Two Car Accident Colvin near East Haziltine
Police and Fire Responding.
Avoid Area, if possible.
Expect Delays
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Family Matters Blog: Blogger Urges Readers to Protect Identities
Family Matters Blog: Blogger Urges Readers to Protect Identities
By Heather Forsgren Weaver
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2010 - Heather Forsgren Weaver of American Forces Press Service is a regular contributor to Family Matters. In this blog, Heather gives tips to servicemembers and their families on how to protect their identities.
My Credit Card Company Thought I Went to Disney World
In the fall of 2007, I was planning a trip to Disney World when I found out that I needed to be in New York for business that same week. So I canceled my Disney World reservations and made new reservations and went to New York.
To keep my business expenses separate, I took a rarely used credit card with me to New York. Because I didn't use that card very often, I didn't think it was necessary to go online and check my charges. I just waited for the bill to come. That was a mistake.
When the bill came, not only were the charges that I made in New York on it, there was a large charge to none other than Disney World as well!
Since I couldn't be (and wasn't) in two places at the same time, I knew the charge wasn't mine.
I was lucky because it only took a couple of phone calls and some paperwork to get the charge removed, close the account and get a new card.
I also was lucky because any attempts by whoever stole my credit-card number (I still had the card) to steal my complete financial identity were quickly thwarted.
Others are not so lucky. The Federal Trade Commission estimates 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year, and many of those spend hundreds of dollars and many hours to resolve the problem.
Although there are new laws to try to prevent identity theft, everyone must be vigilant, and diligent, about identity protection. This is especially true for servicemembers who may move around a lot, or be deployed.
Deploying servicemembers is activating "an active-duty alert," which requires creditors to obtain specific permission from a servicemember or an official representative before extending credit. There is no charge for active-duty alerts, Dave Julian, the director of the Defense Department's Personal Finance Office, told me, and they last for one year and can be extended.
Active-duty alerts can be activated by calling the toll-free fraud telephone number for one of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies. That company is required to notify the other two companies that a servicemember has activated a duty alert.
Servicemembers and their families can also protect themselves by putting a "freeze" on their credit report to restrict access to it. Once a freeze is in place, potential creditors and other third parties will not be able to get access to a credit report unless the freeze is lifted.
Credit-freeze laws vary from state to state. In some states, only identity-theft victims can freeze their credit. The cost of placing, temporarily lifting or removing a credit freeze also varies. Many states make credit freezes free for identity theft victims, but depending upon where they live, others may pay a fee of typically $10 to each of the three credit-reporting agencies.
Finally, everyone should request a copy of their credit report every year from each credit-reporting agency, Julian told me. Since there are three credit-reporting agencies, he suggested requesting a different copy from a separate agency every four months.
If you use credit cards, don't make the mistake I made and wait for the bill to arrive. Instead, go online and check your charges frequently. Be sure you completely log out of your account, especially if you are using a public or shared computer, or are accessing your account from a public Wi-Fi connection.
The Federal Trade Commission has also developed a variety of resources which can be found on its identity theft website.
By Heather Forsgren Weaver
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2010 - Heather Forsgren Weaver of American Forces Press Service is a regular contributor to Family Matters. In this blog, Heather gives tips to servicemembers and their families on how to protect their identities.
My Credit Card Company Thought I Went to Disney World
In the fall of 2007, I was planning a trip to Disney World when I found out that I needed to be in New York for business that same week. So I canceled my Disney World reservations and made new reservations and went to New York.
To keep my business expenses separate, I took a rarely used credit card with me to New York. Because I didn't use that card very often, I didn't think it was necessary to go online and check my charges. I just waited for the bill to come. That was a mistake.
When the bill came, not only were the charges that I made in New York on it, there was a large charge to none other than Disney World as well!
Since I couldn't be (and wasn't) in two places at the same time, I knew the charge wasn't mine.
I was lucky because it only took a couple of phone calls and some paperwork to get the charge removed, close the account and get a new card.
I also was lucky because any attempts by whoever stole my credit-card number (I still had the card) to steal my complete financial identity were quickly thwarted.
Others are not so lucky. The Federal Trade Commission estimates 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year, and many of those spend hundreds of dollars and many hours to resolve the problem.
