Afghanistan

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Almost a hundred militants from from the Taliban terrorist group were reportedly killed in a set of raids held in the Southern Afghan province of Helmand.

Over 90 Taliban Militants Killed in Operation in Southern Afghanistan
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960716000630

The Pajhwok news agency reported Saturday citing the police chief of the district about the Taliban victims in the operation as well as about seized pick-up vehicles, automatic rifles, a machine gun and motorcycles.

The media outlet added that within the framework of the operation five Afghan servicemen were killed and nine more were wounded.

Over the years, Afghanistan has been facing an unstable political and humanitarian situation, which had worsened due to the activities of terrorist groups such as Taliban.

An Afghan official said at least seven Taliban insurgents have been killed during an airstrike by Afghan security forces in Northern Sar-e-Pul province.

Officials: 2 Afghan Police, 7 Militants Killed in Attacks
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960716001277

Nasratullah Jamshidi, spokesman for the Army Corps in the Northern region, says 11 other insurgents were wounded when air forces targeted a militant training center in Kohistanat district, Stripes reported.

There was no immediate comment from the Taliban.

In a separate report from northern Baghlan province, two police officers were killed after militants attacked their check point, said Zabihullah Shuja, spokesman for the police chief. One other police officer was wounded in the attack, which took place in the Dand-e Ghori area of the province, he said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents often target Afghan security forces in the region.

The Taliban has continued series of its attacks after the US unveiled its new strategy for the country.

Taliban Attack Checkpoint in North Afghanistan, Kill 2 Police Officers - Reports
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201710081058053460-taliban-afghanistan-attack/

The Taliban movement, outlawed in Russia, attacked a checkpoint in the northern Afghan province of Baglan leaving two police officers killed and one more injured, the TOLOnews broadcaster reported on Sunday.

The attack took place on Saturday morning in the village of Chashme Sher, TOLOnews reported, citing local officials.

Local police confirmed the incident saying that the terrorists managed to seize weapons from the check post. Further details of the attack remain unknown.

Yemenis hold a candlelit vigil in the capital, Sana’a, to commemorate the first anniversary of a fatal Saudi bombing of a funeral ceremony.

Yemenis Vow Steadfast Fight on Saudi Carnage Anniversary
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960716000764

On Saturday, relatives of the victims gathered in the Yemeni capital to remember the carnage, holding pictures of their loved ones and candles,
Yemeni Press reported.

The October 8, 2016 Saudi air raid killed at least 155 people and wounded over 520 others, prompting an international outcry and strong criticism even from Riyadh's close allies.

Witnesses announced that at least two air-dropped munitions penetrated the roof of the al-Sala al-Kubra community hall in Sana’a and detonated a few minutes apart during the funeral ceremony for the father of a senior Ansarullah official.

The incident was one of the deadliest in the Saudi bombing campaign which began in March 2015 in a bid to eliminate the Houthi movement and reinstall a Riyadh-friendly regime.

Saudi Arabia initially denied that it was behind the bombing, but a few days later admitted to the attack.

Saudi Arabia has been striking Yemen since March 2015 to restore power to fugitive president Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. The Saudi-led aggression has so far killed at least 15,000 Yemenis, including hundreds of women and children.

Despite Riyadh's claims that it is bombing the positions of the Ansarullah fighters, Saudi bombers are flattening residential areas and civilian infrastructures.

According to several reports, the Saudi-led air campaign against Yemen has drove the impoverished country towards humanitarian disaster, as Saudi Arabia's deadly campaign prevented the patients from travelling abroad for treatment and blocked the entry of medicine into the war-torn country.

The cholera outbreak in Yemen which began in April, has also claimed over 2,100 lives and has infected 750,000, as the nation has been suffering from what the World Health Organization (WHO) describes as the “largest epidemic in the world” amid a non-stop bombing campaign led by Saudi Arabia. Also Riyadh's deadly campaign prevented the patients from traveling abroad for treatment and blocked the entry of medicine into the war-torn country.

According to reports, the cholera epidemic in Yemen, which is the subject of a Saudi Arabian war and total embargo, is the largest recorded in modern history.

Saudi social media activists reported an attack near the Peace Palace in Jeddah on Saturday, while the US embassy issued a warning to the country's citizens to keep distant from the area.

Unconfirmed Reports Speak of Attack on Saudi Palace in Jeddah, US Issues Warning
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960715001349

Several unconfirmed reports said security forces had foiled an attack near the king’s palace, adding that the assailant and several guards were killed in the incident.

Social media activists then released an image showing a dead person lying on the ground, and said it was the dead body of the assailant, noting that two Saudi guards were also killed.

The Saudi government has not yet issued an official statement on the incident.

After the reports in the social media, the US embassy in Saudi Arabia warned the country's citizens to exercise caution in the area around the Peace Palace.

Arab media had also reported in August that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has escaped an assassination attempt at one of the royal family palaces in Jeddah.

