75 Taliban killed in Afghan clashes By NOOR KHAN, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jul 24, 6:36 AM ET
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Troops killed at least 75 militants in three separate battles in southern Afghanistan, while the Taliban extended the deadline for the lives of 23 South Korean hostages until Tuesday evening.
South Korea's president appealed for calm as the deadline neared. Afghan elders and clerics were trying to negotiate with militants holding the hostages in central Afghanistan.
In southern Helmand province, Afghan troops ambushed by militants called in airstrikes and fought back with small-arms and mortar fire, the U.S.-led coalition said. The coalition said at least 36 insurgents were killed in the fighting Monday, but no Afghan or coalition troops were hurt.
In Uruzgan province, police clashed for three days with militants blocking the road leading to Kandahar province, leaving 26 militants and two policemen dead, said Wali Jan, the Uruzgan deputy highway police chief. NATO-led and Afghan army troops joined the battle Tuesday, reopening the road for civilians traffic, he said.
Another 13 suspected militants were killed in Kandahar province, the Defense Ministry said.
The battles took place in remote and dangerous parts of Afghanistan, and the death tolls could not be independently confirmed.
Qari Yousef Ahmadi, who claims to speak for the Taliban, said the militants had extended the deadline on the fate of the kidnapped South Koreans another day after the Afghan government refused to release any of the 23 Taliban prisoners the insurgents want freed.
The militants have pushed back their ultimatum at least three times.
"If the government won't accept these conditions, then it's difficult for the Taliban to provide security for these hostages, to provide health facilities and food," Ahmadi told The Associated Press by satellite phone. "The Taliban won't have any option but to kill the hostages."
Though some of Ahmadi's statements turn out to be true, he has also made repeated false claims, calling into question the reliability of his information.
A five-member delegation from Ghazni province traveled to a remote area of Qarabagh district to try to secure the Koreans' freedom, said Khwaja Mohammad Sidiqi, the local police chief.
"Our negotiations are continuing," said Khial Mohammad Husseini, a lawmaker for Ghazni. "I hope that today we will get a good result."
The deputy interior minister, Abdul Khaliq said Afghanistan was not prepared to make a deal "against our national interest and our constitution," though he did not explicitly rule out freeing any prisoners.
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun appealed for calm, saying at a Cabinet meeting "it's not a time to be hastily optimistic nor to be prematurely pessimistic about the outcome."
"It's important to resolve this in a calm and cool-headed attitude," he said. "The most important goal at this time is to get them back safely."
The South Korean Defense Ministry said it asked the Afghan military to refrain from conducting operations around the area where the hostages were believed held to avoid provoking the kidnappers.
The South Korean hostages, including 18 women, were kidnapped on Thursday while riding on a bus through Ghazni on the Kabul-Kandahar highway, Afghanistan's main thoroughfare.
More than 100 villagers in Ghazni demonstrated for their release Tuesday.
Violence has spiked sharply in Afghanistan the last two months. More than 3,500 people, mostly militants, have been killed in insurgency-related violence this year, according to an Associated Press tally of casualty figures provided by Western and Afghan officials.
In other violence, a roadside blast killed four U.S. soldiers in eastern Paktika province on Monday, said Gov. Mohammad Ekram Akhpelwak.
Norway said one if its soldiers was killed in Logar province, and NATO said a sixth soldier was killed in the south, though the soldier's nationality was not released.
The deaths bring to 114 the number of Western soldiers killed in Afghanistan this year, including 54 Americans, according to the AP count.
Also Tuesday, Afghanistan's last king was to be buried in a hilltop shrine in Kabul next to his late wife and other members of the royal family in a ceremony attended by foreign and Afghan dignitaries.
Mohammad Zahir Shah, who oversaw four decades of relative peace before a 1973 palace coup ousted him and war shattered his country, died Monday at 92.
Pakistan militant leader kills himself By ABDUL SATTAR, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 35 minutes ago
QUETTA, Pakistan - A former Guantanamo Bay inmate who led pro-Taliban militants in Pakistan after his release died Tuesday when he blew himself up with a grenade to avoid arrest, police said.
The death of Abdullah Mehsud is a boost for President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who faces growing U.S. pressure to crack down on Islamic militants battling security forces on both sides of the Afghan border.
Intelligence agents cornered Mehsud overnight at the home of an Islamist politician in Zhob, police said. The town is 160 miles from the southwestern city of Quetta.
"My information is that Abdullah Mehsud killed himself," Zhob Police Chief Atta Mohammed told The Associated Press. "Thanks be to God that only he was blown up and our men were safe."