Although there are new laws to try to prevent identity theft, everyone must be vigilant, and diligent, about identity protection. This is especially true for servicemembers who may move around a lot, or be deployed.
Deploying servicemembers is activating "an active-duty alert," which requires creditors to obtain specific permission from a servicemember or an official representative before extending credit. There is no charge for active-duty alerts, Dave Julian, the director of the Defense Department's Personal Finance Office, told me, and they last for one year and can be extended.
Active-duty alerts can be activated by calling the toll-free fraud telephone number for one of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies. That company is required to notify the other two companies that a servicemember has activated a duty alert.
Servicemembers and their families can also protect themselves by putting a "freeze" on their credit report to restrict access to it. Once a freeze is in place, potential creditors and other third parties will not be able to get access to a credit report unless the freeze is lifted.
Credit-freeze laws vary from state to state. In some states, only identity-theft victims can freeze their credit. The cost of placing, temporarily lifting or removing a credit freeze also varies. Many states make credit freezes free for identity theft victims, but depending upon where they live, others may pay a fee of typically $10 to each of the three credit-reporting agencies.
Finally, everyone should request a copy of their credit report every year from each credit-reporting agency, Julian told me. Since there are three credit-reporting agencies, he suggested requesting a different copy from a separate agency every four months.
If you use credit cards, don't make the mistake I made and wait for the bill to arrive. Instead, go online and check your charges frequently. Be sure you completely log out of your account, especially if you are using a public or shared computer, or are accessing your account from a public Wi-Fi connection.
The Federal Trade Commission has also developed a variety of resources which can be found on its identity theft website.
Obama Proclaims Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Obama Proclaims Cybersecurity Awareness Month
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, - Americans everywhere prosper because of the nation's digital infrastructure, and therefore all citizens must defend it, President Barack Obama told the nation today.
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and in a proclamation released today, Obama said all Americans must understand they have a responsibility to secure cyber networks.
"America relies on our digital infrastructure daily, and protecting this strategic asset is a national security priority," Obama wrote.
The information technology infrastructure, he continued, reaches into almost every facet of the United States. While citizens look on the Internet as a way to exchange messages and ideas and to keep up with friends, the president wrote, it also controls vast networks essential for American prosperity. Computers regulate the energy grid.
Computers help in billions of transactions on Wall Street and keep track of trillions of dollars in bank transactions worldwide, Obama wrote. Computers also regulate the transportation system, he added, from enabling safe travel in the air to aiding operation of trains and subways.
"We stand at a transformational moment in history, when our technologically interconnected world presents both immense promise and potential risks," the president said in his proclamation. Indeed, computer impulses speed through the air at the speed of light, and computer malware, viruses and worms travel at the same speed.
Cyber networks connect people around the world at the blink of an eye, Obama noted. But attacks on computer systems, he added, can freeze the networks, compromise confidentiality and endanger children.
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, themed, 'Stop. Think. Connect," highlights the need for protection, the president wrote, noting this month "provides an opportunity to learn more every about the importance of cybersecurity."
The Department of Homeland Security is the lead federal agency in defending critical cybernetworks. DHS works to lead a coalition of federal, state and local agencies and private industry to counter attacks.
"I urge all Americans to visit DHS.gov/Cyber and OnGuardOnline.gov for more information about the practices that can enhance the security of our shared cyber networks," Obama wrote.
Related Sites:
Presidential Proclamation
Special Report: Cybersecurity
Department of Homeland Security - Cybersecurity website
Federal Trade Commission - Cybersecurity website
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, - Americans everywhere prosper because of the nation's digital infrastructure, and therefore all citizens must defend it, President Barack Obama told the nation today.
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and in a proclamation released today, Obama said all Americans must understand they have a responsibility to secure cyber networks.
"America relies on our digital infrastructure daily, and protecting this strategic asset is a national security priority," Obama wrote.
The information technology infrastructure, he continued, reaches into almost every facet of the United States. While citizens look on the Internet as a way to exchange messages and ideas and to keep up with friends, the president wrote, it also controls vast networks essential for American prosperity. Computers regulate the energy grid.
