British troops destroy Taliban bomb making factories

[Randall Flagg]

Source: Telegraph (UK)



By By Thomas Harding in Showal
Published: 7:30AM GMT 15 Feb 2010

Explosives for more than 100 Improvised Explosive Devices have been seized in what commanders describe as a significant set-back to the insurgents bombing campaign that has claimed the lives of about 80 per cent of British casualties in Helmand over the last two years.

The haul was found on the second day of Operation Moshtarak as British troops methodically pushed through Showal, getting to the northern tip where the white flag of the Taliban still flies atop of a disused crane.



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For the last two years the town has been under the control of insurgents who have used it as a staging post to build bombs and train their fighters to plant them.

Showal has almost fallen without a shot being fired and yesterday it became the focus of national Afghan media and international press when two helicopter loads of Kabul journalists and international press descended on the town. They heard the district governor, who arrived with British commanders, preach security and peace to the local elders gathered in a well-kept mosque where they were told to ensure their sons were put to work in the fields rather than allowed to fight for the Taliban.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7237175/British-troops-destroy-Taliban-bomb-making-factories.html

[dipsydoodle]

1. Another link : Taliban bombs 'slow Afghan push'

Improvised bombs planted by Taliban fighters are slowing Nato's big offensive in Afghanistan, military officials say.

The BBC's Frank Gardner, in Kandahar, says the homemade bombs have been planted in far greater numbers than Nato had anticipated.

Operation Moshtarak - targeting Taliban strongholds in southern Helmand province - has entered its third day.

Earlier, the Nato commander apologised after rockets killed 12 civilians.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8515645.stm

[NJmaverick]

2. This operation was a huge blow to the Taliban

they have lost their drug money, their bomb making factories, their bases and access to a sizable population.

[DCBob]

3. Excellent! This is kind of stuff they were hoping to find..

Well done!