'Grootste Taliban-aanval dit jaar' in Uruzgan

[boekje_pienter]

...aldus nieuwszender CNN.

About 100 Taliban militants launched an attack in southern Afghanistan against coalition troops Friday, an assault a U.S. military official called the "largest" this year so far by the Taliban.

The incident occurred in Uruzgan province amid Thursday fighting that left at least 17 militants dead.

The coalition said Afghan and coalition forces were attacked with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades and then fled to a village.

"Coalition aircraft engaged the positively identified enemy position with a precision airstrike," the U.S. led-coalition said in a statement.

The fighting began on Thursday when militants ambushed a U.S.-Afghan patrol.

"While investigating an area used by militants to attack an ANA checkpoint earlier this week, the combined patrol was ambushed by militants with small-arms and indirect fire. The combined patrol returned small-arms fire and the militants moved into a fortified position near an orchard.

"The combined patrol observed numerous non-combatants fleeing the area. Once the area was assessed to be clear of non-combatants, the combined patrol confirmed positive identification of the militant's position and requested support from coalition aircraft. coalition forces directed one precision airstrike followed by air-to-ground gunfire on the positively identified enemy positions," the coalition said.

Troops stayed in the area overnight "to provide security for the local populace," and the 100 militants then launched the attack in the region.

Also on Thursday, two British soldiers were killed and a third was wounded in neighboring Helmand province when they were assaulted by insurgents, the British Defence Ministry said.

[Lex]

KABUL - 
Ongeveer honderd Taliban-strijders hebben in de Afghaanse provincie Uruzgan vrijdag militairen aangevallen van de internationale coalitietroepen. Het gaat om de ,,grootste'' aanval die de Taliban dit jaar uitvoerden.

Dat heeft een Amerikaanse legerfunctionaris gezegd, aldus nieuwszender CNN. Door de gevechten zijn ten minste zeventien strijders omgekomen. Militairen van de coalitiemacht en Afghaanse collega's werden vrijdagochtend aangevallen met geweren en raketgranaten. De aanvallers vluchtten vervolgens een dorpje in. Daar werden zij door de te hulp geroepen luchtmacht gebombardeerd.

Donderdag kwam het volgens een vrijdag uitgegeven verklaring al tot gevechten in de buurt van Tarin Kowt. Ook toen kwamen gevechtsvliegtuigen eraan te pas, waardoor zeventien militanten omkwamen.

ANP | Gepubliceerd op 13 juni 2008, 14:56