Computers help in billions of transactions on Wall Street and keep track of trillions of dollars in bank transactions worldwide, Obama wrote. Computers also regulate the transportation system, he added, from enabling safe travel in the air to aiding operation of trains and subways.
"We stand at a transformational moment in history, when our technologically interconnected world presents both immense promise and potential risks," the president said in his proclamation. Indeed, computer impulses speed through the air at the speed of light, and computer malware, viruses and worms travel at the same speed.
Cyber networks connect people around the world at the blink of an eye, Obama noted. But attacks on computer systems, he added, can freeze the networks, compromise confidentiality and endanger children.
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, themed, 'Stop. Think. Connect," highlights the need for protection, the president wrote, noting this month "provides an opportunity to learn more every about the importance of cybersecurity."
The Department of Homeland Security is the lead federal agency in defending critical cybernetworks. DHS works to lead a coalition of federal, state and local agencies and private industry to counter attacks.
"I urge all Americans to visit DHS.gov/Cyber and OnGuardOnline.gov for more information about the practices that can enhance the security of our shared cyber networks," Obama wrote.
Related Sites:
Presidential Proclamation
Special Report: Cybersecurity
Department of Homeland Security - Cybersecurity website
Federal Trade Commission - Cybersecurity website
Face of Defense: Guardsman Serves in the Classroom
Face of Defense: Guardsman Serves in the Classroom
By Army Sgt. Blake Pittman
224th Sustainment Brigade
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq, Oct. 1, 2010 - Georgia National Guard Spc. Doug Lane didn't quit his day teaching job when he deployed earlier this year to Iraq.
Georgia National Guard Spc. Doug Lane teaches college-level algebra at the education center when he's off duty on Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq. Courtesy photo
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
An intelligence analyst by night, Lane, who hails from Jacksonville, Fla., spends his days at the education center here teaching college algebra to service members for the University of Maryland.
Lane has worked for 20 years as an educator, having earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the University of South Florida as well as a Master's degree in administration.
"I love working with soldiers and helping students," he said. "I'm really in my element when I'm teaching."
Here in Iraq, Lane serves with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary).
Besides teaching his scheduled classes, Lane spends much of his free time at the education center offering extra tutoring for students. He also teaches an online course for Strayer University.
Some of Lane's students at the education center are fellow soldiers from his company. Spc. Alexandria Dean, a transportation coordination manager from Valdosta, Ga., is taking her first college course with Lane. When she heard that he was going to be her professor, she was a little apprehensive.
"He seemed boring and drawn out," Dean said. But she noted her opinion of Lane has since changed.
"He's a really good teacher," Dean said of Lane's ability and classroom demeanor. "His stories are funny and he's smart. He likes to communicate a lot."
Dean said she is "not good with math," but added that Lane's teaching ability and personality have made the class easier for her to understand. Compared to other math teachers she's had, Dean said she has had to ask fewer questions than in the past.
Though his teaching career spans two decades, Lane also has been a lifelong student. In addition to his degrees in education, he also has earned a Masters of Divinity degree, which he plans to put to good use by becoming a military chaplain candidate upon redeployment.
U.S. Army Cyber Command Assumption of Command Announced
U.S. Army Cyber Command Assumption of Command Announced
The Department of the Army announced today that Maj. Gen. Rhett A. Hernandez assumed command of U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) during a ceremony held at Fort Belvoir, Va.
Army Cyber Command is the Army’s service component to U.S. Cyber Command, a sub-unified command under U.S. Strategic Command. Army Cyber Command’s mission is to plan, coordinate, integrate, synchronize, direct, and conduct network operations and defense of all Army networks. When directed, ARCYBER will conduct cyberspace operations in support of full spectrum operations to ensure U.S. and allied freedom of action in cyberspace, and to deny the same to adversaries.
The Department of the Army announced today that Maj. Gen. Rhett A. Hernandez assumed command of U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) during a ceremony held at Fort Belvoir, Va.
Army Cyber Command is the Army’s service component to U.S. Cyber Command, a sub-unified command under U.S. Strategic Command. Army Cyber Command’s mission is to plan, coordinate, integrate, synchronize, direct, and conduct network operations and defense of all Army networks. When directed, ARCYBER will conduct cyberspace operations in support of full spectrum operations to ensure U.S. and allied freedom of action in cyberspace, and to deny the same to adversaries.
