The Taliban continue to attack outposts and district centers in the Afghan provinces along the Pakistani border. Today, the Taliban force assaulted a district center in Khost and suffered massive casualties, according to the provincial governor. Upwards of 70 Taliban fighters were reported killed in the nighttime battle.
The Taliban launched their assault on the Spera district center at 2 AM local time, the International Security Assistance Force reported in a press release. The attacking force, estimated at 100 Taliban fighters, attacked using small arms and machineguns.
The Afghan National Police manning the outpost held off the attack and radioed US forces for backup. The US responded by sending ground forces and supporting fire from artillery as well as helicopter and aircraft.
US and Afghan forces then surrounded the Taliban force and pounded the position with small-arms fire, artillery, and airstrikes.
The Taliban force was routed. “The number of insurgents killed is in double-digit figures,” the International Security Assistance Force reported. Arsala Jamal, the governor of Khost, said between 50 and 70 Taliban fighters were killed. “A small number” of police officers were reported killed. No US troops were reported killed or wounded during the engagement.
The Spera district center is just nine miles from the Pakistani border. The Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan, which is run by the Haqqani family, borders Khost. The US military has singled out the Haqqanis as a major threat in eastern Afghanistan. Siraj Haqqani is one of the most wanted men in the region because of his close links with Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda.
The Taliban, al Qaeda, and allied terror groups based in Pakistan have launched numerous attacks on US and Afghan outposts in the provinces of Zabul, Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar, and Nuristan along the Pakistani border. US and Afghan forces have repelled every Taliban attack, often inflicting heavy casualties. The Taliban and al Qaeda were able to kill nine US soldiers during an attack on an outpost in Nuristan. US forces later abandoned the outpost, and the Taliban took control of the town.
8 Comments
Would it not be effective to trumpet lopsided kill ratios in battles like this to counter the propaganda videos of the opposing side? Why does it appear we’re not engaged in the media war?
Well, lets take a look at the U.S. media as a whole. They seem largely not on our side when it comes to these things….
Terrorist Attempt To Invade Afghanistan, Are Decimated
Terrorists massing in the Tribal Areas of Pakistan have pledged Jihad against American and Allied forces in Afghanistan and elsewhere (including Pakistan). Personally I see this as completely suicidal on their part – especially after we see another exa…
“45 badass paratroopers fight off hundreds of T-ban/AQ in organized attack that managed to kill 9 of our guys during an attack on an outpost in Nuristan”, is how that last paragraph should read. 😉
Stories like these are what great books are made of. Everyone of these guys deserve the Medal Of Honor.
Thanks for reporting what our brave troops are factually doing while at the same time others are reporting “Base overrun and abandoned in Afghanistan”
In WWII the German government kept reporting on great victories ever closer to Berlin. One hopes that these victories are ever further away from Kabul.
Pictures of the dead in rows would be nice, but claiming many tens of the enemy kia while hiding allied kia, seems to be a bit odd.
Thanks, Mrs. G. I can skip the blood pressure meds now.
I don’t believe we will see the T-ban/AQ use these kind of tactics that often. They will turn more and more to a campaign of terror, like the bombings in Kabul. US forces have learned some valuable lessons in Baghdad, and I see they are employing them now in Kabul. Concrete barriers, checkpoints, etc. Kabul is thier target. Drive off investors, make the security situation untenable, the infrastructure suffers, and the people blame Karzai and the US. Let them come out and fight, they get lit up every time.
The Taliban keep having bad days.
Geo TV: NATO claims killing over 20 Taliban