Arabic language Mer'at al-Jazeera quoted sources close to the royal family as saying that bin Salman was targeted by an assassination attempt in Jeddah by one of the Saudi princes.

Also, a western diplomat in Riyadh said that the Saudi crown prince wasn’t harmed in the failed attempt and the prince who made the move was arrested.

Bin Salman's ambitious acts in recent months and his attempts to dethrone the rivals have created wroth among other Saudi princes.

The Arab media have been reporting recently that Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud is much likely to step down in favor of his son Mohammed, the new crown prince, within the next few months.

Oct. 6: Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud suffered an embarrassing arrival in Russia when his golden escalator broke down.

Saudi king golden escalator in Russia fail (Videos)
https://www.telegraphindia.com/1171007/jsp/foreign/story_176622.jsp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gQTLhq_2h8 (1:49 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeYUKRQ5iws (5:52 min.)

The 81-year-old was disembarking his private plane after touching down at Moscow's Vnukovo airport when the customized escalator malfunctioned. He was forced to walk down the rest of the steps, receiving a guard of honor when he finally set foot on Russian soil for the historic visit.

The Saudi king is known for his extravagant trips abroad, travelling with a 1,500-strong entourage, two Mercedes Benzes and 459 tonnes of luggage. In the first official visit of a Saudi monarch to Russia, King Salman met President Putin and signed a slew of arms and energy deals.

"This is the first visit by a Saudi Arabian monarch in the history of our relations and that in itself is a landmark event," Putin said as he welcomed King Salman to the Kremlin. "I'm sure your visit will boost the ties between our countries."

The Saudi king responded: "We aim to strengthen our relations in the interests of peace and security, in the interests of developing the world economy."

 

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On this day 16 years ago, less than one month after 9/11, President George W. Bush delivered a televised address from the White House announcing the beginning of the Afghanistan War.

Longest War in US History Turns 16 Today – Thousands Dead, No End in Sight & It’s Getting Worse October 7, 2017
http://thefreethoughtproject.com/afghanistan-war-16-anniversary/

“On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against al Qaeda terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan,” he said.

What Bush did not say was the fact that the War in Afghanistan would become the longest war in United States history. Thousands of American lives and billions of taxpayer dollars would be wasted at the expense of the U.S. war machine, and the “War on Terrorism” would only create more terrorism as a result.

Over 31,000 civilian deaths have been documented in Afghanistan following the U.S. invasion. It should be noted that over the last few years, civilian deaths have substantially increased—which serves as a reminder that the situation is only getting worse.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan began documenting civilian casualties in 2009. The combined number of civilians who were killed and injured that year was nearly 6,000. The number has steadily increased over the years, and in 2016, it reached a record high with nearly 3,500 killed and nearly 8,000 injured.

A report from the UNAMA noted that in 2017, the death rate for children has increased by 9 percent over the previous year, and the death rate for women has increased by 23 percent. The report also claimed that an increase in airstrikes has led to a 43 percent increase in causalities.

Before the United States invaded Afghanistan, the production of opium poppies was significantly low, thanks to the Taliban. Not only did the presence of the U.S. military lead to a rise in opium production—because U.S. Marines were literally guarding fields of poppy plants—it led to a drastic increase that has done wonders for the illegal drug trade.

According to a report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, between 2015 and 2016, opium production in Afghanistan increased by 43 percent, and the area used to farm the poppy plant increased by 10 percent to 201,000 hectares. In response to the report, UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov said the figures were “a worrying reversal in efforts.”

After 16 years of war and a price tag of over $1 Trillion, the United States has not only helped Afghanistan to become the largest producer of opium in world, it has ensured that the war-ravaged country produces around 90 percent of the world’s opium supply.

When former President Obama ran for office in the 2008 election, he campaigned on the promise of ending the Afghanistan War—which resonated with a number of Americans who were hopeful that a fresh face in the oval office would bring about the “change” needed to finally end the war.

However, while Obama promised to end the war and increased it instead, President Trump has been much more blunt about the fact that the war in Afghanistan is not coming to an end anytime soon, and while the U.S. may have a strategy in mind, it does not appear to include an “exit.”

The longest War in United States history turns 16 years old today, and in just two years, brand new military recruits will have the opportunity to fight in a war that has been ongoing for as long as they have been alive. While there are many Americans who support the concept of military intervention—including in countries that have done nothing to the U.S.—even they should be asking the question of why the United States continues to fight a war that has only created an increase in terrorism, innocent civilian deaths and illegal drug production.

 

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An Afghan lawmaker announced that more than a dozen civilians have been killed in a recent US drone strike, which was said to be aimed at a militant targets in the country’s Eastern province of Kunar.

US Drone Attack Kills 14 Civilians in Afghanistan
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960722001417

On Friday, residents from the Chawki district of Kunar Province held a gathering to pay tribute to the victims of the deadly drone attack a day earlier, Shafaqna reported.

