Wichita Kansas

26 April 2011 Witchita, Kansas is the scene for the trial of a man accused of orchestrating acts of violence during the widespread genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994.  The trial takes place in our immigration court.  According to the indictment Kobagaya "mobilized attackers and coerced them to continue their participation in the killing of Tutsi."

If convicted Lazare Kobagaya will be subject to a fine of up to $250,000, 10 years in prison and having his U.S. citizenship revoked.

Lazare Kobagaya is accused of falsifying information as to his whereabouts during the genocide, saying he was residing in Burundi from 1993 until 1995.  In statements made during his interview before obtaining his citizenship and on documents Kobagaya claimed

Airmen improve Iraq one contract at a time

U.S. Air Forces Central, Baghdad Media Outreach Team

Lt. Col. Manuel Saenz, Regional Contracting Center - North commander and San Antonio native, talks to a local vendor in a meeting about a current contract April 14, at Contingency Operating Site Marez, Iraq. Photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee

04.25.2011 Story by Staff Sgt. Michael Longoria MOSUL, Iraq - Without being seen or heard, contracting airmen are significantly impacting the lives of U.S. Forces and the local Iraqi populace on a daily basis.

Airmen assigned to the Regional Contracting Center – North in Mosul, Iraq, spend hours drafting up contracts to ensure deployed services members have the support they need to complete their missions.

“We’re behind the scenes but a lot of the contracts we work on have an impact every day,” said Staff Sgt. William Blakeman, RCC - North contingency contracting officer and Chesapeake, Va., native. “It’s a nice feeling knowing I’m having a positive influence on the war.”

Afghan police fight on home turf at Kajaki

4/25/2011  By Staff Sgt. Jeremy Ross, II MEF (FWD) 

FORWARD OPERATING BASE ZEEBRUGGE, Afghanistan  — U.S. Marines have been defending the area around the Kajaki Dam near here for more than a year, but they are not the only force fighting to protect this key terrain.

Helmand, Afghanistan-Afghan uniformed police officers look on as their weapons and equipment are inventoried at the Kajaki District police headquarters April 20 in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Many of the officers in the Kajaki AUP unit are originally from the area they now protect., Staff Sgt. Jeremy Ross

Many of the nearly 130 Afghan Uniformed Police officers stationed at Kajaki can literally call the area home, and the Marines based here say their Afghan counterparts have proven themselves in action against the insurgency.

“(The AUP) go out and find IEDs for us,” said Cpl. Anthony J. Chavez, 24, an Albuquerque, N.M., native and a provisional rifleman with Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 8. “We take them out with us on pushes … they’ve contributed (to) us in helping push the insurgents back.”

Venezuela Deports FARC Suspect to Colombia

26 April 2011 VOA News Venezuela has deported to Colombia a man authorities say has ties to the FARC rebel group, in a sign of warming relations between the two countries.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos told reporters Monday that he had called Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to alert him that suspect Joaquin Perez was on a flight to Venezuela.

Mr. Santos said Mr. Chavez had complied with his request to have Perez arrested when he arrived in Venezuela Saturday.

Perez is accused of running a website promoting the FARC rebels and being a liaison in Europe for the militant group.

Ties between Colombia and Venezuela have been strained over Colombia's accusations that Venezuela harbors top FARC officials.

FARC is the short name for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Buses Carrying Navy Personnel in Karachi hit by Roadside Bombs

26 April 2011 Roadside bombs exploded near two buses carrying Pakistani Navy personnel on their way into work.  They were in Karachi at the time. The two blasts occurred in different parts of Karachi, approximately 15 minutes apart from each other.  4 people were killed, 50 wounded in the two attacks which took place Tuesday morning.  Victims included naval officers, employees of the Navy and one female doctor who was killed.

Police suspect both bombs were set off by remote control as they lay hidden at the side of the roads.

Turkish Gov't to Force Internet Users to Accept Server Provided Filters

Critics Challenge New Internet Controls in Turkey  25 April 2011 Dorian Jones | Instanbul VOA News Turkey already bans more websites than any other European country. Now the government is set to introduce new controls that officials say are needed to protect children. Critics fear they represent an effort control the web.