Federal Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema confirmed Mehsud's death, but provided no details.
U.S.-allied Afghan forces captured Mehsud, who earlier lost a leg fighting for the Taliban, in northern Afghanistan in December 2001. He was held at the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and it remains unclear why he was released in March 2004.
He quickly took up arms again, leading militants in South Waziristan, a mountainous stronghold for both the Taliban and al-Qaida in Pakistan's lawless tribal belt. Mehsud was also wanted in the 2004 kidnapping of two Chinese engineers, one of whom died in a rescue raid by Pakistani commandos, and escaped a manhunt by the Pakistan army.
Zahid Hussain, an author and expert on Pakistan's militant groups, said the defiance of Mehsud, a rotund man in his early 30s, made him a hero among his fellow militants.
"Even if he wasn't seen, he was an inspiration," Hussain said. "In that way, (his death is) a big gain for the Pakistani forces."
There were new militant attacks Tuesday on Pakistani army posts in North Waziristan. Troops returned fire, an intelligence official said, but no casualties were reported. On Monday, at least 20 militants and two soldiers were killed in fighting.
Militants also detonated dynamite at a municipal office late Monday in Miran Shah, the regional capital, causing damage but no injuries, said the official, who is not allowed to speak on the record to reporters.
Farther north, the beheaded bodies of two soldiers abducted Monday night were found in the Bajur tribal area, said Sardar Yousaf, a local government official.
Violence has flared across Pakistan since a deadly military raid on a radical mosque in the capital of Islamabad earlier this month. More than 300 people have died, most of them security forces.
Much of the trouble has been in North Waziristan, a tribal region where a 10-month-old peace deal with between the government and militants has broken down and the army has redeployed troops backed by helicopters and artillery.
The government still hopes to resurrect the deal, although Washington has described it as a failure that gave breathing to al-Qaida to regroup — and perhaps plot another big attack on the United States.
Arab, Afghan and Central Asian militants suspected of links with al-Qaida as well as Taliban and local militants operate in North and South Waziristan.
A Pakistani intelligence official said Mehsud was intercepted on his way back from Afghanistan's Helmand province, where the official said he led supporters fighting alongside the Taliban against Afghan and U.S. forces.
The intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to reporters, said Mehsud had been in Afghanistan for more than a year and there was no evidence that he organized the recent violence in Pakistan.
___
Associated Press writers Bashirullah Khan in Miran Shah, Habibullah Khan in Khar and Sadaqat Jan in Islamabad contributed to this report.
Unfortunately, this will not free the South Korean hostages. One was killed today. Hopefully they gave him a quick and clean death, instead of those sickening snuff debacles released by Al-Qaeda types.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
the Koreans disobeyed the law of the nation and thus must pay the price. They were preaching Christianity and thus were arrested. they should be persecuted and made an example of. We do not appreciate illegal wars and invasions of our lands and then sending your missionary's to exploit the poor and whose lives you have ravaged with your barbarism.
the Koreans disobeyed the law of the nation and thus must pay the price. They were preaching Christianity and thus were arrested. they should be persecuted and made an example of. We do not appreciate illegal wars and invasions of our lands and then sending your missionary's to exploit the poor and whose lives you have ravaged with your barbarism.
I am not sure I follow you here....The thread is about the defeat that the Taliban is suffering, it isnt an occupation in Afghanistan and it isnt an illegal war in Afghan either. The Taliban was given an ultimatum, they obviously made the wrong choice otherwise their number wouldnt be diminished and they wouldnt have to hide like goats in the mountains. As for missionaries being in Afghanistan, I cannot speak for them and I do not think our troops being their "asked" them to come to that country, however if you have evidence that proves otherwise, then I would be happy to read over it. My guess, however, is that these missionaries are there because it is the first time that they could go there without having to fear for their lives. (or at least not as much)
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left."
- Bertrand Russell
"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat." - Napoleon Bonaparte
"There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the
enemy." - George Washington
first, it's not a question of how many farmers are killed and then dubbed "Talban" that would decide the victor.
the one's called Taliban today mostly aren't the ones demonized and then fought after 9/11.most of those are training and recruiting in the tribal belt.
secondly, the occupation won't last indefinitely.western people have generally become less accepting of even a slight percentage of their soldiers being killed/injured.besides, the financial cost of the war is taking a toll too.
thirdly, the west might be gaining more than a foothold in Afganistan but that could hardly be said of Iraq, and already tactics and strategies are being imported from there to the Afghan theatre.
there is no comparison between Iraq-where military service was compulsary from a certain age for al males under Saddam, and there is a great pool of individuals with certain skills-and Afghanistan, but the Afghans have been fighting for their country for a very long time against western invasions , the result being they are ready to accept great losses and keep on.
lastly , to us muslims , the outcome has already been decided , we believe in the last prophet and he promised victory at the end .some of his prophecies that have yet to happen imply that Aghans will be among the first peole to support the Mahdi .
