Afghan Army Kills 45 Taliban

Masri is reported to be Al-Qaeda’s commander in Afghanistan’s Kunar province and, according to some analysts, the leader of last summer’s plot to blow up 10 US airliners over the Atlantic.

The Afghan army and NATO forces have become very adept at springing ambushes, as the details of this encounter are not uncommon. The Taliban seem bereft of competent leadership, and the people performing these attacks are poorly trained. During the month of Ramadan the forces expect more attacks from the unholy warriors of the Taliban as occurred last year. From Breitbart:

Airstrikes and Afghan army gunfire killed more than 45 suspected Taliban fighters in a clash in a southern province just as the holy month of Ramadan began, the U.S.-led coalition said.

The battle in the southern province of Uruzgan on Wednesday began when insurgents attacked a joint Afghan army and U.S.-led coalition patrol with rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire, the coalition said in a statement late Wednesday.

Afghan soldiers “cleared” Taliban fighters from firing positions within the village of Aduzay, while attack aircraft destroyed some fighting positions, it said.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force on Wednesday said insurgents increased attacks during Ramadan last year and that they could do the same this year.

“On the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, the enemies of Afghanistan have shown they will shun peaceful coexistence in favor of attacking government forces,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a coalition spokesman. “Fortunately for the citizens of Afghanistan, the ANA (Afghan National Army) is improving their tactics.”

The coalition said no Afghan or coalition soldiers or civilians were wounded or killed.

Along with that US forces captured a high value Al Qaeda target earlier this month, and transferred him to Guantanamo yesterday – from AFP:

An Afghan national accused of enabling the movement of Al-Qaeda operatives in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Iraq has been transferred to the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

The Pentagon said he was captured recently “as a result of ongoing Department of Defense operations against violent extremists in Afghanistan,” identifying the detainee as “Inayatullah.” Some Afghans have only one name.

“Due to the continuing threat this terror suspect represents and his high placement in Al Qaeda, he has been transferred to Guantanamo,” it said in a statement.

The Pentagon said he had admitted to being the “Al-Qaeda emir of Zahedan, Iran and planned and directed Al-Qaeda terrorist operations.

“Inayatullah collaborated with numerous Al-Qaeda senior leaders, to include Abu Ubaydah al-Masri and Azzam, executing their instructions and personally supporting global terrorist efforts,” it said.

Masri is reported to be Al-Qaeda’s commander in Afghanistan’s Kunar province and, according to some analysts, the leader of last summer’s plot to blow up 10 US airliners over the Atlantic.

“Azzam the American” is the nom de guerre of a key Al-Qaeda propagandist from California, Adam Gadahn, but it was unclear whether the Pentagon statement was referring to him or to another Al-Qaeda figure.

“Inayatullah attests to facilitating the movement of foreign fighters, significantly contributing to transnational terrorism across multiple borders,” the Pentagon said.

It said he met with local operatives, developed travel routes and coordinated documentation, accommodation and vehicles to smuggle operative throughout Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Iraq.

With the latest transfer, the Pentagon has now sent 19 prisoners to Guantanamo since September when President George W. Bush announced the emptying of secret CIA detention centers overseas.