4 US Soldiers, 20 Afghanis Killed, 50 Injured in Attacks, December 24-25, 2011

4 US Soldiers, 20 Afghanis Killed, 50 Injured in Attacks

December 24-25, 2011

US-led soldier killed in Afghanistan

Press TV, Sun Dec 25, 2011 4:33PM GMT

A US-led soldier has been killed in Afghanistan.

According to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a US-led soldier has been killed in an attack in eastern Afghanistan.

The Western military alliance has not released further details regarding the circumstances of the soldier's death.

On Saturday, an Afghan soldier opened fire on US troops, leaving three dead and several others injured.

Since the beginning of the year, nearly 560 foreign soldiers have been killed in war-torn Afghanistan.

Almost 2,000 US soldiers have been killed since the US-led invasion of the country in October 2001.

The rising number of casualties of US-led foreign troops has increased opposition to the Afghan war among NATO member states such as the US and Britain.

There are currently 91,000 US troops in Afghanistan -- down from the peak of 101,000 in June.

This is while US officials announced earlier that some 10,000 US troops had pulled out from Afghanistan

The United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001 under the pretext of combating terrorism and eradicating the Taliban militancy but its failure has forced Washington to turn to negotiation with the militants.

The US government has planned new rounds of talks with the Taliban in early 2012.

SZH/HGH/IS

MP killed among dozens casualties in suicide attack in north Afghanistan

KABUL, Dec. 25, 2011 (Xinhua) --

A member of Afghan parliament was killed among dozens killed and injured in a suicide bombing targeting a funeral ceremony on Sunday afternoon in north Afghanistan's Takhar province, Faiz Mohammad Dawhidi spokesman for provincial government told Xinhua.

"There was a suicide attack against a funeral ceremony in Sar-e- Sang area of provincial capital Taluqan city. Based in initial reports at least 10 people were killed and over 25 injured," Faiz Mohammad Dawhidi told Xinhua, adding that Abdul Mutalibbig was killed in the incident.

However, witnesses in the scene said at least 20 people were killed and over 50 were injured in the incident

Suicide bomber kills MP at funeral of tribal leader

By News Wires (text)

REUTERS -

A suicide bomber killed at least 20 people, including a member of parliament, and wounded 50 in Afghanistan's northern city of Taloqan on Sunday, police said, the latest in a series of attacks in a once-peaceful region.

The attack occurred while prayers were being read at the funeral of an influential tribal leader. All victims were civilians.

"People were gathering for a funeral when a suicide bomber detonated himself," Mahmod al-Hussain, a senior police detective for the northern Takhar province, told Reuters.

The once-peaceful northern Takhar province has seen a series of high profile attacks and assassinations over the last year, including the killing of a top police commander in May.

Al-Hussain said a member of parliament, Mutalib Bik, was among the dead and is seen to be the primary target as the attacker came close to him before setting off the bomb. Bik was a former anti-Taliban commander and a former provincial police chief.

Takhar does not have any major permanent base for foreign troops. German troops supervise the area from a base in neighbouring Kunduz province.

The attack may further complicate NATO efforts to prepare for the start of a security handover from foreign forces to Afghan soldiers and police in some parts of north Afghanistan.

"This reprehensible attack on a funeral further illustrates that the Taliban and other insurgents are waging a murderous campaign against innocent Afghan civilians, including women and children," the U.S. embassy said in a statement.

Witnesses said the attacker was around 30 years old and dressed in traditional clothing for the region.

President Hamid Karzai strongly condemned the attack.

"This attack once again shows the malicious and un-Islamic intentions of the terrorists, who don't even want Muslims in Afghanistan to hold religious ceremonies in a peaceful environment," he said in a statement.

Officials gave conflicting figures for the casualties. While local police said the death toll was at least 20, Karzai's office put the number at 10. The interior ministry said 19 were killed and 40 wounded.

Hundreds of men and women were standing outside the hospital in Taloqan, waiting to hear about their family members as people were being brought in on stretchers into the facility.

"Everybody was running when I heard my brother yelling for help," said Hubaidullah, a witness, recalling the explosion.

The hardline Islamist Taliban so far declined to comment on the attack.

Despite the presence of tens of thousands of Western forces in Afghanistan, the United Nations and other groups say violence is at its worst since U.S.-led Afghan forces toppled the Taliban from power in late 2001.

AFGHANISTAN Mosque suicide attack kills six near Pakistan border

AFGHANISTAN Karzai blames shrine attacks on Pakistani anti-Shiite group

AFGHANISTAN Twin deadly bombings target Afghan shrines

Date created : 25/12/2011

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.