Originally published October 2, 2009

The men of Bravo Company have a bitter description for the irrigated swath of land along the Arghandab River in Afghanistan, where 10 members of their battalion have been killed since the beginning of August: “Like Vietnam without the napalm.”

By Hal Bernton
The Seattle Times

JELAWUR, Afghanistan — The men of Bravo Company have a bitter description for the irrigated swath of land along the Arghandab River where 10 members of their battalion have been killed and 30 have been wounded since the beginning of August.  Read more... (1082 words, 1 image, estimated 4:20 mins reading time)

Two British soldiers have been killed by a suspected suicide bomber while on patrol with the Afghan army.

The men, from the 3rd Battalion, The Rifles, were caught in the blast near Sangin in Helmand on Tuesday afternoon. Their families have been told.

They were on foot at the time of the explosion, which also killed two Afghan army soldiers.

A total of 239 UK service personnel have died in Afghanistan since 2001, including 102 so far this year.

The soldiers were on a joint patrol with the Afghan National Army and the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force.  Read more... (241 words, 1 image, estimated 58 secs reading time)

KABUL (AFP) – Afghan and foreign troops killed 23 Taliban militants in separate operations a day after the president pledged to take responsibility for security in his new five-year term, police said Saturday.

The militants were killed on Friday in clashes with Afghan and foreign forces in southern and eastern Afghanistan, the police said.

Eleven Taliban died during an operation in Zahri district in southern Kandahar province, deputy provincial police chief Fazal Ahmad Shirzad told AFP, adding the Taliban bodies were left at the scene.

In the Sanzari area of the same district, eight Taliban were killed, he said.  Read more... (205 words, 1 image, estimated 49 secs reading time)

KABUL (AFP) – Afghan and foreign troops killed 23 Taliban militants in separate operations a day after the president pledged to take responsibility for security in his new five-year term, police said Saturday.

The militants were killed on Friday in clashes with Afghan and foreign forces in southern and eastern Afghanistan, the police said.

Eleven Taliban died during an operation in Zahri district in southern Kandahar province, deputy provincial police chief Fazal Ahmad Shirzad told AFP, adding the Taliban bodies were left at the scene.

In the Sanzari area of the same district, eight Taliban were killed, he said.  Read more... (203 words, estimated 49 secs reading time)