Petraeus on Afghanistan
Petraeus on Afghanistan
Fri, 01 Oct 2010 08:00:00 -0500
Link: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2ejv6yo
The commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan says he has the resources to carry out a successful campaign against al-Qaida and the Taliban.
Fri, 01 Oct 2010 08:00:00 -0500
Link: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2ejv6yo
The commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan says he has the resources to carry out a successful campaign against al-Qaida and the Taliban.
DOD Identifies Army Casualty
DOD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Justin A. Officer, 26, of Wichita, Kan., died Sept. 29 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Justin A. Officer, 26, of Wichita, Kan., died Sept. 29 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
CBP Officers Thwarted Three Smuggling Attempts in 24 hours
San Diego – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the port of San Ysidro yesterday thwarted three attempts to smuggle various drugs and people into the United States.
A Jeep was x-rayed and officers discovered that all five tires were stuffed full of drugs.
The first attempt was on September 29 at 10 a.m. when a 24-year-old Mexican citizen male driving a 1997 Jeep Cherokee arrived to the inspection booth. The officer noticed the driver was nervous and referred him and the vehicle for further inspection.
While the jeep was in line to be x-rayed, a narcotic detector dog alerted to the scent of narcotics emanating from the tires of the vehicle. The Jeep was x-rayed and officers discovered that all five tires were stuffed full of drugs. CBP officers pulled out 33 packages that contained 180 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $90,000.
CBP officers arrested the driver and turned him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for further processing. CBP placed an immigration hold on the subject to initiate removal from the U.S. at the conclusion of his criminal proceedings.
Later that day at 1:20 p.m. a 23-year-old U.S. citizen female from San Diego arrived to the inspection booth, the officer conducted an inspection of her vehicle and referred her and the 1993 Dodge Grand Caravan for further investigation. Officers discovered two illegal aliens hidden in a specially made sheet metal compartment affixed to the undercarriage of the vehicle.
Of the two illegal aliens, one was a 24-year-old Mexican female who was two months pregnant and the other one was a 23-year-old Mexican male. The female was turned over to the Mexican Consulate for repatriation. The male was held as a material witness. The U.S. citizen female driver was arrested and is awaiting arraignment at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego.
“People risk their lives and the lives of their unborn children in dangerous attempts at crossing the border. I am glad my officers intercepted the smuggling attempt before these individuals were injured,” said Pete Flores Acting Director of Field Operations. “Sometimes the consequences of these attempts could result in tragedy.”
The same day at 3:40 p.m., a CBP narcotic detector dog team was screening travelers in the pedestrian entrance, and alerted to the scent of narcotics emanating from a 69-year-old U.S. citizen male from Bell Gardens, Calif.
Officers then escorted the man for further inspection where they discovered one package hidden inside a girdle attached to his abdomen. The package contained heroin and it weighed 2.38 pounds. The street value of the heroin is estimated to be $33,320. CBP officers arrested the man and turned him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for processing.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
A Jeep was x-rayed and officers discovered that all five tires were stuffed full of drugs.
The first attempt was on September 29 at 10 a.m. when a 24-year-old Mexican citizen male driving a 1997 Jeep Cherokee arrived to the inspection booth. The officer noticed the driver was nervous and referred him and the vehicle for further inspection.
While the jeep was in line to be x-rayed, a narcotic detector dog alerted to the scent of narcotics emanating from the tires of the vehicle. The Jeep was x-rayed and officers discovered that all five tires were stuffed full of drugs. CBP officers pulled out 33 packages that contained 180 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $90,000.
CBP officers arrested the driver and turned him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for further processing. CBP placed an immigration hold on the subject to initiate removal from the U.S. at the conclusion of his criminal proceedings.
Later that day at 1:20 p.m. a 23-year-old U.S. citizen female from San Diego arrived to the inspection booth, the officer conducted an inspection of her vehicle and referred her and the 1993 Dodge Grand Caravan for further investigation. Officers discovered two illegal aliens hidden in a specially made sheet metal compartment affixed to the undercarriage of the vehicle.
