NATO, Afghans claim to kill 130 Taliban in Kunduz

[Fade]

NATO, Afghans claim to kill 130 Taliban in Kunduz

09 Nov 2009 12:14:31 GMT
Source: Reuters
(For more on Afghanistan, click on [ID:nAFPAK])

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Nov 9 (Reuters) - NATO and Afghan officials claimed on Monday their forces had killed at least 130 Taliban fighters in a major operation over the past week in an area of Afghanistan's north where militant activity has surged.

A combined force of 700 Afghan troops and 50 NATO soldiers cleared villages of fighters, killing more than 130 insurgents including eight Taliban commanders during a five-day operation, NATO spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Todd Vician said.

Kunduz province governor Mohammad Omar told Reuters the combined force had killed 133 fighters during the operation, which took place in and around Kunduz's Char Dara district.

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said only five fighters had died, and called the death toll given by NATO and Afghan officials "propaganda".

The NATO-led force deployed air strikes against armed insurgents but believed no civilians were among those killed, Vician said. No NATO or Afghan troops were killed, he added.

Kunduz province is mainly patrolled by the NATO force's German contingent, which has failed to prevent Taliban fighters from taking control of many rural villages in recent months.

Article continued at http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL150205.htm

[seruriermarshal]

So 130 * 72

[Macs.]

It seems like the main fighting was done by "some certain" Afghans, with US air controllers assisting them with airstrikes and German troops sealing off the area and trapping the fleeing enemies.

Heavy action.

[Fuschimuschi]

Seems like that SPIEGEL article from a few weeks ago that claimed that according to the US the Germans couldn't or wouldn't get it done so the would send their own SF soldiers became true.

[socom6]

Yeah this was from the story by Der Spiegel about a US/Afghan operation in the Kunduz area. It has now been positively confirmed, good job to all combat troops involved.

But i bet the Americans are a bit miffed that they had to conduct a clearing ops in the German AO.

[Macs.]

Seems like that SPIEGEL article from a few weeks ago that claimed that according to the US the Germans couldn't or wouldn't get it done so the would send their own SF soldiers became true.

Sadly, SPIEGEL has been writing alot of misinformation concering the situation in Kunduz in the last months.

Yeah this was from the story by Der Spiegel about a US/Afghan operation in the Kunduz area. It has now been positively confirmed, good job to all combat troops involved.

But i bet the Americans are a bit miffed that they had to conduct a clearing ops in the German AO.

The biggest part of the fighting was done by Afghans as far as we know right now, and German troops were also involved in the operation.

[Jaeger07]

So 130 * 72

Where do they get all the virgins from? Or could it just be cheap advertising?

Anyways good job! Hope no civis where killed (or none that did not support the talibs at least).

[Hawkeye]

From an official Belgian MoD statement;

• 01 Nov : Het Afghaans bataljon, gecoacht door het Belgische OMLT werd ingezet
ten oosten van KUNDUZ in het kader van het voorziene dispositief voor de
verkiezingen. Twee compagnies en één compagnie in reserve bevonden zich in
BASOZ. Het voltallige OMLT heeft hen hierbij begeleid.
• 02 Nov : De Belgische snelle interventieploeg heeft deze inzet ook gevolgd. Zij
ruimde IED’s op ter hoogte van BASOZ. Na haar opdracht begaf deze ploeg zich,
onder leiding van het Belgische OMLT, naar CHAHAR DAREH. Tijdens deze
verplaatsing werden ze door opstandelingen onder vuur genomen. Er vielen geen
gewonden, noch materiële schade.
• 02 Nov : Het Belgische OMLT leverde steun aan luchtcontroleurs in CHAHAR
DAREH na een melding van een hinderlaag. Gevechtsvliegtuigen voerden
vervolgens een ‘show of presence’ uit om hun aanwezigheid te tonen.

In essence, this says that the Belgian OMLT coached "their" ANA Bn (Nov 1&2) in actions in and around BASOZ and CHAHAR DAREH (different spelling than this article, but obviously same village). Also, they met up with the Belgian EOD-team from the Kunduz PRT at BASOZ, and were fired at by insurgents. And they supported a TACP in CHAHAR DAREH, a "show of presence" (should be show of force, I know) was enough to discourage the Taliban.

Source; http://www.mil.be/def/doc/viewdoc.as...&FILE=&ID=1786

[Seek]

This operation was part of OEF, not ISAF AFAIK.

[muck]

This operation was part of OEF, not ISAF AFAIK.

Nonetheless ISAF mentors assisted and other non-OEF forces cordoned off the area of operations.

[kool_kruiser]

Waiting for the massacre of a wedding party claim to come out.......

Good job NATO and ANA!!!