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Somali government soldiers run to position during an ambush by al Shabaab rebels on the outskirts of Elasha town May 29, 2012. Somalia's al Shabaab rebels ambushed an armoured convoy carrying the President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed during a rare overland trip outside the capital on Tuesday, a Reuters witness said. President Ahmed was unharmed in the attack which occurred on the outskirts of Elasha town, located between Mogadishu and the former rebel stronghold of Afgoye, about 30 km (18 miles) northwest of the city. REUTERS/Feisal Omar

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Taliban launch attacks on U.S., Afghan military posts

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Mon, Aug 9 2010
A soldier with the Canadian Army's 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, shields his eyes from the dust as a Chinook helicopter lands at a military base near the village of Bazaar e Panjwaii, in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar province, August 9, 2010. REUTERS/Bob Strong

A soldier with the Canadian Army's 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, shields his eyes from the dust as a Chinook helicopter lands at a military base near the village of Bazaar e Panjwaii, in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar province, August 9, 2010.

Credit: Reuters/Bob Strong

KABUL | Mon Aug 9, 2010 5:45pm EDT

KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban insurgents staged attacks on three combat posts of Afghan and U.S. forces on Monday in a southeastern Afghan province, an official for the U.S. military said.

The official did not say how many militants were involved in the attacks or give any details about the type of the strikes in Paktika province, which lies near the border with Pakistan.

"The fighting is going on. I can't give you further details," Sergeant Stephanie Widemond told Reuters by phone.

The resurgent Taliban have staged a number of commando style strikes, involving suicide bombers, against Afghan and foreign bases and key targets in the past two years.

(Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by Miral Fahmy)
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Comments (6)
etartar wrote:
This is become “old news” and will continue to get worse and worse. After a decade and billions wasted on a fat cat Army that only sees itself as a vertically commanded iron plethora with dreadnaught like vehicles that move no faster then the bunker generals with their intelligence staffs who know absolutely nothing about how to fight a COIN war all the while they leave thousands of troops isolated and exposed without air cover or fire support. Even WWI Mustangs, Thunder Bolts and Spitfires would press the Taliban and at least give the troops a chance, but this Army is void of COIN aviation and has no vision for it. The Apache helicopters are as useful and used toilet paper and have eaten up billions in resources to fly around the general’s bunker. Veterans in many places are screaming for some action on this and since this is the “only war” these incompetent generals have it’s their party, isn’t it. What good is a new counterinsurgency manual if it says nothing – you have to be quick, light, always on the move and always ahead of the cockroach – which is exactly what light aviation does for you and it needs to be run by the small unit troop levels who can smell the enemy and not have to wait for a bunker staff puke to tell them on a video feed that they can see because the batteries are dead. This is now evolved into a crazy war lead by idiots who just kill their best children for greed.

Aug 09, 2010 5:27am EDT  --  Report as abuse
THeRmoNukE wrote:
If we can’t do much without cutting deals to tribal leaders, I have to assume that neither can the Taliban.

Aug 09, 2010 11:50am EDT  --  Report as abuse
Saturn2000 wrote:
I am just trying to remember – when was the last time the US won a war? (beside Grenada- year 1983, island twice the size of an air craft carrier and population half of its crew, armed with ultramodern shovels and broom sticks!)

Aug 09, 2010 12:00pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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