The Turkish government calls its new Internet controls Safe Use of the Internet. They are scheduled to take effect in August and will require all Internet users to choose from one of four filter profiles operated by their server provider.  Law Professor Yamman Akdeniz at Bilgi University in Istanbul says the measures open the door to government censorship of the Internet.

"We are concerned that the government [will] enforce and develop a censorship infrastructure," said Akdeniz. "Even the standard profile is a filter system and the problem is government mandated, government controlled and there are no other countries within the EU or Council of Europe that has a similar system. And the decision also states if anyone who tries to circumvent the system, further action may be taken."

Best Military Reporter & Other Milblog Nominations

War On Terror News is honored to have been nominated and selected to compete in the "Best Reporter" category of the annual "Milblog Awards."  We face some stiff competition.  Susan Katz Keating is an awesome supporter of the Military, who educates the world on Cold War History, while explaining it's meaning in context.  She's been on our link list for longer than I can recall.

Jeffrey Schogol, aka the Rumor Doctor, has a helluva platform to get the votes out at Stars & Stripes.  He's one of the good guys, even if we've gone head to head on the correct spelling of Teufelhuenden.  (It's Devil Dogs, not the devil's pets.)

Michael Yon has a rabid fan base, which we can't match.  We don't have fans.  We have readers.  Personally, I like it that way.  I don't want fans to spur me on to destruction.  I want readers and friends and contacts, that will tell me if I step over the line, and coax me back onto the straight and narrow.

But making the voting round, as an underdog, is not our greatest achievement.  It is much more satisfying that most of our own nominations have made it.  I'm going to guess about 90% of my nominations made it to the voting round.  One of the best things to come out of the Milblog Awards is finding new blogs, that I hadn't yet discovered.  I've already found one that I like.  Look around the finalists and you may find a few too!  Here are the nominations we put in, or those we would have, had someone not beat us to the punch: 

 

New Marine AH-1Z attack helicopter ready for war

The Marine Corps is replacing the AH-1W with the AH-1Z as a part of an upgrade program. The AH-1Z Will deploy with 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Corporal Michael Krysinski has the story.

War In Afghanistan News 26 Apr 2011

War in Afghanistan News reports provided by ISAF Joint Command.  Operations are reported in the following provinces:  Laghman, Baghlan, Helmand, Kandahar, Wardak, Ghazni, Khost, Nangarhar and Badghis.

Khost was not a safe haven for the Haqqani leaders or insurgents, 2 dead, 3 captured!  Troops searching for a Hezb-E Islami Gulbuddin leader also came up with assault weapons, a chest rack and other weapons in Baghlan Province.   Helmand produced 50,000 Pakistani rupees, a directional fragmentation charge to name a few of the items recovered and destroyed.

Tailor the way you get your War in Afghanistan News 

In other International Security Assistance Force Joint (ISAF) Command Operational News throughout Afghanistan:

Gadhafi's Son Mocks NATO Airstrikes while Italy Sends in Bombers

Libyan TV: NATO Airstrikes Hit Tripoli, Other Cities

25 April 2011 VOA News Libyan state television says NATO warplanes have bombed civilian and military targets in the capital, Tripoli, and in at least one other location.

The Libyan report said the attacks took place late Monday in Bir al-Ghanam, 100 kilometers southwest of Tripoli, and in the Ain Zara area of the capital, causing casualties. No other details were provided. And there was no immediate NATO confirmation.

Earlier Monday, a NATO airstrike in Tripoli destroyed a building in the complex where leader Moammar Gadhafi lives. NATO says it targeted a communications headquarters used to coordinate attacks against civilians.

However, Libyan officials say the strike was an attempt to assassinate Mr. Gadhafi. Authorities say the bombed building was used for ministerial gatherings and other meetings. Reporters have not been able to verify casualties.

Mr. Gadhafi's son, Saif al-Islam, said NATO is fighting a losing battle in Libya because it is “backed by traitors, agents and spies.” He said the bombing “will only scare children.”

Friends in high places: Company D checks on ANA observation posts

Written by By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Matson Task Force Red Bulls Public Affairs

Thursday, 21 April 2011LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan –Soldiers from 3rd Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force Ironman, climbed up a mountain in the area around the Aziz Khan Kats Mountain Valley near the Duranta Tunnel outside Jalalabad, Afghanistan to check on their Afghan National Army counterparts who were manning observation posts there, April 15.