I am not sure I follow you here....The thread is about the defeat that the Taliban is suffering, it isnt an occupation in Afghanistan and it isnt an illegal war in Afghan either. The Taliban was given an ultimatum, they obviously made the wrong choice otherwise their number wouldnt be diminished and they wouldnt have to hide like goats in the mountains. As for missionaries being in Afghanistan, I cannot speak for them and I do not think our troops being their "asked" them to come to that country, however if you have evidence that proves otherwise, then I would be happy to read over it. My guess, however, is that these missionaries are there because it is the first time that they could go there without having to fear for their lives. (or at least not as much)
tell your friend wilburn who referred to the koreans rather then your topic. And as for your reasoning, I can't blame you entirely for your ignorance of the facts of the whole situation. The war on afghan was for the same reason as for Iraq, OIL. US oil tycoons wanted to run pipes thru afghan to north into russia where they found enough oil to not even need saudi anymore. Afghans clearly disapproved and was given the utlimatem to accept or they will have it their way anyway. Then 9-11 happened, then bombing and invasion of afghan happened, and the very first thing that was done after the invasion was the establishment of oil pipes running up north thru afghan right on schedule as promised.
So you see whether you like it or not, it is a war on Muslims out of greed of the US and nothing more. Missionaries are showing up cuz they feel protected with their big bad boys blowing up innocent civilians left and right can calling them "talibans", we already know truthful the US army has been in their atrocities and labeling of people been. So few taliban are getting killed but they are not getting whipped and its is win-win sitaution for them as well. They get killed then they are shaheed and off to a better place, if they live then continue jihaad against the kufars occupying their land.
first, it's not a question of how many farmers are killed and then dubbed "Talban" that would decide the victor.
the one's called Taliban today mostly aren't the ones demonized and then fought after 9/11.most of those are training and recruiting in the tribal belt
I dont think most farmers carry their AK-47 and RPG's while they are planting seeds or harvesting their crops. Of course, then again I suppose they might depending on what these "farmers" are farming :aboo: opium
format_quote Originally Posted by alcurad
secondly, the occupation won't last indefinitely.western people have generally become less accepting of even a slight percentage of their soldiers being killed/injured.besides, the financial cost of the war is taking a toll too.
I dont think Afghan is really considered as much of an occupation anyways since there is an Afghan police force, etc. and as far as the body counts go, not that many troops are lost in Afghan, and even if they were many more americans, IMO, support the Afghan war more than the Iraqi war. You always here pull out of Iraq, how often do you hear "pull out of Afghanistan"? As far as finances go, well I think everyone knows the US has no problem with military expenditures.
format_quote Originally Posted by alcurad
thirdly, the west might be gaining more than a foothold in Afganistan but that could hardly be said of Iraq, and already tactics and strategies are being imported from there to the Afghan theatre.
first off, Iraq isnt a part of this thread
second, if by "tactics and strategies" you mean blowing up mosques, markets and other areas where innocent civilians reside then I must say, I feel for the Afghan people. However the Taliban are not really known for blowing up infrastructure and innocent people, but I would say that it would be fair to say that Al-qaeda or perhaps an affiliate could be responsible for what "tactics and strategies" that we have seen in the "Afghan theatre", if that is what you wish to call it.
format_quote Originally Posted by alcurad
there is no comparison between Iraq-where military service was compulsary from a certain age for al males under Saddam, and there is a great pool of individuals with certain skills-and Afghanistan, but the Afghans have been fighting for their country for a very long time against western invasions , the result being they are ready to accept great losses and keep on.
I agree, there is no comparison so why does it keep getting brought up? With that said I dont really see a lot of the Afghani people complaining or fighting the US presence. The only ones fighting are the ones who are dying, and they can fight till they die and then the world will be rid of them, and Allah can judge them in the hereafter.
format_quote Originally Posted by alcurad
lastly , to us muslims , the outcome has already been decided , we believe in the last prophet and he promised victory at the end .some of his prophecies that have yet to happen imply that Aghans will be among the first peole to support the Mahdi .