Speaking during the ceremony, Afghan lawmaker Shahzada Shahid said “the villagers are very upset about this incident, people are now busy with the funeral ceremony of the 14 civilians from the area.”

“There is no doubt that they were civilians, they were not armed with weapons and those that were killed were oppressed,” he added.

A resident also said, “All the victims were civilians and they bombarded the villages and the houses. All of them were local people and did not belong to the enemy.”

Provincial governor’s spokesman Abdul Ghani Musamim said Saturday that the strike targeted a meeting of local Daesh terrorists and Taliban militants, without elaborating on any details.

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri also confirmed the report.

The US-led foreign military forces in the country have not yet commented on the incident.

The government has no control over the remote area where Afghanistan’s Daesh affiliate has managed to establish a foothold, among other areas in the eastern part of the country.

The United Nations announced in a quarterly report on Thursday that Afghan civilian casualties from US and Afghan airstrikes have climbed by more than 50 percent since last year.

The US military has escalated attacks in Afghanistan under a new strategy announced by President Donald Trump in August.

Washington currently maintains 8,400 soldiers in Afghanistan, with NATO troops making up another 5,000.

Civilian casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues during the 16-year military campaign in Afghanistan, prompting strong government and public criticism.

Afghanistan is still suffering from insecurity and violence years after the United States and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The military invasion removed the Taliban from power, but the militancy continues to this day.

The war in Afghanistan is the longest in US history with a cost of about $1 trillion. More than 2,400 Americans have died and another 20,000 have been wounded since the invasion in 2001.

 

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Many Afghan interpreters who worked with NATO forces and the international coalition are now afraid for their lives as they have been abandoned by the US and foreign troops and left to live in constant fear of being persecuted in Afghanistan. Sputnik met up with some of them for a candid interview.

Abandoned and Fearful: Former Afghan NATO Translators 'Living a Nightmare'
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201710151058255631-former-nato-interpreters-abandoned/

After the partial withdrawal of US, NATO and ISAF forces from Afghanistan in 2014, many Afghan interpreters who worked with NATO and the international forces received permanent or temporary residence visas and moved to countries such as the United States, Germany, France and Sweden. However, some of them, for unknown reasons, could not obtain the visas and were forced to stay behind in Afghanistan.

Mahmudullah Mohammadi is one of NATO's former translators. He worked for two years with the German military, which trained the Afghan Army and police in the province of Kunduz.

“During that time I worked with the German military, helping them train the Afghan Army and police. I also participated in a number of military operations. After the Germans left Kunduz, I, like dozens of other translators, applied for asylum and my request was approved, but I wanted to go with my family,” Mohammadi told Sputnik.

He further said that after many hardships such as thorough document checking and interviews, his asylum request was rejected for unknown reasons. He now lives in constant fear in the Kunduz province.

“Because I worked with the foreigners, I cannot appear in my or even in the neighboring counties, since everyone knows me in person. All the neighbors and friends say that everyone who worked with foreigners has left with them and if I have stayed behind then I must be a spy,” Mohammadi said.

Mohammadi accused NATO of a double game saying, “If they had decided to help their translators, why did they take a part of them with them, and leave the other part to the mercy of fate to live in this nightmare?”

Another interpreter Sahi Ibrahimi also worked with German coalition forces in Kunduz from 2009 to 2013. At present he considers his position to be "hopeless" because after the departure of the German units from Kunduz, he applied for asylum in Germany three times but was refused.

The reason for the refusal was not explained, but since he worked as a military interpreter and accompanied the coalition forces in a number of large operations, he is now considered a spy and lives in constant fear for himself and his family.

On top of that he has been jobless and has no way to earn a decent income.

They not only did not help me as a former interpreter, but they also deprived me of new jobs and earnings. I have a wife and a child and I do not know what to do: either to commit suicide, or to sit and wait for the Taliban to kill me. I do not see a way out,” Ibrahimi said.

Ahmad Khaled is an interpreter from Kabul, who for two years accompanied Turkish troops in the framework of the NATO mission. He, like the other interpreters, is forced to hide.

“Turkey's activities in Afghanistan were mainly connected with training the Afghan Army, PRT programs for building schools and bridges and demining the terrain. In Afghanistan, anyone who cooperated with NATO is viewed as a person who worked for foreigners and that makes him an infidel,” Khaled said.

He said that he has no money to leave the country, while the visa application process for former translators requires a special procedure that needs the guarantee of an American, but is decided by the country with which the translator worked.

Considering that Khaled worked with the Turkish side the US sent a request to Turkey to take out translators who worked with the country, but the Turkish side rejected the proposal and left Khaled to the mercy of his luck.

As the situation in Afghanistan remains unstable these poor interpreters are living in constant fear of being persecuted by either the Taliban or given away by their own people to the Afghan security forces.

It seems that their previous employers have completely forgotten all about them and the promises of security that were made to them and their families.

The Afghan security forces foiled a deadly plot of the anti-government armed militants to detonated a truck packed with explosives in Kabul city.

