BBC : Eighteen Afghan 'rebels' killed

[maddezmom]

At least 18 suspected militants have been reported killed in clashes with Afghan forces in southern Afghanistan.
Officials said that 11 Taleban rebels were killed in a clash after they attacked a government office in Washer district of Helmand province.

They say seven more rebels were killed following an attack on policemen on a highway in Zabul province.

There has been renewed violence in recent months blamed on the Taleban and their allies.

Fears

The fresh wave of clashes came a day after US warplanes killed up to 20 suspected rebels in an air strike following a rebel attack in Helmand.

~snip~
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4110476.stm

[maddezmom]

1. Fierce Fighting Kills 21 in Afghanistan

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Fierce fighting between Taliban rebels and Afghan security forces left 18 insurgents and three others dead, a day after the U.S. military pounded suspected rebels in airstrikes that killed as many as 20, officials said Monday.

Three U.S. troops were slightly wounded when a bomb exploded near their armored Humvee in Paktia province on Sunday, said U.S. military spokesman Col. James Yonts.

~snip~

About 280 suspected rebels and 29 U.S. troops have been killed since March, according to Afghan and U.S. officials. More than three dozen Afghan police and soldiers also have died, as have more than 100 civilians.

Yonts warned that foreign militants backed up by networks channeling them money and arms had come into Afghanistan to try to subvert legislative elections in September. He said that for "operational security reasons" he could not identify the networks or who was backing them
more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050620/ap_on_re_as/afghan_violence;_

[kurtyboy]

2. Afghan Fighting Escalates

http://www.politinfo.com/articles/article_2005_06_20_1418.html

Afghan officials say fierce fighting has erupted between government security forces and Taleban rebels a day after U.S. airstrikes killed as many as 20 suspected militants in southern Afghanistan.

Gunbattles early Monday have left 11 Taleban guerillas dead, along with a local government official and a member of Afghanistan's security force.

On Sunday, the U.S. military said it had killed 15 to 20 suspected Taleban fighters in an airstrike after coalition forces came under small arms and rocket fire.

Violence in the south and east regions of Afghanistan has increased in the last three months. </snip>

Fighting season in South Asia....

[u2spirit]

3. Afghanistan?

I didn't even know we still had troops there. After all, they have freedom and an elected government. The mission was accomplished!
:sarcasm: