UPDATE 2 - NATO airstrike in northeast Afghanistan kills major al-Qaeda figure

[News_Editor]

UPDATE 2 - NATO airstrike in northeast Afghanistan kills major al-Qaeda figure

2011-04-26 14:11:18 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- A major al-Qaeda figure was killed in an airstrike in northeastern Afghanistan earlier this month, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed on Tuesday.

Senior al-Qaeda leader Abu Hafs al-Najdi, who is also known as Abdul Ghani, was the number two overall targeted insurgent in Afghanistan and has played a key role in organizing numerous high-profile attacks.

ISAF said Ghani, a Saudi Arabian national, was killed on April 13 when a coalition force carried out a precision airstrike in the Dangam district of Kunar province. The alliance said the death of the al-Qaeda leader is a "significant milestone" in the fight against the terrorist organization.

Ghani was operating primarily in Kunar Province but traveled frequently between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He directed al-Qaeda operations in the province, including recruiting, training and employing fighters, obtaining weapons and equipment, organizing al-Qaeda finances and planning attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

ISAF said the airstrike happened when Ghani was meeting with other al-Qaeda members and, just hours earlier, had directed a suicide attack that killed a tribal elder and nine other Afghan civilians.

"Abdul Ghani was responsible for the coordination of numerous high-profile attacks," ISAF said in a statement. "Throughout late 2010 and early this year, Abdul Ghani employed his network of insurgents against security force outposts throughout the province. These attacks included a December attack on a coalition forward operating base and two February attacks against an Afghan security force outpost."

Additionally, ISAF said, Ghani regularly circulated throughout Kunar Province, establishing insurgent camps and training sites, teaching insurgents explosive device construction and attack procedures.

He was also allegedly a key financial conduit between Pakistan-based leaders and insurgent operatives in Afghanistan. "Ghani was able to streamline control of assets and provide considerably more funding to insurgent fighters. This led to increased funds to provide weapons, explosives and equipment to multiple insurgent attack cells," ISAF said.

Afghan and NATO-led forces had been focusing on Ghani for more than 4 years before he was killed this month. "The al-Qaeda network and its safe havens remains a top priority for Afghan and coalition forces," ISAF said, "and the death of Abdul Ghani marks a significant milestone in the disruption of the al-Qaida network."

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-04-26

[Thunder26]

I wouldn't claim as NATO does that it is a positive thing to kill an important person. It won't change anything as there are hundreds who would be eager to take his place and be even more bloody.

[bangkokeddy]

I wouldn't claim as NATO does that it is a positive thing to kill an important person. It won't change anything as there are hundreds who would be eager to take his place and be even more bloody.

Abu Hafs al-Najdi, who is also known as Abdul Ghani, ever heard of him before?

But they must him declare to someone somewhat 'important' to justify the killing and to claim some success to justify the whole action there in the mountains.

He was probably just the number 2 of those who could be identified amongst those that were killed in what the NATO calls 'precision air strikes'.

The identity of another al Qaida leader with the name Waqas, killed in the same air strike, was confirmed 10 days ago.

So it took quite some time before they could came up with a name and a profile of second killed suspect. Says a lot about their intelligence and precision work.

Interesting is also that the ISAF press releases gave 2 different dates for the same air strike.

"ISAF, today, confirmed the identity of an al Qaida leader killed during an air strike.

The leader, by the name of Waqas, was killed during a precision air strike in Dangnam district, Kunar province, April 14." says ISAF on April 16

http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-releases/isaf-joint-command-morning-operational-update-april-16-2011.html

"Abdul Ghani, and numerous other insurgents, including another al-Qaida leader, Waqas, were killed in the April 13 airstrike." says ISAF on April 26

http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-releases/isaf-confirms-number-2-insurgent-killed-in-coalition-airstrike.html

Notice that in the April 16 press release ISAF says nothing about that any other got killed in the precision air strike. The April 26 don't call it precision air strike anymore, just airstrike, still they don't tell you the exact number of how many were killed.