Suicide Truck Bombing Plot Foiled in Kabul City
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960723000927

The Afghan Ministry of Interior in a statement said a suicide bomber who was riding a Mazda type truck was arrested before he manage to detonate the vehicle in an unknown location of the city, Khaama Press reported.

The statement further added that the suicide bomber was arrested from the 5th police district of the city late on Saturday night.

The suicide bomber was identified by the security forces and was injured after they opened fire him when he refrained to the calls to stop the vehicle, the ministry of interior added.

The anti-government armed militant groups have not commented regarding the report so far.

This comes as an explosion left a number of people wounded in Kabul city earlier on the evening of the same day. The incident took place in Dehburi area of the city after explosives planted in a police vehicle went off, leaving two of them wounded.

Last evening’s incident took place almost twenty days after a suicide attack left at least five people dead and twenty others wounded.

The ISIL had claimed responsibility behind the attack which took place on 29th of September in Qala-e-Fatullah area.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai reacted at the civilian casualties in the US drone airstrike in Afghanistan's Eastern province of Kunar.

Ex-Afghan President Slams US for Killing Civilians in Drone Strike
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960723001062

The office of the former president said in a statement that Karzai has strongly condemned the airstrike in Sawki district as a crime against humanity and against all international values and norms, Al Waght reported.

Karzai also expressed concerns regarding the growing civilian casualties in Afghanistan and called on government leaders to show a strong reaction regarding their violations.

This comes as there are conflicting reports regarding those killed or wounded in the airstrike.

The provincial governor’s spokesman Abdul Ghani Musamim said the information they have received suggests the casualties of the ISIL militants in the airstrike.

He said the raid was conducted on Thursday afternoon and their information shows that several ISIL militants including their commanders were killed.
However, the local residents say that the civilians who were on their way to a wedding ceremony were targeted.

Meanwhile, an Afghan lawmaker said more than a dozen civilians have been killed in a recent US drone strike in Kunar.

On Friday, residents from the Chawki district of Kunar Province held a gathering to pay tribute to the victims of the deadly drone attack a day earlier.

Speaking during the ceremony, Afghan lawmaker Shahzada Shahid said “the villagers are very upset about this incident, people are now busy with the funeral ceremony of the 14 civilians from the area.”

“There is no doubt that they were civilians, they were not armed with weapons and those that were killed were oppressed,” he added.

The US military has escalated attacks in Afghanistan under a new strategy announced by President Donald Trump in August.

Washington currently maintains 8,400 occupation troops in Afghanistan, with NATO troops making up another 5,000. Civilian casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues during the 16-year aggression on Afghanistan, prompting strong government and public criticism.

 

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The Taliban militants have launched coordinated attacks on police forces in two neighboring provinces in Southern Afghanistan, leaving at least 50 people dead and more than 200 others injured.

Taliban Attacks Leave 50 Dead, 200 Injured in Two Afghan Provinces
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960725001167

The Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the militants with explosive-laden vehicles initially attacked a police training center in Gardez, the capital of Paktia Province in southeast Afghanistan, claiming at least 32 lives and wounding more than 200 others, presstv reported.

“At first a suicide bomber detonated a car filled with explosives near the training center, making way for a number of attackers to start their assault,” the statement added.

Hospital officials said “women, students and police” were among the victims.

A battle is underway between the attackers, armed with guns and vests, and security forces inside the center located near the Paktia police headquarters, the ministry underlined.

“At the moment the area is sealed by the Crisis Response Unit and efforts are ongoing to eliminate the terrorists,” the statement noted.

In Southern Ghazni Province, the militants attacked a police station and a checkpoint in the center of Andar District, leaving 15 policemen dead and 12 others injured, according to provincial authorities.

Elsewhere in Western Afghanistan, Farah Province’s police chief Abdul Maruf Fulad said the Taliban attacked a government compound in Shibkho district and left at least three security forces dead.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for all the assaults.

The Taliban militants have warned that there will be no let-up in their attacks until foreign forces fully withdraw from Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is still suffering from insecurity and violence years after the United States and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The invasion removed the Taliban from power, but militancy continues to this day.

Taking advantage of the chaos, the Takfiri Daesh (ISIS or ISIL) terror group has also emerged in eastern Afghanistan.

 

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According to a security official, the terrorist blew himself up in the Afghan capital.

Suicide Bomber Strikes Shi'ite Mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan, At Least 30 Dead
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201710201058409107-kabul-mosque-blast/

Security forces at the scene of the explosion have removed at least 30 dead bodies, the exact number of victims is still unknown. The suicide attack occurred at the Imam Zaman mosque in the western Dasht-e-Barchi part of Kabul, while Shi'ite worshippers gathered for prayers.

According to reports, the attacker walked into the mosque where he detonated his explosives. No terrorist group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The situation in Afghanistan has worsened noticeably in recent months. The radical Taliban movement, which has already seized considerable territory in rural areas of the country, has launched an offensive against large cities.

