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Afghanistan
Taliban stronghold destroyed by British and Afghan forces
2009-02-07
A major Taliban stronghold has been destroyed by British and Afghan forces following 10 days of bitter fighting in southern Afghanistan. Hundred of insurgents were either killed or forced to flee from a stronghold in central Helmand which they had occupied for several months.

During the operation, Corporal Danny Nield of 1st battalion The Rifles, was killed after being blown up by an improvised explosive device and several British soldiers were injured.

A force of around 700 coalition troops launched a series of attacks against the stronghold in the area of Spin Masjid, north of the provincial capital of Lashkar Gar, where the British military headquarters is based. The Taliban had occupied the area for several months imposing "their version of law and order" on the locals and murdering anyone who supported the Afghan government, according to the Ministry of Defence. The area was also used as a base by insurgents to attack convoys supplying Nato bases.

The operation code named Attal, was one of an increasing number to be planned and executed by the Afghan National Army (ANA) with assistance from British, Danish and Canadian forces.

During the 10-day battle last month more than 30 IEDs were discovered and several senior Taliban commanders were killed. Insurgents were cleared from the area and a new patrol base was created to prevent the Taliban from recapturing their former base.

In his first visit to Afghanistan as a minister, Under Secretary of State for Defence, Kevan Jones, said that the success of the operation was proof that the British strategy was on course. He added: "The future for Afghanistan is with its own security forces -- they need to be able to protect the local population from the oppression of the Taliban and to uphold the rule of law. This latest operation is another example of how they are continually improving -- able to plan and execute complicated and hugely successful operations.

"The work of the British mentors, the 1st Battalion The Rifles who I met on this visit, has been central to this success, passing on the skills and experience of the British Army and setting the foundations for a safe and secure Afghanistan."

Capt Mike Richardson, 24 Commando Engineers Regiment, said: "The joint efforts of Afghan and ISAF troops saw 15 IEDs disposed of in an area approximately 2km by 1 km. The search skills and patience of the ANA, coupled with the expertise of British Bomb Disposal Teams undoubtedly contributed to the low casualty rate amongst locals and the coalition forces during this operation."
Well done, lads!
Posted by:Steve White

#32  Well now. Looking back, my comment above seems far les witty.
Posted by: Mike N.   2009-02-07 18:45  

#31  Once you discover that they're not guys, I'm sure you'll change your mind.
Posted by: Mike N.   2009-02-07 18:42  

#30  "hhh" - there's that mouth breathing thing again. Is that attractive in your circles?
Posted by: Frank G   2009-02-07 18:36  

#29  Back to the story, it's good to see the Brits doing an operation well. I'm sure they've been doing better than their press lately, and certainly better than their politicians deserve. Way to go.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2009-02-07 17:56  

#28  In short, he is like a dog that is not housetrained.

I'd have said piglet, but I've been to busy to savour the full flavour of his, uh, contributions.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2009-02-07 17:51  

#27  well deserved. Good job, Mods, and Thor Badanov
Posted by: Frank G   2009-02-07 17:45  

#26  Midoman just got the banhammer.
Posted by: badanov   2009-02-07 17:39  

#25  I guess it's out of the question to just delete him.

I won't say anything nasty - don't wanna get sink-trapped.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2009-02-07 17:09  

#24  Ditto to lotp and Sherry.

Midoman: clean up your act. You haven't impressed us so far.
Posted by: Steve White   2009-02-07 16:41  

#23  I, too, deleted some of his comments. His words were nothing more than a waste of Fred's bandwidth.

Well said lotp.
Posted by: Sherry   2009-02-07 16:14  

#22  Indeed, Ed. The Muslim world has nothing to offer but oil and a gullible media audience. The oil boom and the institutional media monopoly that started in the 60s were their best opportunity to finally recover from the devastation of the Mongol invasions 700 years ago, yet they have done nothing. Forty years is enough time to educate two full generations, yet countries like Saudi Arabia remain slavishly dependent on foreign workers. Now, both oil and institutional media are starting to fade and the Muslims have accomplished nothing worthwhile with their trillions in oil loot. They have blown it.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2009-02-07 16:09  

#21  Midoman will not be allowed to post here for a while and perhaps permanently. Yes, some of his posts were deleted by me a short time ago. New ones will either be deleted by the mods or filtered before they are made public. If he slips in, as he may since the mods have other things we do besides clean up troll droppings, his new comments will be deleted when we notice them.