Of the two illegal aliens, one was a 24-year-old Mexican female who was two months pregnant and the other one was a 23-year-old Mexican male. The female was turned over to the Mexican Consulate for repatriation. The male was held as a material witness. The U.S. citizen female driver was arrested and is awaiting arraignment at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego.
“People risk their lives and the lives of their unborn children in dangerous attempts at crossing the border. I am glad my officers intercepted the smuggling attempt before these individuals were injured,” said Pete Flores Acting Director of Field Operations. “Sometimes the consequences of these attempts could result in tragedy.”
The same day at 3:40 p.m., a CBP narcotic detector dog team was screening travelers in the pedestrian entrance, and alerted to the scent of narcotics emanating from a 69-year-old U.S. citizen male from Bell Gardens, Calif.
Officers then escorted the man for further inspection where they discovered one package hidden inside a girdle attached to his abdomen. The package contained heroin and it weighed 2.38 pounds. The street value of the heroin is estimated to be $33,320. CBP officers arrested the man and turned him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for processing.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
Calexico Port Officers Seize Over a Half Million Dollars Worth of Cocaine and Marijuana in One Day
Calexico, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Calexico ports of entry yesterday seized 183 pounds of cocaine and marijuana valued at more than $500,000, in two separate smuggling attempts.
The first seizure occurred at about 7:30 a.m. at the Calexico downtown port after CBP officers discovered 60 pounds of cocaine hidden in a 1996 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck. The driver, a 43-year-old male United States citizen was arrested.
CBP officers with the port’s Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team (A-TCET) were conducting an enforcement operation when a detector dog alerted to the undercarriage of the white pick-up. Officers escorted both the driver and vehicle to the secondary area for further investigation.
Officers discovered 21 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed inside the gas tank. The estimated street value of the cocaine is $480,000.
CBP officers turned the driver, a resident of Calexico, California, over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for further processing.
Officers discovered 21 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed inside the gas tank. The estimated street value of the cocaine is $480,000.
The second seizure occurred approximately six hours later at the Calexico East port of entry when a CBP officer conducting inspections of travelers entering the United States referred the driver, a 38-year-old male Mexican citizen and vehicle to the secondary area for further examination.
Utilization of a detector dog and x-ray equipment to screen the 1993 Dodge Dakota led to the discovery of 16 wrapped packages of marijuana concealed inside specially built metal compartments inside the vehicle’s four tires. The weight of the narcotic was 123 pounds with a street value of $123,000.
CBP officers arrested the Mexicali man and transferred him over to the custody of ICE agents.
In both incidents, the drivers were transported to the Imperial County jail where they currently await arraignment.
CBP seized the vehicles and narcotics.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
The first seizure occurred at about 7:30 a.m. at the Calexico downtown port after CBP officers discovered 60 pounds of cocaine hidden in a 1996 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck. The driver, a 43-year-old male United States citizen was arrested.
CBP officers with the port’s Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team (A-TCET) were conducting an enforcement operation when a detector dog alerted to the undercarriage of the white pick-up. Officers escorted both the driver and vehicle to the secondary area for further investigation.
Officers discovered 21 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed inside the gas tank. The estimated street value of the cocaine is $480,000.
CBP officers turned the driver, a resident of Calexico, California, over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for further processing.
Officers discovered 21 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed inside the gas tank. The estimated street value of the cocaine is $480,000.
The second seizure occurred approximately six hours later at the Calexico East port of entry when a CBP officer conducting inspections of travelers entering the United States referred the driver, a 38-year-old male Mexican citizen and vehicle to the secondary area for further examination.
Utilization of a detector dog and x-ray equipment to screen the 1993 Dodge Dakota led to the discovery of 16 wrapped packages of marijuana concealed inside specially built metal compartments inside the vehicle’s four tires. The weight of the narcotic was 123 pounds with a street value of $123,000.
CBP officers arrested the Mexicali man and transferred him over to the custody of ICE agents.
In both incidents, the drivers were transported to the Imperial County jail where they currently await arraignment.
CBP seized the vehicles and narcotics.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
Afghan, Coalition Troops Find Narcotics Cache
Afghan, Coalition Troops Find Narcotics Cache
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, - Afghan and International Security Assistance Force troops found and secured a large amount of narcotics during a combined operation in the Achin district of Nangarhar province today.