Additionally, the influence of the Daesh terrorist group has increased. Afghan Security Forces have been conducting anti-terrorist operations throughout the country.

 

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The second suicide bomber blew himself up in a Sunni mosque in the province of Ghor in Afghanistan, where both the Taliban and Daesh terrorist groups are still active.

Another Mosque Attack in Afghanistan After Blast in Kabul Leaves Dozens Dead
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201710201058413624-second-mosque-attacked-dead/

District governor Mohsen Danishyar reported that the attack claimed lives of 30 people, however, the provincial governor confirmed only 10 deaths. Later the police spokesman announced that 33 worshippers were killed.

It is believed that the target of the blast was a senior provincial police commander who is likely dead.

Earlier in the day the terrorist attack was carried out in the Afghan Capital, Kabul, and targeted a Shi'ite mosque. The death toll stands at 32 with 41 injured.

CORRECTION: Initially we reported that blast took place in Kabul.

 

[angelburst29]

According to a security official, the terrorist blew himself up in the Afghan capital.

Suicide Bomber Strikes Shi'ite Mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan, At Least 30 Dead ​
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201710201058409107-kabul-mosque-blast/

Security forces at the scene of the explosion have removed at least 30 dead bodies, the exact number of victims is still unknown. The suicide attack occurred at the Imam Zaman mosque in the western Dasht-e-Barchi part of Kabul, while Shi'ite worshippers gathered for prayers.

According to reports, the attacker walked into the mosque where he detonated his explosives. No terrorist group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The situation in Afghanistan has worsened noticeably in recent months. The radical Taliban movement, which has already seized considerable territory in rural areas of the country, has launched an offensive against large cities.

Additionally, the influence of the Daesh terrorist group has increased. Afghan Security Forces have been conducting anti-terrorist operations throughout the country.

The area that has been reportedly hit by rockets in Kabul was so-called green zone which houses many foreign embassies.

Rockets Hit Near NATO Mission in Afghanistan – Reports
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201710211058422463-afghanistan-nato-mission-hit-rockets/

Rockets struck near the headquarters of NATO’s Resolute Support mission in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Saturday, local media have reported.

The TOLO news agency said projectiles hit the so-called green zone near the Wazir Akbar Khan district which houses many foreign embassies. There were no casualties.

 

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A US service member was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan's Eastern Logar province, NATO said.

US Service Member Killed in Afghanistan Helicopter Crash
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960807001318

Six other American crew members were injured in the Friday night crash and were all sent for medical treatment, NATO said, Military.com reported.

The helicopter had taken troops to the volatile Kharwar district for a night raid and hit a tree, forcing an emergency landing, Salim Saleh, the provincial governor's spokesman, told Stars and Stripes.

The Taliban, who are said to control about half of Logar province, said it shot down the helicopter, killing dozens of Americans, a claim NATO refuted.

"We can confirm the crash was not the result of enemy action," NATO's Resolute Support Mission said in a statement. "We have full accountability for all personnel and the crash site has been secured."

The death brings the total number of US service members killed in Afghanistan this year to 12. More than 2,300 have been killed since the war began 16 years ago.

NATO said an investigation into Friday's incident had been launched.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our comrade," Gen. John Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan said. "On behalf of all of Resolute Support, our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families and friends of our fallen comrade and those injured in this unfortunate event."

The former chief of the military intelligence of Pakistan, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Asad Durrani said that the United States is seeking military presence in Afghanistan from Pakistan.

Ex-ISI Chief: US Seeking Military Presence from Pakistan in Afghanistan
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960807000886

Durrani said US wants Pakistan to establish and maintain a military presence in Afghanistan but will not pay for the cost of such an expedition RT reported.

He went on to claim that there has been no change in the new US policy, apparently suggesting that Washington was supposed to prioritize peace and stability in the country and region rather than opting military presence.

“Essentially the policy remains the same and that is you have to dig in Afghanistan, stay there, keep the bases, keep the military presence. That is more important than either peace there or settlement there,” he added.

He also ruled out that Pakistan is dependent to America as he was gesturing towards the recent US decisions to reduce military help to Pakistan.
“Dependence on America? That finished a long time ago. I think this is a game, one of those myths that have been created. These billions of dollars never came,” he said.

This comes as Washington has increased pressures on Pakistan regarding the safe havens of the terror groups using the Pakistani soil for the attacks, mainly in Afghanistan, carried out by the notorious Haqqani terrorist network.

The United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday visited Pakistan and met with the top Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and reiterated President Trump’s message regarding the increased efforts needed by Pakistan to eradicate the militants and terrorists from its country.

“The Secretary reiterated President Trump’s message that Pakistan must increase its efforts to eradicate militants and terrorists operating within the country,” the Department of State said in a statement.

The statement further added “To address those concerns, the Secretary outlined the United States’ new South Asia Strategy and the vital role that Pakistan can play in working with the United States and others to facilitate a peace process in Afghanistan that can bring stability and security to the region.”

