A Battlefield Tourist

Major Blow to Taliban in Badghis

Feb 16 at 2:02am by David Tate

The US-led coalition reports that the top Taleb leader, and eight other high ranking members of the insurgency in Badghis Province, have been killed in an airstrike.

Through intelligence sources, Mullah Dastighir was located in Daraya-ye-Morghjab, a village on the border with Turkmenistan, and killed with a precision strike.  Dastighir is believed responsible for a considerable escalation in terrorist activity in the far northwestern province, including a well planned ambush in November that killed 13 members of Afghanistan’s security forces who were escorting a resupply convoy through the province.

From my 11/29/08 story:

A miles long resupply convoy in northwestern Afghanistan was attacked November 27 by up to 300 militants resulting in 13 dead and another 16 missing.  The casualties are a mix of security forces, including Afghan National Army.

The 70 vehicle convoy was making its way through Akazai, Badghis Province carrying winter supplies and other needs for Afghan Security Forces (ASF) in the province.  According to local security officials, the fighting lasted more than three hours and nearly two dozen vehicles, with supplies, were also taken.

International troops called to the scene say as many as 40 of the militants also died in the battle.  That assessement offered following supporting airstrikes.

While one report says 16 government troops have been captured, local security leaders remain cautious.  “It is not known if they have been captured or have gone into the mountains and taken positions,” said regional police chief Ali Khan Hussain Zada.

Updated 1100 EST 2/16/09.