Security News

Losing Helmand? Some interesting Internet blogs have reported a quiet visit to the White House recently by General John Campbell to warn 'the powers that be' that Helmand province could fall to the Taliban. The Taliban effectively control most of northern Helmand and the south isn't that secure either. Hmmmm.

HASC Chairman Warns Obama. The House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Thornberry is urging the Obama administration to halt the draw down of U.S. troops in Afghanistan - he is concerned that it could once again become a safe haven for terrorists. Read more in "GOP chairman warns Obama against 'hasty' Afghan withdrawal", The Hill, September 8, 2015.

Friendly Fire Incident? The Ministry of Interior (MoI) announced this past week that the United States conducted an air attack that killed at least 11 counternarcotics police in Helmand province. The U.S. is denying the deaths were from a U.S. air strike. It appears that the CN police were in the middle of an operation to arrest drug smugglers and that they had been posing as a Taliban convoy. An investigation is ongoing. Read more in "At least 11 Afghan police officers killed in friendly-fire incident, officials say", The Washington Post, September 7, 2015.

Dutch Aid Worker Freed. A Dutch aid worker who was abducted by unidentified gunmen in June in Afghanistan has been freed after being held for 81 days. Anja de Beer is now in safe hands (last heard she was recovering in the Dutch Embassy in Kabul). (Radio Free Europe, Sep 11, 2015).

Bagram Hit by Missiles. The Taliban fired a series of missiles into the Bagram Air Field (BAF) late Thursday (Sep 10th) but caused no injuries. Four rockets were fired and three hit the base. (ABC News, Sep 10, 2015).

Russian Helicopters for AAF? Russia is considering sending military assistance to Afghanistan. Read more in a news report by Khaama Press, September 8, 2015.

MD 530F Training for AAF. The U.S. Army Security Assistance Training Management Organization has been on the ground in Afghanistan since January conducting combat mission training on the MD 530F helicopter of the Afghan Air Force. Read more in "Soldiers train Afghan Air Force pilots for combat", Redstone Rocket, September 9, 2015.

$369 Million Contract for MTVs. Navistar Defense has been awarded a huge contract by the US Army Contracting Command to provide 2,293 Medium Tactical Vehicles (MTVs) to build upon the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) MTV Fleet. Hopefully the contract comes with a contract maintenance program that both provides maintenance to the vehicles and maintenance training for ANA vehicle mechanics. Because . . . . (Shepard Media, Sep 10,2015).

Paper on Afghan Local Police. A detailed and comprehensive report has been published by Stability: International Journal of Security & Development entitled "The Afghan Local Police - Closing the Security Gap?", September 2015. Authors include Sam Vincent, Florian Weigand, and Hameed Hakimi. A very good read on the Afghan Local Police or ALP.

AAF Under Performs despite High Costs. Read an article about the "Afghan Air Force and the Special Mission Wing", Defense-Aerospace.com, September 2015.

Czech Troops to Stay in Afghanistan Beyond 2016. Troops from the Czech Republic are currently guarding Bagram Air Base in central Parwan province and manning staff positions at Resolute Support HQs. (Pajhwok Afghan News, Sep 10, 2015).

Afghans Graduate from Indian Army Course. Fifteen Afghan army cadets graduated from the Indian Army's Officer Training Academy. (Khaama Press, Sep 12,2015).

Logar Police Chief Killed. The Afghan Logar Police commander was shot dead in Kabul on Thursday, Sep 10th. (Pajhwok Afghan News, Sep 10, 2015).

Base in Baghlan-i-Markazi District Taken. The Taliban have recaptured a base in Baghlan province killing four ANA soldiers during the event. (Pajhwok News, Sep 12, 2015).

Shah Wali Kot District Attack. 12 militants including eight suicide bombers were killed in an attack on a security post in southern Kandahar province on Friday, September 11, 2015. Four local policemen sustained injuries. Sounds like a victory; we'll take it. (Khaam Press, Sep 12, 2015).

Pair Stoned for Adultery. The Taliban stoned a couple for adultery charges in Sar--Pul on Saturday, September 12, 2015. (Pajhwok Afghan News, Sep 12, 2015).

13 Killed in Balkh province. Unknown gunmen executed 13 people - all victims were Hazara except for one lone soldier traveling with the group. (The Washington Post, Sep 5, 2015).

65 Badakhshan Villages Taken by Taliban. Over 65 villages in this northeastern province have fallen to the Taliban in the past week. (Tolo News, Sep 10, 2015). See also "Raghistan District of Badakhshan Collapsed to Taliban", Tolo News, September 11, 2015.

5 Civilians Kidnapped. Unidentified gunmen kidnapped five civilians on the highway between Jawzjan and Sar-e-Pul provinces. (Khaama Press, Sep 10, 2015).

UNICEF Convoy Attacked. A bomb exploded Thursday (Sep 10) on a convoy of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in eastern Nangarhar but caused no casualties. (Khaama Press, Sep 10, 2015).

5 ANP Killed in Ghazni. Five police officers were killed in the central province of Ghazni by a roadside blast on Thursday, Sep 10th.

Attack in Qushtapa District. Four policemen died in Jawzjan province on Monday evening while a government official claims that 13 Taliban were killed in the attack.

Narai District Fight. A massed force of Taliban fighters attacked two security outposts in the Narai district of Kunar province on Monday.