 

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On Monday, the Afghan Taliban released a statement claiming that the health of an American hostage they’re holding is rapidly “deteriorating” and that they will not claim responsibility for his death if the US government refuses to release Taliban prisoners.

Taliban Says American Hostage’s Health Has ‘Exponentially Worsened’ (VIDEO)
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201710301058673925-taliban-american-hostage-health-exponentially-worsenened/

Kevin King, 60, an American, and Timothy John Weeks, 48, an Australian, both taught at the American University in Kabul before they were kidnapped at gunpoint by the Taliban in August 2016 while leaving campus.

In a YouTube video uploaded last January, the pair, visibly distressed, begged the American government to negotiate with the Taliban.

"If we stay here for much longer, we will be killed. I don't want to die here," Weeks says in the video.

"Donald Trump, sir, I ask you, please. This is in your hands. I ask you please to negotiate with the Taliban. If you do not negotiate with them, we will be killed," Weeks pleaded.

In their statement Monday, the Taliban said that King has heart and kidney complications and that his condition has "exponentially worsened."

"We have periodically tried to treat and care for him but since we are facing war conditions and do not readily have access to health facilities we are unable to deliver complete treatment," the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid added, claiming that King has been frequently fainting.

"We will not be held responsible for [King's death] due to the fact that the opposition does not want to bring an end to the issue," the Taliban added, referring to the holding of its members.

On Monday, the American University in Kabul released a statement saying that the school's faculty and students "are deeply saddened and disturbed to receive the news" of King's bad health and that both King and Weeks "came to Afghanistan to teach Afghan youth and contribute to building a peaceful Afghanistan."

"They have done no harm to anyone," the university statement adds.

A few days after their capture, a US Navy Seal team attempted a rescue operation, raiding a compound in eastern Afghanistan where they believed the hostages were being held, but did not find them there.

 

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Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl arrives at the Fort Bragg courthouse for a sentencing hearing on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, on Fort Bragg, N.C.

On Stand, Bergdahl Apologizes to Those Hurt Looking for Him 30 Oct 2017
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/10/30/stand-bergdahl-apologizes-those-hurt-looking-him.html

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — In an unexpected and emotional statement, Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl apologized in court Monday to all the military personnel who were wounded searching for him and described the daily nightmares and flashbacks to his five years in captivity of Taliban allies he still endures.

Bergdahl was the first witness in what's expected to be a multi-day presentation by the defense to the judge who will decide his punishment for endangering comrades by walking off his post in Afghanistan in 2009. He spoke for two hours, giving a wide-ranging description of his brutal years in captivity and what challenges he still faces with daily life.

"I would like everyone who searched for me to know it was never my intention for anyone to be hurt, and I never expected that to happen," he said, choking up at times. "My words alone can't take away their pain."

Bergdahl faces a maximum of life in prison after pleading guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.

His appearance on the witness stand, which the defense hadn't publicly made known in advance, served as a dramatic counterpoint to several days of emotionally wrenching testimony by several service members who were seriously wounded during a massive search effort. He described the brutal conditions he faced, including beatings with copper wire and unending bouts of gastrointestinal problems brought on by squalid conditions. He was kept in a cage for four out of the five years after several escape attempts, and his muscles atrophied to the point he could barely stand or walk.

Asked by a defense attorney what the worst part of captivity was, he responded that it wasn't the beatings.

"The worst was the constant, just the constant deterioration of everything. The constant pain from my body falling apart. The constant screams from my mind," he said, haltingly. "It was the years of waiting to see whether or not the next time someone opens the door if that would be the person coming to execute you."

Bergdahl said he still has nightmares that make it hard to sleep more than five hours. He checks his door at least three times to make sure it's secure each night and sleeps with a flashlight nearby.

He wakes up sometimes not remembering that he's back in the U.S., he said, and has daytime flashbacks to captivity arising from unpredictable triggers.

"It could be anything: A smell, perfume, damp earth, garbage," he said.

The 31-year-old soldier from Hailey, Idaho, was brought home by President Barack Obama in 2014 in a swap for five Taliban prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.

Because Bergdahl's words in court were an unsworn statement, prosecutors won't be given the chance to cross-examine him.

His dramatic words came after an eventful morning in which the judge ruled that President Donald Trump's scathing criticism Bergdahl won't prevent the soldier from receiving a fair sentence.

Then-Republican nominee Trump repeatedly called Bergdahl a traitor on the campaign trial and suggested that he be shot or thrown from a plane without a parachute. Trump revived those comments when Bergdahl pleaded guilty on Oct. 16 by saying at a news conference that he thinks people are aware of what he said before.

Nance did say he would keep Trump's comments in mind as he weighs other factors that will go into his sentencing decision. The hearing is expected to last several more days.