U.S. Army Spc. Ahren Blake, a combat medic from Clinton, Iowa, with Company D, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force Ironman, a part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Task Force Red Bulls, holds two puppies he found at an observation post in the Aziz Khan Kats Mountain Valley range near Jalalabad, Afghanistan April 15. The puppies have been living with the Afghan National Army Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 201st Infantry Corps, which man the Ops that 3rd Platoon visited. (Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Matson, Task Force Red Bulls Public Affairs)

US Issues Travel Warning for Uzbekistan

25 April 2011 VOA News The U.S. State Department has issued a warning for Americans traveling or staying in Uzbekistan.

The statement issued Monday warns that the potential for a terrorist attack or localized civil disturbance still exists in the Central Asian nation.

The State Department says it continues to receive information that indicates terrorist groups — such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and al-Qaida — may be planning attacks, possibly against U.S. interests, in Uzbekistan.

The notice urges U.S. citizens to exercise extreme caution while visiting crowded places, including restaurants, places of worship and residential areas.

The warning also urges U.S. citizens to avoid the areas on the Uzbek-Afghan border, as well as certain portions of the Ferghana Valley bordering Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and strongly advises them to enroll with the U.S. embassy in Tashkent.

Monday's travel warning supersedes a similar one issued in July of 2010.

Marines Mascot "Smoke" an Iraqi Donkey will relocate to U.S.

On their Facebook page, the Marines have a post "After an intense international effort, an Iraqi donkey will relocate to the United States to be trained as a rehabilitation therapy animal."

Photo from Marines.mil social media

Back in 2008, a skinny donkey wandered onto Camp al Taqaddam, a US military base, in Anbar province.  What Smoke found were a bunch of hardened Marines in a war zone with hearts of gold when it came to kids and animals.  Marine Colonol John Folsom, now retired, was commandant of the camp when Smoke showed up.

"Marines aren't all tough guys with hard hearts - we're suckers for kids and animals," says retired Marine Col. John Folsom.

The Marines nursed the donkey back to health and soon adopted the donkey as their mascot and friend.  Children back home who heard about Smoke, had been watching the movie "Shrek" and began sending cards, letters and even donkey treats in care packages to Smoke.  The skinny donkey was beloved not only by his Marines, but by children back in the states!

Big 'E' Hosts Country Music Star Toby Keith

Country music superstar Toby Keith visited thousands of Sailors and Marines aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65), April 23.

Two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, Toby Keith, performs for Sailors aboard USS Austin (LPH 4) who were in Guantanamo Bay for a port visit. Keith began his multi-country USO tour in Cuba before continuing on to shows in Germany, Belgium, and the Persian Gulf. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Brandan W. Schulze (RELEASED)

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael Croft, USS Enterprise Public Affairs USS ENTERPRISE, At sea (NNS)

Keith has long been associated with his public support of the U.S. military and has participated in many USO tours and performances for deployed troops.

The trip to Enterprise is Keith's first time touring a deployed U.S. Navy ship.

Before performing for the crew in the ship's hangar bay, Keith and his band members had a chance to tour the ship, to meet the crew and see exactly what it is they do on board the "city-at-sea" called USS Enterprise.

"Spending time with our troops around the world is something I've always regarded as a privilege and honor," said Keith. "I won't forget for a second who's really doing the heavy lifting to keep this country safe. And that's why I'll keep going back and spending time with those good folks every chance I get."

RIP SFC Benjamin F. Bitner

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin F. Bitner, 37, of Greencastle, Pa., died April 23 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.”  (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Bahrain Accuses Hezbollah of Training Opposition

25 April 2011 VOA News Bahrain's government has accused the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah of training opposition members who are demanding more freedom and equal rights in the small Gulf nation.

In a confidential report sent to the U.N. secretary-general last week, Bahrain said opposition figures have been training at Hezbollah camps in Iran and Lebanon.

The report details meetings between Hezbollah and leaders of Bahrain's opposition movements, including Haq and Wefaq.

WikiLeak release Document from 2007 Lists Pakistan as Threat to U.S.