Same as other statements, speak often only of several or numerous or more than X insurgents, Taliban, al-qaida, suspects, leaders.

[koheesti]

I wouldn't claim as NATO does that it is a positive thing to kill an important person. It won't change anything as there are hundreds who would be eager to take his place and be even more bloody.

Abu Hafs al-Najdi, who is also known as Abdul Ghani, ever heard of him before?

But they must him declare to someone somewhat 'important' to justify the killing and to claim some success to justify the whole action there in the mountains.

He was probably just the number 2 of those who could be identified amongst those that were killed in what the NATO calls 'precision air strikes'.

The identity of another al Qaida leader with the name Waqas, killed in the same air strike, was confirmed 10 days ago.

So it took quite some time before they could came up with a name and a profile of second killed suspect. Says a lot about their intelligence and precision work.

Interesting is also that the ISAF press releases gave 2 different dates for the same air strike.

"ISAF, today, confirmed the identity of an al Qaida leader killed during an air strike.

The leader, by the name of Waqas, was killed during a precision air strike in Dangnam district, Kunar province, April 14." says ISAF on April 16

http://www.isaf.nato...il-16-2011.html

"Abdul Ghani, and numerous other insurgents, including another al-Qaida leader, Waqas, were killed in the April 13 airstrike." says ISAF on April 26

http://www.isaf.nato...-airstrike.html

Notice that in the April 16 press release ISAF says nothing about that any other got killed in the precision air strike. The April 26 don't call it precision air strike anymore, just airstrike, still they don't tell you the exact number of how many were killed.

Same as other statements, speak often only of several or numerous or more than X insurgents, Taliban, al-qaida, suspects, leaders.

OMFG!!!!

[luckizuchinni]

I wouldn't claim as NATO does that it is a positive thing to kill an important person. It won't change anything as there are hundreds who would be eager to take his place and be even more bloody.

Abu Hafs al-Najdi, who is also known as Abdul Ghani, ever heard of him before?

But they must him declare to someone somewhat 'important' to justify the killing and to claim some success to justify the whole action there in the mountains.

He was probably just the number 2 of those who could be identified amongst those that were killed in what the NATO calls 'precision air strikes'.

The identity of another al Qaida leader with the name Waqas, killed in the same air strike, was confirmed 10 days ago.

So it took quite some time before they could came up with a name and a profile of second killed suspect. Says a lot about their intelligence and precision work.

Interesting is also that the ISAF press releases gave 2 different dates for the same air strike.

"ISAF, today, confirmed the identity of an al Qaida leader killed during an air strike.

The leader, by the name of Waqas, was killed during a precision air strike in Dangnam district, Kunar province, April 14." says ISAF on April 16

http://www.isaf.nato...il-16-2011.html

"Abdul Ghani, and numerous other insurgents, including another al-Qaida leader, Waqas, were killed in the April 13 airstrike." says ISAF on April 26

http://www.isaf.nato...-airstrike.html

Notice that in the April 16 press release ISAF says nothing about that any other got killed in the precision air strike. The April 26 don't call it precision air strike anymore, just airstrike, still they don't tell you the exact number of how many were killed.

Same as other statements, speak often only of several or numerous or more than X insurgents, Taliban, al-qaida, suspects, leaders.

OMFG!!!!

You have it all wrong. Bangkokeddy is on to something here. Obviously, I can tell from the press releases that Abdul Ghani is a collective name given to a compilation of body parts, the only ones left after a NATO strike on a wedding party. The NATO commanders were upset that they were not invited to the wedding, especially as the bride's mother was making her famous dastarkhan (which won first place at the last FoodTV cook-off), so they got together their rouge Air Force pilots to bomb the wedding while Special Forces commandos went in to make off with the meal. Then, to justify their bombs, they attempted to get a prisoner, but since they were all blown to bits, they put one leg here, one arm there and such until they had a Frankenstein-looking creation. They wanted to send it to Gitmo, but the pieces kept falling apart as the were lifting it into the helicopter. Then, considering that the lads and lasses at GItmo would not have too much fun torturing a dead person (people?), they decided to label the creation, and as they forgot the names of any real Taliban, they came up with the name of a local Kabul kebab joint. Presto, "Abdul Ghani" was born! Everyone got medals and a great dinner as well.