Do us a favor and stop responding to any that slip through.

This is not because his opinion differs from that of most people at Rantburg. G*d forbid that this place becomes an echo chamber.

Rather, it's because he lacks the basic manners due our host, Fred. And because he's boring - he brings no facts, no thoughtful analysis, not even wit. Just obscenity and rather vulgar and repetitious hatred.

In short, he is like a dog that is not housetrained. Such beasts are not allowed to foul the floor of the house, nor to mingle with people until they have learned to live cleanly and appropriately with humans. And they are certainly not invited into civilized discussions.
Posted by: lotp   2009-02-07 16:07  

#20  Mods, are the fearless but ignorant Midoman's post now being deleted?
Posted by: ed   2009-02-07 16:03  

#19  We are talking about now. If you want history, the largest mass murders in history have been muslims. Muslims had murdered in a few generations 80 million on the Indian subcontinent. That the Indians, who have long memories, will become the next superpower in a generation while the muslims will run out of oil and friends is going to be a very nasty surprise to the ummah.

That muslims have murdered 120 million Africans will also have to settled. That Africa is turning more Christian and western oriented each day while muslim Sahara is mired in uncivil murder and starvation. Even muslim religious leaders are mourning the fact 6 million muslims are converting to the more successful and modern Christianity each year, most in Africa. You and those like you will have pay for your insistence on jihad and slavery of the African. And the butchers bill is indeed expensive.
Posted by: ed   2009-02-07 16:02  

#18  muslim Arab imperialism
Posted by: ed   2009-02-07 15:30  

#17  And yet, the biggest killers of muslims are ... other muslims. The biggest murderers of muslim women and children in markets and schools are ... Arabs. It is the Afghan soldiers who just kicked the ass of the Arab and Paki puppet taliban.

That the days since September 2001 has shown so clearly that muslims, especially Arabs, eat their own children must come as disappointment to those who open their eyes. That you prefer muslim imperialism does not mean the majority in Afghanistan and Iraq who have experienced first hand Arab "solidarity" share your passion.

Posted by: ed   2009-02-07 15:28  

#16  "It allows you to scoot away from the real issues that you all find hard to deal with: corruption in your governments, religion, education, culture."
Who is corrupting all muslims leaders? Isn't it USA to control arab populations.

You've bought all the arab and muslim leaders!
The ones you can't corrupt are Hamas, Hizbollah, Talibans, Saddam, Iranian guards etc and you're fighting them. I mean, as I said earlier, you have divided the world in two categories: friends and ennemies!
It's not fair! Because you have a super power hegemony, you kill everybody who says NON to you!
Posted by: Midoman   2009-02-07 15:25  

#15  What do the Pharoahs, the Assyrians, the Alexandrians, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Crusaders, the Inquisition, the Czars, the Nazis, and the Stalinists all have in common?
Two things: They all sought to destroy the Jews, and they are all extinct.
Perhaps Arabs and other nouveau riche Muslims should stop listening to their depraved media and start studying real history. .
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2009-02-07 15:19  

#14  @ed
You made me laugh!
Afghans and Arabs are Muslims. We arabs, prefer some stupid talibans rulers than christian coalition targeting wedding gathering and killing children and women. It's a matter of muslims and muslims will resolve their problems if you let them alone!
Posted by: Midoman   2009-02-07 15:15  

#13  Midoman loves the Taliban, who: abuse women and children, who forbid music, dancing, literature, art, children playing, toys. Midoman, what would you do to the Taliban if we were gone and it was up to you. BTW, I think your excuse that it's okay to rape young men and women to trick them into being suicide bombers because you don't have the right weapons is weak. Nobody in the West is hurting Arabs, the Arab people, the culture, etc. This is a fiction which you all have been entertaining for many years. It allows you to scoot away from the real issues that you all find hard to deal with: corruption in your governments, religion, education, culture.