As the group entered the target village, they saw several people fleeing the area with bags. Some of the bags were dropped in haste to elude the patrol. The combined force found narcotics inside the bags.
During a search of the area the force discovered 30 kilograms of packaged heroin, 20 kilograms of opium paste, 80 liters of chemicals used to process opium and five rifles.
The narcotics, chemicals and weapons were destroyed on site.
In other Afghanistan news today, Afghan and coalition forces killed at least 15 insurgents in a firefight after insurgents attempted to set up an attack position in the Tsowkey district of Kunar province. After positively identifying insurgents setting up what has been known as a historical attack position in the area, an air weapons team engaged them, resulting in 15 insurgents killed. Initial reports indicate all rounds were on target, and there were no injuries to civilians in the area.
In yesterday's Afghanistan news:
-- Afghan and coalition security forces spent the month of September continuing to capture and kill key Taliban and Haqqani insurgent leaders, ensuring civilians were able to cast their vote in the parliamentary elections and clearing traditional insurgent strong holds. September marked a total of more than 438 suspected insurgents detained and 114 insurgents killed in security force operations. The security force captured or killed more than 105 Haqqani Network and Taliban leaders. These leadership figures include shadow governors, leaders, sub-leaders and weapons facilitators. Afghan and coalition forces completed 194 missions, 88 percent of them without shots fired. During those operations, more than 1,000 women and more than 1,750 children were protected.
-- Multiple intelligence sources and tips from local civilians led Afghan National Security and International Security Assistance Forces to a compound associated with an insurgent leader and improvised explosive device expert during an operation in Helmand province. As the strike force prepared to enter the target area, several armed insurgents were seen running into a tunnel system used by insurgents to formulate a defense of the compound. They were seen taking up firing positions and were preparing to engage the strike force from a flanking position. The strike force then engaged the armed insurgents using precision fire, killing two. The combined force then moved to clear the target compound. At the first building they called-out to the occupants, giving them a chance to come out peacefully. An insurgent and a woman exited the building. When the insurgent moved quickly into the shadow of the building, retrieved a weapon and attempted to engage the strike force they shot and killed him. When the combined force searched the building, they found numerous rocket-propelled grenades and launchers in the room the insurgent had exited. Following this engagement, three men, four women and six children exited a building in another part of the compound. They told the patrol of a number of Taliban fighters were staying in a separate part of the compound. As the force moved through the compound, they discovered a cache of RPGs, four AK-47s and numerous explosives. They continued to call out to the inhabitants, resulting in another man, woman and seven children exiting. The women and children were protected.
While clearing yet another building in the compound, the force discovered two live IEDs - 104 mm shells wired to explode. Another successful call-out led to three men, six women and nine children leaving the building. All weapons and explosives were destroyed on site by the combined force. The target of the search is a senior Taliban facilitator linked to the planning and facilitating of suicide attacks. He also procures and distributes IED components and weapons, acts as a Taliban paymaster to senior leaders, is a tactical instructor and procures poisons for insurgent use.
-- Coalition forces discovered more than 1,100 kilograms of ammonium nitrate in the courtyard of a compound in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province. Coalition forces estimate more than 50 improvised explosive devices could have been made with the amount of banned material discovered. "This is a significant find in a key area of Kandahar province," said U.S. Army Col. Rafael Torres, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center director. "It takes a large number of potential IEDs out of the hands of the insurgents whose indiscriminate use of IEDs endangers innocent Afghan civilians as well as Afghan and coalition forces."
-- An Afghan and coalition security force killed a Haqqani Network senior leader who supplied and coordinated attacks against Afghan civilians and Afghan and coalition forces along with six insurgents in Khost province. He was also directly involved in the planning and coordination of the foiled late-August attacks against Forward Operating Bases Salerno and Chapman. The failed attack resulted in more than 30 Haqqani insurgents killed. No Afghan or coalition forces were killed in the attack. Intelligence information led the security force to a compound in Terayzai, where the targeted individual stopped after returning from Pakistan. As the combined security force began clearing the targeted compound, several insurgents inside one of the buildings threatened the security force with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades. The security force engaged them, killing the targeted individual and his Haqqani associates. Upon further inspection of the building, the security force found multiple automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades, magazines and ammunition, along with a rifle and improvised explosive device components inside the building. After the area was secure, the security force searched the area discovering multiple RPG rounds and magazines, along with a machine gun, hand grenade, knife and IED components in a vehicle outside the building. After initial questioning of the residents at the scene, the security force detained one suspected insurgent. The security force protected the women and children for the duration of the search.
