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| Afghan Commando instructor provides direction to student at Camp Morehead, Afghanistan. (Photo Senior Airman Xavier Navaro, NSOCC-A, Oct 4, 2017) |
Car Bombs Working for Taliban. A number of attacks by the Taliban against the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) have involved the use of captured security force vehicles. The vehicles are outfitted with explosives and then driven into ANDSF positions or compounds. Read more in "A new Taliban tactic is racking up a huge body count in Afghanistan", Business Insider, October 19, 2017.
Gardez Attack - PCoP Killed. General Abdyani, the police chief of Paktia, was killed in a complex attack on Tuesday, October 17, 2017. Up to 30 people killed and 160 were wounded in the attack. The attack was against a police training center near the police headquarters in Gardez (the capital of Paktia province). Insurgents detonated two large vehicle borne improvised explosive devices. (Resolute Support HQs, October 17, 2017).
Crossing the Durand Line. Not so Hard. The folks at Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) have produced an article that informs us on how the Taliban use Pakistan as a sanctuary and how easy it is to cross over from Pakistan to Afghanistan. Learn about the 'commuting routes' between Pakistan and Afghanistan in "Jihadi Commuters: How the Taleban Cross the Durand Line", AAN, October 17, 2017.
Crawl, Walk, Run - Artillery Training for ANA. Marine advisors and trainers are assisting in an 8-week long course to get ANA folks qualified as artillery men. (RS HQs, Oct 21, 2017).
Use of IEDs Increases in Afghanistan. A recent report by the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization (JIDO) says that the use of IEDs in Afghanistan has increased. (Foreign Policy, Oct 20, 2017)
Kabul Mosque Attack. The death toll from an attack on a Kabul mosque on October 20th (Friday) is said to rise to over 50 fatalities.
Questions on Drone Attack in Kunar. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacked a suspected ISIS location in Kunar province on October 13th. Officials say it was a location used by the Islamic State in Khorasan; however, some civilians say that a number of civilians were killed and wounded. Gandhara Blog (RFERL), October 16, 2017.
The Haqqani Network. One of the most feared militant groups in Afghanistan is the Haqqani Network. View a 10-slide pictoral presentation that provides a brief history of this insurgent group.
www.dw.com/en/militant-haqqani-network-a-brief-history/g-40983897
Afghan Cadets Killed. 15 Afghan cadets were killed in a suicide bombing attack on October 21, 2017 in Kabul at the Marshal Fahim Nationa Defense University. An attacker on foot targeted a minibus carrying the students who were on their way home. (RFE/RL, Oct 21, 2017).
Fighting Alongside Afghan Troops. Tim Kirkpatrick writes "This is what it was like fighting alongside Afghan troops", We Are the Mighty, October 19, 2017.
Ghazni Attack. A district police center was attacked on Tuesday, October 17, 2017 by the Taliban. At least 15 government security forces were killed with many wounded. A number of civilians were also killed.
More Advisors for Afghanistan. General Votel believes that things are looking a bit brighter in Afghanistan. He also sees some benefit with the introduction of additional advisors for the Afghan National Army - where they will work at the tactical level. See "How advisors could win the war in Afghanistan instead of combat troops", We Are the Mighty, October 13, 2017.