Any culture that allows men to dominate women is sick at the core--the Taliban being some of the worst offenders.

Posted by: ex-lib   2009-02-07 15:12  

#12  Insurgents were cleared from the area and a new patrol base was created to prevent the Taliban from recapturing their former base.

The task of manning this base must qualify for the title of "the worst job in the world". On the other hand, the soldiers assigned who joined up to see some adventure will get plenty of it.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2009-02-07 15:11  

#11  Don't be more stupid than you have to be Midoman. We both know the US attacked the taliban regime was because they harbored and protected Al Qaeda. The US could have easily have left the Pushtoon population that formed the taliban to the mercy of the non-Pustoon majority. That the US stayed and is working with the Afghans, including the non-taliban supporting Pushtoons to educate and bring up the standard of living of the Afghan population is more than I would have done.

Notice this offensive that this battle where "Hundred of insurgents were either killed or forced to flee" was "planned and executed by the Afghan National Army (ANA) with assistance from British, Danish and Canadian forces." Instead you far from Afghanistan support "murdering anyone who supported the Afghan government". I think the Afghans have had enough of your Arab support. That's why the Northern Alliance with the assistance of a few hundred US and western forces weas able to take back the entire country so swiftly from the Arab supported taliban and Al Qaeda.
Posted by: ed   2009-02-07 15:07  

#10  Midol, you are clearly emulating the originator of the Big Lie, one Joseph Goebbels. I suggest you take this to its logical conclusion and emulate his departure from the anti-American media world. Leave the kids out of it this time though.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2009-02-07 15:02  

#9  I mean, you have a tremendous problem there!
You know that you can't stop Talibans. You know that talibans have roots in Pakistan and majorly supported by Pakistani tribes. In my opinion, instead of killing everbody their, take a look aat the geography and try to discuss the issues with them. You can't win!! Impossible!
Posted by: Midoman   2009-02-07 14:59  

#8  Midoman -- let's see, in 2001, we did invade Afghan, and we did remove the Taliban from power, and they still haven't regain power over the entire country of Afghanistan...

We didn't take over Pakistan, we don't have their nukes. Where you been the last seven years? In one of those caves?
Posted by: Sherry   2009-02-07 14:58  

#7   I think that, if you have invaded Afghanistan, it's because you are afraid of seeing Talibans taking control over Afghanistan and simultaneously taking control over pakistan and the nuke bombs, you USA, have provided to Pakistan! You are really sick!
Posted by: Midoman   2009-02-07 14:53  

#6  It's triage Midoman. The worst offenders get priority attention. The Russians haven't built a religion around a "prophet" famous for abusing women and children. Nor do them attempt to emulate his every barbaric perversity, nor attempt to impose it upon the rest of the world. Most Russians, after they sober up, actually feel ashamed. Unlike muslims.
Posted by: ed   2009-02-07 14:49  

#5  I don't understand you guys why you're after talibans because they supposedly beat their women and supposedly rape their children!

How many of your own beaten women in the USA died every year and how many children are beaten and nobody invaded you to rescue them?

Are you sick?

Russia is full of beaten women and raped children!
Go and invade them!!
Posted by: Midoman   2009-02-07 14:42  

#4  Midoman -- spoken, oh, about like a high school freshman who is just practicing his "being the Devil's advocate" skills for a freshman debate team.

(The cheer-leading gave you away. No true student of history will frame an opposite view with "Taliban GO GO)
Posted by: Sherry   2009-02-07 14:29  

#3  Another stunning victory for taliban military prowess. Stick to what you know best Midoman, beating women and raping children.
Posted by: ed   2009-02-07 14:25  

#2  no doubt Karzai will be providing that
Posted by: Frank G   2009-02-07 14:14  

#1  This article left out the most important pieces of information - how many innocent civilians and fluffy bunnies were killed.
Posted by: Glenmore   2009-02-07 13:46  

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