-- An Afghan and coalition security force detained one suspected insurgent in Zabul province while in pursuit of a Taliban leader who facilitates and conducts improvised explosive device attacks along Highway 1, a heavily travelled highway used by Afghan civilians. Based on intelligence reports, the security force targeted a compound northeast of Kala in Qalat district. Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all occupants to exit the buildings peacefully and then the combined force cleared and secured the compound. After initial questioning at the scene, the security force detained one suspected insurgent. The security force did not fire their weapons and they protected the women and children for the duration of the search.
-- An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani Network facilitator, known to endanger the Afghan populace through his indiscriminate improvised explosive device attacks, in Khost province. He also provided support to Taliban insurgents operating in the area. Intelligence tips led the security force to a compound in the Bak district to search for the facilitator. Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all occupants to exit the buildings peacefully and then the combined force cleared and secured the compound. After initial questioning at the scene, the security force identified and detained the facilitator along with three of his associates. The security force also found an automatic weapon, ammunition and a hand grenade at the scene. The security force did not fire their weapons and they protected the women and children for the duration of the search.
-- Afghan and coalition forces captured a Taliban senior leader based in the Panjwa'i district of Kandahar province. The targeted individual facilitated weapons, improvised explosive device components, training and bed-down locations for Taliban leadership. His actions continuously endangered the Afghan people living in and around the city of Kandahar. Based on intelligence tips, the security force tracked the targeted individual traveling in a vehicle southeast of the city of Kandahar. Afghan and coalition forces interdicted the vehicle peacefully and then secured the area. After initial questioning at the scene, the security force identified and detained the senior leader. The security force did not fire their weapons.
Related Sites:
NATO International Security Assistance Force
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, - Afghan and International Security Assistance Force troops found and secured a large amount of narcotics during a combined operation in the Achin district of Nangarhar province today.
As the group entered the target village, they saw several people fleeing the area with bags. Some of the bags were dropped in haste to elude the patrol. The combined force found narcotics inside the bags.
During a search of the area the force discovered 30 kilograms of packaged heroin, 20 kilograms of opium paste, 80 liters of chemicals used to process opium and five rifles.
The narcotics, chemicals and weapons were destroyed on site.
In other Afghanistan news today, Afghan and coalition forces killed at least 15 insurgents in a firefight after insurgents attempted to set up an attack position in the Tsowkey district of Kunar province. After positively identifying insurgents setting up what has been known as a historical attack position in the area, an air weapons team engaged them, resulting in 15 insurgents killed. Initial reports indicate all rounds were on target, and there were no injuries to civilians in the area.
In yesterday's Afghanistan news:
-- Afghan and coalition security forces spent the month of September continuing to capture and kill key Taliban and Haqqani insurgent leaders, ensuring civilians were able to cast their vote in the parliamentary elections and clearing traditional insurgent strong holds. September marked a total of more than 438 suspected insurgents detained and 114 insurgents killed in security force operations. The security force captured or killed more than 105 Haqqani Network and Taliban leaders. These leadership figures include shadow governors, leaders, sub-leaders and weapons facilitators. Afghan and coalition forces completed 194 missions, 88 percent of them without shots fired. During those operations, more than 1,000 women and more than 1,750 children were protected.
-- Multiple intelligence sources and tips from local civilians led Afghan National Security and International Security Assistance Forces to a compound associated with an insurgent leader and improvised explosive device expert during an operation in Helmand province. As the strike force prepared to enter the target area, several armed insurgents were seen running into a tunnel system used by insurgents to formulate a defense of the compound. They were seen taking up firing positions and were preparing to engage the strike force from a flanking position. The strike force then engaged the armed insurgents using precision fire, killing two. The combined force then moved to clear the target compound. At the first building they called-out to the occupants, giving them a chance to come out peacefully. An insurgent and a woman exited the building. When the insurgent moved quickly into the shadow of the building, retrieved a weapon and attempted to engage the strike force they shot and killed him. When the combined force searched the building, they found numerous rocket-propelled grenades and launchers in the room the insurgent had exited. Following this engagement, three men, four women and six children exited a building in another part of the compound. They told the patrol of a number of Taliban fighters were staying in a separate part of the compound. As the force moved through the compound, they discovered a cache of RPGs, four AK-47s and numerous explosives. They continued to call out to the inhabitants, resulting in another man, woman and seven children exiting. The women and children were protected.
