Mine Blast Kills Nine Afghan Soldiers

Yeoman · 01-30-2005, 02:32 PM

Mine Blast Kills Nine Afghan Soldiers

Sat Jan 29, 6:56 PM ET World - AP Asia

By NOOR KHAN, Associated Press Writer

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A land mine exploded near a pickup truck carrying Afghan soldiers close to the Pakistani border on Saturday, killing nine soldiers and seriously wounding another, an Afghan commander said, one of the bloodiest attacks in months.

Elsewhere, an Afghan border guard was killed when a gunman opened fire on a car at an illegal checkpoint in the southeast, police said. The gunman also was fatally shot.

Mullah Abdul Hakim Latifi, a man who regularly claims to speak for the Taliban, claimed responsibility for the mine blast on behalf of the hard-line militia.

The 10 soldiers from a border guard unit were aboard a pickup truck when it struck the mine on a road near Spinboldak, a frontier town in southern Kandahar province, Gen. Abdul Raziq Khan told The Associated Press.

The only survivor, an officer called Qadir Bhai, was seriously injured and taken to a nearby French special forces base for treatment, Khan said.

Khan, the unit's commander, said the mine was freshly laid and blamed Taliban militants for the attack.

"They are coming over the border from Pakistan to carry out these attacks," he said in a telephone interview from Spinboldak.

The purported Taliban spokesman said militants detonated the mine by remote control, then opened fire on the stricken soldiers.

He claimed 11 troops were killed and vowed attacks would continue against Afghan and American forces. The claim could not be verified.

Separately, Interior Ministry spokesman Latfullah Mashal said four Afghans working for a U.S. security firm had been wounded when a mine exploded near their vehicle on Thursday in Chawkay district of Kunar province.

He said investigators were unsure if the mine was newly laid or left over from Afghanistan (news - web sites)'s many years of war.

The Afghan border guard died Saturday in the southeastern Khost province after a gunmen tried to extort money from a car full of guards at an illegal checkpoint, police said.

The gunmen, who opened fire on the car when the soldiers refused to pay, was also fatally shot, police chief Mohammed Ayoub said.

U.S. and Afghan security forces are in the midst of a winter-long operation supposed to keep militants on the defensive and prevent them from preparing major violence against Afghan parliamentary elections slated for the spring.

Commanders have said the operation includes fresh efforts to tighten security along the mountainous border with Pakistan, where militants are believed to find refuge between attacks on American and Afghan troops.

Aerosoul · 01-30-2005, 02:46 PM

Landmine took 9?

Damn...

R.I.P.

Sayeret · 01-30-2005, 04:46 PM

RIP

Quote:

Landmine took 9?

It may have been a "bouncing betty" mine and that's why so many people were killed.

Quote:

Bounding Mines
Bounding mines, such as the German-made "bouncing betties" used during World War II, are buried in the ground with a tripwire attached to one or more spikes that protrude from the ground. Most of these mines are cylindrical in shape and are approximately 15 centimeters in diameter and 28 centimeter in height. When activated by a tripwire or direct pressure, an explosive charge propels the mine up to about hip level. This first explosive charge is followed by a second charge that explodes the mine, scattering shrapnel in a 360 degree horizontal arc. These fragments can cause death up to 35 meters or more from the center of the blast, and severe injuries at distances of more than 100 meters.

Aerosoul · 01-30-2005, 04:58 PM

Forgot all about those buggers.

Sigh...

01-30-2005, 02:32 PM	#1
Yeoman Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hunting Down Bacon.... Age: 25 Posts: 1,642	Mine Blast Kills Nine Afghan Soldiers Mine Blast Kills Nine Afghan Soldiers Sat Jan 29, 6:56 PM ET World - AP Asia By NOOR KHAN, Associated Press Writer KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A land mine exploded near a pickup truck carrying Afghan soldiers close to the Pakistani border on Saturday, killing nine soldiers and seriously wounding another, an Afghan commander said, one of the bloodiest attacks in months. Elsewhere, an Afghan border guard was killed when a gunman opened fire on a car at an illegal checkpoint in the southeast, police said. The gunman also was fatally shot. Mullah Abdul Hakim Latifi, a man who regularly claims to speak for the Taliban, claimed responsibility for the mine blast on behalf of the hard-line militia. The 10 soldiers from a border guard unit were aboard a pickup truck when it struck the mine on a road near Spinboldak, a frontier town in southern Kandahar province, Gen. Abdul Raziq Khan told The Associated Press. The only survivor, an officer called Qadir Bhai, was seriously injured and taken to a nearby French special forces base for treatment, Khan said. Khan, the unit's commander, said the mine was freshly laid and blamed Taliban militants for the attack. "They are coming over the border from Pakistan to carry out these attacks," he said in a telephone interview from Spinboldak. The purported Taliban spokesman said militants detonated the mine by remote control, then opened fire on the stricken soldiers. He claimed 11 troops were killed and vowed attacks would continue against Afghan and American forces. The claim could not be verified. Separately, Interior Ministry spokesman Latfullah Mashal said four Afghans working for a U.S. security firm had been wounded when a mine exploded near their vehicle on Thursday in Chawkay district of Kunar province. He said investigators were unsure if the mine was newly laid or left over from Afghanistan (news - web sites)'s many years of war. The Afghan border guard died Saturday in the southeastern Khost province after a gunmen tried to extort money from a car full of guards at an illegal checkpoint, police said. The gunmen, who opened fire on the car when the soldiers refused to pay, was also fatally shot, police chief Mohammed Ayoub said. U.S. and Afghan security forces are in the midst of a winter-long operation supposed to keep militants on the defensive and prevent them from preparing major violence against Afghan parliamentary elections slated for the spring. Commanders have said the operation includes fresh efforts to tighten security along the mountainous border with Pakistan, where militants are believed to find refuge between attacks on American and Afghan troops.

01-30-2005, 02:46 PM	#2
Aerosoul Potential Getaway Driver Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 37,361	Landmine took 9? Damn... R.I.P.

01-30-2005, 04:58 PM	#4
Aerosoul Potential Getaway Driver Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 37,361	Forgot all about those buggers. Sigh...