Killing for Christ

Friends,

  Afghanistan is exploding. This is sounding more like Vietnam. What waste of lives.

Peace, Love and Hope,

Rev O

62 insurgents killed in Afghan battle

By M. Karim Faiez and Laura King

NATO-led forces repel a bold Taliban assault on a provincial capital.

Los Angeles Times

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN -- Taliban fighters made an unusual bid to capture a provincial capital, Afghan and Western officials said Sunday, a failed assault that nonetheless underscored their heightened boldness and ambition in recent months.

Hundreds of Taliban militants took part in the multi-pronged attack that began late Saturday against Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, where British troops maintain a regional garrison. NATO-led forces responded with airstrikes that left more than 60 insurgents dead; the fighting continued into the early hours Sunday, according to Afghan and Western military officials. Also in Helmand, about 40 militants were killed in fighting after briefly seizing a district center, Afghan authorities said.

 

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Until recently, the Taliban and allied militant groups generally eschewed direct assaults on Western military installations or well-guarded Afghan towns, because they risk significant casualties from the better armed coalition forces. But lately, the insurgents appear to have decided that it is worth the chance to score a major propaganda victory by overrunning a base or seizing a major town. Such attacks also suggest that Taliban commanders feel confident they have a sufficient supply of foot soldiers to stage such costly assaults."

"Late last week, insurgents seized the center of Helmand's Nad Ali district. It was retaken over the weekend by Afghan and Western troops, Ahmadi said. NATO-led forces also used airstrikes in that confrontation, Western officials said."