All of this is patently obvious if you read between the lines of the press releases.

[koheesti]

Abu Hafs al-Najdi, who is also known as Abdul Ghani, ever heard of him before?

But they must him declare to someone somewhat 'important' to justify the killing and to claim some success to justify the whole action there in the mountains.

He was probably just the number 2 of those who could be identified amongst those that were killed in what the NATO calls 'precision air strikes'.

The identity of another al Qaida leader with the name Waqas, killed in the same air strike, was confirmed 10 days ago.

So it took quite some time before they could came up with a name and a profile of second killed suspect. Says a lot about their intelligence and precision work.

Interesting is also that the ISAF press releases gave 2 different dates for the same air strike.

"ISAF, today, confirmed the identity of an al Qaida leader killed during an air strike.

The leader, by the name of Waqas, was killed during a precision air strike in Dangnam district, Kunar province, April 14." says ISAF on April 16

http://www.isaf.nato...il-16-2011.html

"Abdul Ghani, and numerous other insurgents, including another al-Qaida leader, Waqas, were killed in the April 13 airstrike." says ISAF on April 26

http://www.isaf.nato...-airstrike.html

Notice that in the April 16 press release ISAF says nothing about that any other got killed in the precision air strike. The April 26 don't call it precision air strike anymore, just airstrike, still they don't tell you the exact number of how many were killed.

Same as other statements, speak often only of several or numerous or more than X insurgents, Taliban, al-qaida, suspects, leaders.

OMFG!!!!

You have it all wrong. Bangkokeddy is on to something here. Obviously, I can tell from the press releases that Abdul Ghani is a collective name given to a compilation of body parts, the only ones left after a NATO strike on a wedding party. The NATO commanders were upset that they were not invited to the wedding, especially as the bride's mother was making her famous dastarkhan (which won first place at the last FoodTV cook-off), so they got together their rouge Air Force pilots to bomb the wedding while Special Forces commandos went in to make off with the meal. Then, to justify their bombs, they attempted to get a prisoner, but since they were all blown to bits, they put one leg here, one arm there and such until they had a Frankenstein-looking creation. They wanted to send it to Gitmo, but the pieces kept falling apart as the were lifting it into the helicopter. Then, considering that the lads and lasses at GItmo would not have too much fun torturing a dead person (people?), they decided to label the creation, and as they forgot the names of any real Taliban, they came up with the name of a local Kabul kebab joint. Presto, "Abdul Ghani" was born! Everyone got medals and a great dinner as well.

All of this is patently obvious if you read between the lines of the press releases.

The sad thing is that is all just as possible as some of the crazy theories some people here truly believe.

[bangkokeddy]

^^

Try to mock a story the same way when some US soldiers were killed or when they searching for the remains of MIAs in a jungle over 50 years later after they went missing.

---------------------

Furthermore interesting is that on April 19-20 the ISAF were still searching for an " al-Qaida senior leader" in the same area.

"KABUL, Afghanistan (April 20, 2011) – Afghan and coalition forces killed seventeen insurgents including foreign fighters and detained one suspected insurgent while searching for an al-Qaida senior leader during a security operation in Dangam district, Kunar province last night.

The senior al-Qaida leader commands and facilitates insurgents throughout the province and border region, directing weapons acquisition, movement, employment of fighters and equipment to Kunar for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. ..."

http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-releases/seventeen-killed-one-detained-during-security-operation-in-kunar.html

The press release continues to describes the combat situation of that night and ends with the claim:

"A total of 24 women and 65 children were present and they were protected by Afghan and coalition forces during this operation."

17 insurgents killed, one detained as suspect vs. 24 women, 65 children "protected". That sounds like they got all the adult male residents of that village.