I havent read much about the Mahdi, where did you read that the Afghans would be the first to support him? Also do you not think that they could support him without the Taliban? I dont need the Taliban and I would support him and I have only started learning about Islam, so why wouldnt the Afghanis if the Taliban ceased to exist or ceased to fight? Who knows it might bring a lot of peace to that country :smile:
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left."
- Bertrand Russell
"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat." - Napoleon Bonaparte
"There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the
enemy." - George Washington
Once the US got what it wanted (oil pipes), it turned the occupation over to the UN. Now the NATO (Nuclear Armed Terrorist Organization) is reeking havoc in there and killing civilians left and right like their best friends (US) did before them. So much so that even the illegtimate gov't of kazai is speaking out against such atrocities of these nato thugs.
Lastly, you should know that the gov't of Iraq and Afghan is illegtimate and can't be recognized. No gov't formed while a nation is under occupation can be recognized by international law. As for the afghan "police" and "army", these are the same warlords the afghan's asked the talibans to fight in the first place. So as you can see, there is no real gov't or police force in iraq and afghan. And the occupiers do as they please with no one to question them. Regardless of what the kufars here say or think, Muslims will never forget this nor will they let it go. Things are only starting up, it's going to change and get a lot worst, for the kuffar terrorists.
Lastly, you should know that the gov't of Iraq and Afghan is illegtimate and can't be recognized. No gov't formed while a nation is under occupation can be recognized by international law.
Both have a popular mandate that their predecessors did not. Both HAVE been recognised at least by everybody of any importance. There is no such thing as "international law" in that context, but what there is is essentially centred around the United Nations, which has recognised both administrations.
I'm curious. Obviously in Afghanistan there is a visible (if catastrophic) 'alternative' government in the Taliban, but who do you think would actually represent a more 'legitimate' government in Iraq than the one currently in place? Assuming you accept the idea of people getting a choice (rather than just selecting whichever group happens to call themselves 'Islamic' this week) why would they vote any differently - i.e pretty much on ethnic and sectarian grounds - than they did last time?
Both have a popular mandate that their predecessors did not. Both HAVE been recognised at least by everybody of any importance. There is no such thing as "international law" in that context, but what there is is essentially centred around the United Nations, which has recognized both administrations.
I'm curious. Obviously in Afghanistan there is a visible (if catastrophic) 'alternative' government in the Taliban, but who do you think would actually represent a more 'legitimate' government in Iraq than the one currently in place?
Go to the UN and see what International law saws on forming gov'ts while under occupation. It goes something like that the gov't is not true representative of the people but rather influence of the occupiers. So both gov'ts are illegtimate and will never be recognized. Of course when your in bed with the boss (US and NATO ) then you can do whatever you want.
Once you leave iraq and afghan, those who are fighting the occupation for their freedom will arise and form a gov't representing the people. You'll never know until the invaders move out.
continue killing each other. Just like they are now. Most of the killings have nothing to do with occupation.
when you have no law and security like the one US "promised" and that exists there right now, it's only natural that some gangs will form to grab the power. So you have some gangs and filthy kuffars killing left and right. The Freedom Fighters are doing the best they can and once the crusaders go back home (in body bags inshallah) then they'll be better focused to handle other trouble makers as well.
something people havent noticed is that mtaffi has resorted to the same tactic previous american administrations have such as in vietnam, which is that when they were actually losing the war strategically and making no gains they would resort to pointing out the enemy casualties! so infact when one shows off the casualties of the opposing side comming out saying oh we have killed this many and that many it is actually a sign of losing the war! well thats what the experts say.
the fact is is that the taliban are making alot of gains on the ground, several districts are under their control, and they rule the night, another thing to point out is that the americans will go one day, they cant fight forever, and the afghan goverment and army their leaving behind wont be able to sustain the taliban for the long term especially when the taliban have a good safe base just across the border in pakistan and in several areas in afghanistan!
mr mtaffi you should not brag about taliban casualties, if we wanted that we would have to brag everyday because the taliban are getting killed like flies if we are to believe the media, so that doesnt really matter, they have enough numbers to sustain alot of deaths and for every death they simply have another recruit! you should boast about improving afghan lives, healthcare, infustructure, and afghan trust in the coalition and the goverment, and afghan hope for the future, sadly you lack in each of these departments and that is the major blow, because this will simply cause people to turn to the taliban.
Someone said to the Prophet, "Pray to God against the idolaters and curse them." The Prophet replied, "I have been sent to show mercy and have not been sent to curse." (Muslim)
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just wait...dont count the muslims down and out just yet...
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