Following Nance's ruling, prosecutors called their final witness, Shannon Allen, to discuss a traumatic brain injury suffered by her husband when he was shot in the head during a search mission for Bergdahl. National Guard Master Sgt. Mark Allen was on a mission to gather information in two villages in July 2009 when his unit was ambushed by insurgents using small arms, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

The soldier is unable to speak, uses a wheelchair and needs help with everyday tasks, his wife testified.

Shannon Allen's voice faltered when she referred to the brain injury's effect on his interactions with their daughter, who was an infant when he was wounded. She is now 9 and Mark Allen is in his mid-30s.

"He's not able to reach out for her or talk to her," she said, tearing up and pausing to take a deep breath. "He's never had the chance to really play with her or help coach her sports or ask about her day."

 

[angelburst29]

The Afghan security forces foiled a plot by the anti-government armed militant groups to carry out a deadly bombing inside a mosque in Jalalabad city, the provincial capital of Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

Deadly Mosque Bombing Foiled in Jalalabad in Eastern Afghanistan
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960809001153

The provincial government media office in a statement said the security forces discovered two mortar rounds placed inside the mosque which is located in the 3rd police district of the city, Khaama Press reported.

The statement further added that the mortar rounds were discovered and defused without any incident by the operatives of the Afghan intelligence.

According to the provincial government, the mortar rounds would cause massive casualties to the prayer participants had the militants manage to detonate them.

The anti-government armed militant groups have not commented regarding the reports so far.

In the meantime, the provincial government said the intelligence operatives also discovered and defused an improvised explosive device from the Rodat district of Nangarhar.

Nangarhar is among the relatively calm provinces in East of Afghanistan but the anti-government armed militants have increased their insurgency activities in some districts of the province during the recent years.

However, the Afghan security forces are busy conducting counter-terrorism operations against the ISIL and other insurgent groups in this province.

The increased raids by the Afghan forces and their allies followed rampant activities by the ISIL and other groups to expand their insurgency in this key Eastern province.

Taliban militants killed 22 Afghan policemen in separate attacks on checkpoints over the weekend in the latest blow to the country's security forces.

Taliban Kill 22 Afghan Police in Multiple Attacks
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960808001036

Militants wearing the googles launched a pre-dawn assault on a police post in Khan Abad district in the Northern province of Kunduz on Sunday and killed 13 officers, provincial police chief Abdul Hamid Hamidi said, Channel News Asia reported. Only one policeman survived the attack, he added.

The attackers destroyed the checkpoint and stole a Humvee, according to district governor Hayatullah Amiri.

On Saturday, Taliban fighters killed nine policemen and wounded two others stationed at checkpoints in Ghazni, the capital of the Southeastern province of the same name, provincial governor's spokesman Mohammad Arif Noori said, adding that twelve of the militants were killed and four wounded.

The Taliban claimed the attacks in statements to media.

The militants have warned that there will be no letup in their attacks until foreign forces fully withdraw from Afghanistan, which is still suffering from insecurity and violence years after the United States and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The invasion removed the Taliban from power, but militancy continues to this day. Taking advantage of the chaos, Daesh has also emerged in Afghanistan.

 

[angelburst29]

A US service member was killed in Afghanistan as American forces step up operations against the Taliban, the US military said.

US Serviceman Killed in Afghanistan
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960814000841

A statement from US Forces Afghanistan Command in Kabul said the service member had died of wounds sustained during operations in Logar, the Eastern province where another service member was killed last week after a helicopter crash, the Australian reported.

"Despite this tragic event, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the Afghan people and to support them in our mutual fight against terrorism," General John Nicholson, the top US commander in Afghanistan said in the statement.

The latest death comes after the US President Donald Trump ordered a boost in the number of US troops assisting Afghan forces against the Taliban as part of a new strategy ostensibly to try to break the stalemate with the insurgents.

 

[angelburst29]

Translator note: Part of our international net is that Die Lage [The Situation] comes in our email every morning from Der Spiegel. The Lage consists of a very few -- a select few -- short items in one paragraph. Today's is remarkable:

What should NATO do in Afghanistan? Disappear -- Der Spiegel
http://www.fort-russ.com/2017/11/what-should-nato-do-in-afghanistan.html

"As this seems to be a day of the bad mood, one more look at the NATO meeting that begins today: Among other things, the troops in Afghanistan are to be increased from 13,000 to 16,000 men. What is that supposed to accomplish? One less reversal? What a terrible zig-zag: from the increase to the announced reduction to the recent increase. If anything can be achieved in Afghanistan, then only with a huge commitment. Since NATO is not ready for that, it should acknowledge defeat and disappear from Afghanistan."

NATO will increase the number of its troops in Afghanistan, Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg revealed.

NATO to increase troop presence in Afghanistan
http://www.fort-russ.com/2017/11/nato-to-increase-troop-presence-in.html

The announcement was made during a news conference in Brussels on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of NATO defense ministers that will occur later this week.

"We have decided to increase the number of troops ... to help the Afghans break the stalemate," the NATO chief told reporters.

