Afghanistan News

12-10-2007 Afghan and NATO troops fought to within a mile (two kilometres) Monday of the southern town of Musa Qala in a major offensive against Taliban insurgents holed up inside, defence officials said.

* Defence ministry spokesman says town has become base for ‘foreign terrorists’ KABUL: A NATO soldier, two children and 12 “terrorists” have been killed in the first day of an operation to retake the southern Afghan town of Musa Qala, the Afghan defence ministry said on Saturday.

KABUL, Dec 8 (Reuters) – NATO and Afghan troops have launched an operation to drive out the Taliban from a southern Afghan town held by the Islamic militants since early this year, a NATO statement said.

MAZAR-I-SHARIF BASE: “The situation is getting more dangerous,” said Lieutenant Colonel Jorst Fohmann at a base of about 1,400 German soldiers at Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan.

At least 13 people have been killed in a suicide car bombing in Kabul, the Afghan defence ministry has said.The bomber attacked a bus carrying Afghan soldiers during morning rush hour in the south-west of the capital.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The tarnished U.S. human rights image faces a major test this week as the Supreme Court considers whether terrorism suspects held for years without charges at Guantanamo Bay are wrongly detained.

KABUL, Afghanistan – A suicide car bomber targeted a NATO convoy in Kabul on Tuesday, wounding 10 civilians passing nearby, officials said.

KABUL (AFP) – US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates arrived in Afghanistan late Monday for a surprise visit to evaluate international efforts against rising violence led by Taliban rebels allied with Al-Qaeda.

The Afghan ministry of defence has announced plans to treble the size of its army. The ministry said this was to dissuade Afghanistan’s neighbours, Iran and Pakistan, from interfering, as well as to provide better internal security.

KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s army will reach a targeted strength of a trained force of 70,000 within four months, but that will be insufficient to stand against internal and external threats, a government spokesman said on Sunday.