While clearing yet another building in the compound, the force discovered two live IEDs - 104 mm shells wired to explode. Another successful call-out led to three men, six women and nine children leaving the building. All weapons and explosives were destroyed on site by the combined force. The target of the search is a senior Taliban facilitator linked to the planning and facilitating of suicide attacks. He also procures and distributes IED components and weapons, acts as a Taliban paymaster to senior leaders, is a tactical instructor and procures poisons for insurgent use.
-- Coalition forces discovered more than 1,100 kilograms of ammonium nitrate in the courtyard of a compound in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province. Coalition forces estimate more than 50 improvised explosive devices could have been made with the amount of banned material discovered. "This is a significant find in a key area of Kandahar province," said U.S. Army Col. Rafael Torres, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center director. "It takes a large number of potential IEDs out of the hands of the insurgents whose indiscriminate use of IEDs endangers innocent Afghan civilians as well as Afghan and coalition forces."
-- An Afghan and coalition security force killed a Haqqani Network senior leader who supplied and coordinated attacks against Afghan civilians and Afghan and coalition forces along with six insurgents in Khost province. He was also directly involved in the planning and coordination of the foiled late-August attacks against Forward Operating Bases Salerno and Chapman. The failed attack resulted in more than 30 Haqqani insurgents killed. No Afghan or coalition forces were killed in the attack. Intelligence information led the security force to a compound in Terayzai, where the targeted individual stopped after returning from Pakistan. As the combined security force began clearing the targeted compound, several insurgents inside one of the buildings threatened the security force with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades. The security force engaged them, killing the targeted individual and his Haqqani associates. Upon further inspection of the building, the security force found multiple automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades, magazines and ammunition, along with a rifle and improvised explosive device components inside the building. After the area was secure, the security force searched the area discovering multiple RPG rounds and magazines, along with a machine gun, hand grenade, knife and IED components in a vehicle outside the building. After initial questioning of the residents at the scene, the security force detained one suspected insurgent. The security force protected the women and children for the duration of the search.
-- An Afghan and coalition security force detained one suspected insurgent in Zabul province while in pursuit of a Taliban leader who facilitates and conducts improvised explosive device attacks along Highway 1, a heavily travelled highway used by Afghan civilians. Based on intelligence reports, the security force targeted a compound northeast of Kala in Qalat district. Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all occupants to exit the buildings peacefully and then the combined force cleared and secured the compound. After initial questioning at the scene, the security force detained one suspected insurgent. The security force did not fire their weapons and they protected the women and children for the duration of the search.
-- An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani Network facilitator, known to endanger the Afghan populace through his indiscriminate improvised explosive device attacks, in Khost province. He also provided support to Taliban insurgents operating in the area. Intelligence tips led the security force to a compound in the Bak district to search for the facilitator. Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all occupants to exit the buildings peacefully and then the combined force cleared and secured the compound. After initial questioning at the scene, the security force identified and detained the facilitator along with three of his associates. The security force also found an automatic weapon, ammunition and a hand grenade at the scene. The security force did not fire their weapons and they protected the women and children for the duration of the search.
-- Afghan and coalition forces captured a Taliban senior leader based in the Panjwa'i district of Kandahar province. The targeted individual facilitated weapons, improvised explosive device components, training and bed-down locations for Taliban leadership. His actions continuously endangered the Afghan people living in and around the city of Kandahar. Based on intelligence tips, the security force tracked the targeted individual traveling in a vehicle southeast of the city of Kandahar. Afghan and coalition forces interdicted the vehicle peacefully and then secured the area. After initial questioning at the scene, the security force identified and detained the senior leader. The security force did not fire their weapons.
Related Sites:
NATO International Security Assistance Force
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