Stoltenberg claimed that NATO leaders will agree to increase the training mission by at least 3,000 troops, bringing the total number of NATO soldiers to 16,000.

The UN mission in Afghanistan on Wednesday said it has credible evidence that civilians were killed in a US air raid in Northern Kunduz province last week.

UN Confirms Civilian Casualties in US Airstrike in Afghanistan
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960817001189

UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) noted in a series of tweets that its initial findings and credible reports proved that at least 10 civilians got killed in Kunduz on Nov. 4, Anadolu reported.

“Accounts indicate victims were civilians forced by AGEs (Anti-government elements) to retrieve bodies from earlier fighting… UN interviews’ with multiple survivors, medics, elders and others give strong reason to believe civilians among victims,” it stated.

On Tuesday, the United States Forces - Afghanistan categorically rejected any civilian casualties in the restive province’s Chahar Dara district.

“United States Forces – Afghanistan has investigated allegations of civilian casualties in Kunduz province during the period of November 3 and 4; no evidence of civilian casualties has been found,” the statement issued by the American forces said.

“We can confirm operations occurred in this area and numerous enemy combatants were killed, as also confirmed by Kunduz Governor Omarkhail and Ministry of Defense Spokesman Major General Dawlat Waziri,” it added.

Meanwhile, a number of local officials contacted by Anadolu Agency claimed the Taliban militants had forced the locals to collect bodies of their fighters from a site of US drone strike, and when the civilians reached the spot, another strike took place killing a number of civilians.

Khosh Mohammad, a Kunduz provincial assembly member, informed the agency that at least 14 civilians were killed in an airstrike by the US troops.

The UN Mission has noted in its assessment of the situation that the UNAMA provides authoritative and impartial reports of conflict’s impact on civilians in Afghanistan.

There is an evident surge in US airstrikes following the announcement of the new war strategy by President Donald Trump.

The US Forces in Afghanistan carried out up to 751 airstrikes in the month of September alone, according to a US Air Forces Central Command report.

The Afghan security forces repulsed a coordinated attack by the Taliban insurgents on a police academy in Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan.

Coordinated Taliban Attack Repulsed on Afghan Police Academy in Maidan Wardak
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960817001157

According to the local officials, the Taliban insurgents launched a coordinated attack on the police academy in Syedabad district, Khaama Press reported.

Provincial governor Zondi Gul Zamani confirmed the incident and said several insurgents including suicide bombers attempted to storm the police academy in Dasht-e-Top area.

He said the Afghan forces repulsed the attack, inflicting heavy casualties to the assailants.

In the meantime, the security officials are saying that 15 Taliban insurgents including some suicide bombers were killed during the clashes.

The officials are saying that the security forces did not suffer any casualties.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban insurgents have not commented regarding the report so far.

Maidan Wardak is among the relatively volatile provinces in central parts of the country, located close to capital Kabul.

At least seven militants affiliated with the ISIL terrorist group’s offshoot, ISIL Khorasan, were killed in the latest airstrikes in Eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

7 ISIL Militants Killed in Latest Airstrikes in East of Afghanistan
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960816001509

According to the local officials, the airstrikes were carried out in the past 24 hours in the vicinity of Achin district, Khaama Press reported.

The provincial police commandment in a statement said the airstikes targeted the ISIL hideouts in three different parts of the district, leaving at least seven militants dead.

The statement further added that the militants were targeted in Abdul Khel, Sara Ghondi, and Malkand areas.

The provincial police commandment also added that the airstrikes did not incur casualties to the local residents and security personnel. The anti-government armed militant groups have not commented regarding the report so far.

 

[angelburst29]

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, 10 civilians have been killed.

Moscow Calls for Probe Into US Bombing in Afghanistan's Kunduz
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201711101058998972-russia-us-bombing-kunduz/

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on the Afghan authorities, as well as international human rights organizations, to investigate thoroughly and impartially the circumstances of the US bombing on November 3 in the Kunduz province in northern Afghanistan.

According to the ministry, "US aircraft bombed several settlements, resulting in the death of at least 10 civilians of that country, more than 20 other people were injured."

"We strongly urge the Afghan authorities and international human rights organizations to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation of all the circumstances of what happened in Chahar Darah district, to hold responsible those guilty and to take effective measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents."

New US Afghan Strategy - The bombing follows August's announcement by US President Donald Trump to introduce a new US strategy in its 16-year-long war in Afghanistan. Changes provided in the strategy included lifting restrictions on the US forces to attack the Taliban (a terrorist group outlawed in Russia) and other militant formations in Afghanistan which had been previously imposed by the administration of ex-US President Barack Obama.

Most recently, NATO has also announced that the number of troops in its Resolute Support mission would be boosted from about 13,000 to roughly 16,000. According to Jens Stoltenberg, the mission will not "go back to combat operations," and the additional troops will enhance NATO’s training and assistance functions in cooperation with the Afghan forces.