Leaked US Documents: Pakistani Intelligence Is ‘Terrorist-Supporting Entity’

25 April 2011 VOA News Leaked U.S. documents show U.S. military personnel labeled the main Pakistani intelligence agency as a terrorism-supporting entity in 2007.

The secret files show U.S. authorities at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility placed Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate on the same list of threats to the United States as al-Qaida, Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The documents show Pakistan's ISI is one of more than 30 organizations labeled “terrorist and terrorist support entities identified as associated forces.” They say any Guantanamo detainee affiliated with the blacklisted organizations “may have provided support to al-Qaida and the Taliban or engaged in hostilities against U.S. or coalition forces.”

Soldiers gathered for fallen police officer Sgt. James T. Chapin

230th Sustainment Brigade

04.20.2011 Story by Sgt. Shannon R. Gregory CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait—Even though an event happens back in the United States, it does not mean soldiers far from home are not affected by it. Losing a comrade, whether in combat or back home, has an emotional impact on a soldier. Being isolated can make it hard to cope with such an event and gain some type of closure.

Maj. Patrick P. Brownell, chaplain assigned to the 230th Sustainment Brigade, Tennessee Army National Guard, leads soldiers in a prayer at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, moments before a “Live feed” video memorial service for a Chattanooga Police Officer, April 7.  Photo by Sgt. Shannon R. Gregory

When Sgt. James T. Chapin of the Chattanooga Police Department was killed in the line of duty, April 2, it affected soldiers at Camp Arifjan who knew and worked with him. Among those is Staff Sgt. David L. Young, the brigade paralegal non-commissioned officer in charge, who worked under Chapin in Chattanooga, Tenn., as a patrolman and a member of the department’s Color Guard.

RIP Sgt Sean T. Callahan, LCpl Dominic J. Ciaramitaro

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            The following Marines died April 23 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan:

            Sgt. Sean T. Callahan, 23, of Warrenton, Va.

            Lance Cpl. Dominic J. Ciaramitaro, 19, of South Lyon, Mich.

            Callahan and Ciaramitaro were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.”  (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

US Navy Sailors Join in ANZAC Day Ceremony

Pacific Partnership Continues to Set Firsts, US Navy Sailors Participate in Australian-New Zealand ANZAC Day Ceremony in Port Vila, Vanuatu

Pacific Partnership 2011

04.25.2011 By MCSN Christopher Farrington PORT VILA, Vanuatu – Service members attached to Destroyer Squadron 23 embarked aboard HMNZS Canterbury took part in an Australian and New Zealand Day ceremony in Port Villa, Vanuatu, April 25.  ANZAC day is a day to honor the ANZAC soldiers who fought and died in the first world war.

A New Zealand Defence Force staff sergeant stands at attention after laying a wreath in the water in honor of ANZAC Day during Pacific Partnership 2011. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Russell/Released)

“It is truly an honor to lead the first group of U.S. Navy sailors ever to participate here in Port Vila, Vanuatu for today’s 96th anniversary ANZAC Day ceremony. Standing next to our Australian and New Zealand partners for the dawn ceremony with our ni-Vanuatu hosts will be a treasured memory of mine,” said Capt. Jesse A. Wilson, mission commander of Pacific Partnership 2011 and Commander, Destroyer Squadron 23.

Easter Sunday at FOB Salerno

FOB Salerno hosts Easter basketball tournament

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division

04.24.2011 Story by Staff Sgt. John Zumer KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – It might not have been the NBA Playoffs, but the basketball tournament held at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, April 24, certainly had its share of intensity and athletic moves.

More importantly, participants said, it was a chance for both soldiers and civilians stationed there to break up the daily grind of a combat deployment while enjoying some good times and friendly competition on a hot and sunny Easter Sunday.

Sgt. 1st Class Robert Parker, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Task Force Duke and a native of New Orleans, La., shoots a basketball during round two of a basketball tournament at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan on April 24. Photo by Spc. Tobey White

Eight teams of seven players participated in the three-round competition.

The games of the first two rounds were played to 15, but for the championship game they had to score 21 points to win, said one of the event’s organizers, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Dennis Carter, a supply sergeant with Company E, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Task Force Tigershark, and native of Coral Springs, Fla.

Carter is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Omega Military Lodge No. 196, which helped sponsor the event.