Eight NATO troops among 20 killed in Afghan attacks

[News_Editor]

Eight NATO troops among 20 killed in Afghan attacks

2011-10-30 01:35:06 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- At least 20 people, including eight coalition service members, were killed on Saturday when insurgents attacked coalition forces in eastern and southern Afghanistan, officials said. The Taliban has claimed responsibility.

The deadliest attack happened in the Afghan capital of Kabul when a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into an armored bus belonging to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), killing at least 17 people.

The Afghan Interior Ministry said one Afghan police officer and three Afghan civilians were among those killed, while ISAF said the other 13 fatalities were five ISAF service members and eight ISAF civilian employees.

An unknown number of Americans were among the ISAF casualties, said Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Jim Gregory. One of the ISAF troops who were killed was identified as a Canadian service member who was a mentor trainer with the Afghan National Security Forces.

"We had one Canadian forces member on that bus at the time of the incident," said Canadian Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Christian Lemay. "We confirm that he was killed, we confirm that at this point we are with his family and obviously helping the family to go through the difficult times as we speak."

Lemay, who did not immediately identify the Canadian casualty, added: "He was one of the mentor trainers with the Afghan National Security Forces, and he was in transit as a passenger on the bus when [the attack] happened."

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the deadly attack and identified the suicide bomber as Mujahid Abd-ur-Raman. "[He], with indomitable courage and true spirit of faith, slammed his vehicle stuffed with 700 [kilograms (1,543 pounds) of] explosives at the vehicle carrying the US-NATO trainers who used to train the local puppets," he said.

In Uruzgan province, three more ISAF service members were killed when a person wearing an Afghan National Army uniform turned his weapon on Afghan and coalition forces. "The shooter was also killed during this incident," the multinational force said in a statement.

ISAF Commander General John R. Allen condemned the deadly attacks. "I am both saddened and outraged by the attacks that took place today against Coalition forces and the people of Afghanistan," he said. "The enemies of peace are not martyrs, but murderers. To hide the fact that they are losing territory, support, and the will to fight, our common enemy continues to employ suicide attackers to kill innocent Afghan fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, as well as the Coalition forces who have volunteered to protect them."

He added: "My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured in today's attacks. Their sacrifices will be honored and the enemy will be held to account."

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul also condemned the attacks. "We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the ISAF soldiers and civilians and Afghan citizens who died during the suicide bombing attack in Kabul this morning," a statement said. "We mourn their loss but will continue their dedicated work on behalf of peace in this country and region."

Coalition casualties in Afghanistan have been rising sharply in recent years with a total coalition death toll of 709 in 2010, making it the deadliest year for international troops since the war began in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

There are currently more than 130,000 ISAF troops in Afghanistan, including some 90,000 U.S. troops and more than 9,500 British soldiers. U.S. President Barack Obama previously ordered a drawdown of 10,000 American troops later this year, with another 23,000 U.S. troops to return home next year.

So far this year, at least 506 coalition service members have been killed in Afghanistan. Most troops are American and are killed in the country's south, which is plagued by IED attacks on troops and civilians. The deadliest incident happened in August when a U.S. helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing 30 U.S. troops, seven Afghan troops and an Afghan interpreter.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-10-30

[Steely Dan]

Make that 17 U.S dead. Perhaps negotiating with the Taliban is not such a good idea Mrs Clinton.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-10-29-09-22-40

The blast occurred on the same day that a man wearing an Afghan army uniform killed three Australian soldiers and an Afghan interpreter in the south - attacks that show the resiliency of the insurgency and are likely to raise new doubts about the unpopular 10-year-old war and the Western strategy of trying to talk peace with the Taliban.

Indeed. I'm tempted to post my favourite clip from Independence day to demonstrate the futility of negotiating with Islamic radicals.

[mpoppel]

Make that 17 U.S dead. Perhaps negotiating with the Taliban is not such a good idea Mrs Clinton.

http://hosted.ap.org...-10-29-09-22-40

The blast occurred on the same day that a man wearing an Afghan army uniform killed three Australian soldiers and an Afghan interpreter in the south - attacks that show the resiliency of the insurgency and are likely to raise new doubts about the unpopular 10-year-old war and the Western strategy of trying to talk peace with the Taliban.

Indeed. I'm tempted to post my favourite clip from Independence day to demonstrate the futility of negotiating with Islamic radicals.

5 ISAF troops + 8 ISAF civilians + 1 Afghan police officer + 3 Afghan civilians = 17 dead total.

[coma]

+ 3 Australians killed, 7 others wounded in Kandahar by an Afghan collegue who opened fire on them during yesterdays morning parade.

Hard to see any Afghan government lasting very long against the Talibans desires after a ISAF withdrawal,whether it is in 2 or 10 years time.

Cut and run as we are merely prolonging the inevitable.

[flying]

+ 3 Australians killed, 7 others wounded in Kandahar by an Afghan collegue who opened fire on them during yesterdays morning parade.

Hard to see any Afghan government lasting very long against the Talibans desires after a ISAF withdrawal,whether it is in 2 or 10 years time.

Cut and run as we are merely prolonging the inevitable.

Yes & I think judging by what US generals have said they all know it is true.

Yet it continues eh?

Yankees go home....No need to throw away anymore perfectly good American lives trying to enforce

what is destined to always be ....there....It is their land & their lives to sort out.

she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy.

She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all.

She is the champion and vindicator only of her own.

She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example.

She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom.

John Quincy Adams on U.S. Foreign Policy (1821)

Edited October 30, 2011 by flying