U.S. Casualty in Logar Province on Sat, Nov 4, 2017

Logar province, Afghanistan

On Saturday, November 4, 2017 a U.S. service member died of wounds from an operation in Logar province, Afghanistan.  The Soldier was a member of the 10th Special Forces Group based at Fort Carson, Colorado and identified as SFC Stephen Cribben.

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U.S. Service Member Dies in Helicopter Crash in Logar Province, Afghanistan (Oct 27, 2017)

Map with location of Logar province

A U.S. service member died as a result of injuries sustained during a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. The incident occurred late on Friday night, October 27, 2017 in Logar province. Logar is the province to the south of Kabul. Resolute Support HQs issued a statement (see link below) that said the crash was not the result of enemy action. The crash site was secured and all personnel have been accounted for. A number of crew members were injured in the crash and they are receiving medical treatment. The Taliban released a statement saying they shot the chopper down and 48 peopled died in the crash.

"U.S. Service Member Dies in Helicopter Crash, Logar Province", Resolute Support, October 28, 2017.

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Two U.S. Military Members Killed in Kandahar on Wednesday

A Vehicle-Borne-Improvised-Explosive-Device (VBIED) exploded as a U.S. convoy passed by. The event took place on a road near the Kangahar Air Field (KAF). Two U.S. service members from the 82nd Airborne Division were killed in the suicide bombing. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon. Their deaths bring to 9 the number of U.S. combat fatalities in Afghanistan this year. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Read news account of the bombing incident below.

"Two Americans killed in vehicle-bombing of NATO convoy in southern Afghanistan", Stars and Stripes, August 2, 2017.

"DoD Identifies Army Casualties", Department of Defense, August 3, 2017.

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RS Casualties - One KIA & Six Wounded Thursday Night in Kabul

One KIA & Six Wounded Thursday Night in Kabul. One Resolute Support Soldier was killed and six others were injured by a suicide bomber on Thursday evening in the Qarabagh district, Kabul province. The patrol was conducting a partnered mission with the Afghan National Army when a personnel-borne IED detonated. All of the wounded were reported to be in stable condition.

One Soldier from Georgia was killed and three Georgian Soldiers were wounded. Two U.S. Soldiers were also wounded. One of the wounded was an interpreter. Two Afghan civilians were killed and seven wounded. There are over 900 Georgian Soldiers in Afghanistan - the country is the largest non-NATO contributor to the RS mission.

(Resolute Support News Release, August 4, 2017).

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U.S. Army Casualty in Helmand Province - July 3, 2017

The United States Department of Defense released the name of a U.S. Army casualty who died on Monday, July 3, 2017 in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Private First Class Hansen B. Kirkpatrick, 19, of Wasilla, Arkansas died from wounds received during an indirect fire attack. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division based at Fort Bliss, Texas. Two other service members were wounded in the incident. Read the press release at "DoD Identifies Army Casualty", DoD, July 5, 2017.

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Insider Attack Wounds Seven U.S. Soldiers - June 17th

An insider attack occurred on Saturday, June 17, 2017 on Camp Shaheen in northern Afghanistan. An Afghan soldier wounded seven U.S. service members - reportedly using an RPG. He is reported to have been killed during the incident. Resolute Support HQs released information about the attack on Twitter and in a news release stating that "Seven U.S. service members wounded, evacuated for treatment. Insider attack Camp Shaheen, Mazar-e Sharif under investigation."

Camp Shaheen is the headquarters base for the 209th Afghan National Army Corps with responsibility for all of northern Afghanistan. It is located about 20 minutes drive directly to the west of Mazar-e Sharif - one of the largest cities in northern Afghanistan. Train, Advise, and Assist Command - North, headed up by the Germans and staffed by member nations from NATO, is located to the east of Mazar-e Sharif by about a 10 minute drive on Camp Marmal. Many of the advisors working with the ANA travel one to several times a week between Camp Marmal and Camp Shaheen on day trips - using either ground convoy or a short helicopter flight.

This was the second insider attack by an Afghan soldier in a week. 2012 was the worst year for insider attacks with over 60 NATO members killed in 'green on blue' incidents in Afghanistan. Learn more about insider attacks in Afghanistan.

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Three Soldiers from 101st Abn Div KIA - June 10th

On June 10, 2017 three Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division were killed by small arms fire in Peka Valley, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. The casualties were identified in a press release by the Department of Defense posted on June 12, 2017.

www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1210522/dod-identifies-army-casualties/source/GovDelivery/

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Three U.S. Service Members Killed in Afghanistan on June 10, 2017 in Insider Attack

Three U.S. service members were killed in an apparent insider attack in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan on Saturday, June 10, 2017. The killer was reported to be a member of the Afghan Special Service Force (ASSF). He was killed immediately after the attack. One U.S. service member was wounded in the attack. Read a news release on the incident by the Department of Defense, Three U.S. Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan, June 10, 2017.

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Update on Nov 12th Suicide Bomber Attack at BAF on Veterans Day

BAF Suicide Bombing Update. The Resolute Support Headquarters has released a news report providing an update on the suicide bomber attack that took place on Veterans Day. The bomber caused four deaths and 17 casualties. Five of the casualties have been returned to duty; 12 are now at the Landstuhl medical facility in Germany receiving advanced treatment. One news report (Gandhara Blog / Radio Free Europe, Nov 14, 2016) is reporting that Afghan officials say the suicide bomber was an ex-Taliban who joined the peace process in 2008 and then got a job as a local worker at the Bagram Air Base (BAF). According to Taliban statements the worker had been planning his attack on the base for the past four months.

U.S. Embassy Closed for One Day. A day after the suicide bombing at Bagram Air Field the U.S. Embassy in Kabul shut down for one day as a "temporary precautionary measure".  Read more in a news report by USA Today, November 13, 2016.

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Suicide Bomber Kills 4 at Bagram Air Base

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for a suicide bomber attack on Saturday, November 12th, at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan that killed 4 and wounded many others. The insurgent dressed as a laborer and gained entry to the air base. Two U.S. service members and two U.S. contractors were killed. At least 17 U.S. service members and one Polish soldier were wounded in the attack.

Read more:

"Afghanistan suicide bomb kills at least four at Bagram airbase", The Guardian, November 12, 2016.
"4 Killed in Bagram Airfield Explosion", DoD News Release, November 12, 2016.

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Special Forces Soldiers KIA in Afghanistan Nov 3, 2016

Two Special Forces Soldiers KIA in Kunduz Battle. Two members of the 10th Special Forces Group died of wounds received during an engagement with the Taliban near the northern city of Kunduz, Afghanistan on November 3, 2016. CPT Andrew Byers and SFC Ryan Gloyer were based at Fort Carson, Colorado - the home base of the 10th SFGA.

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Afghan Security News

Kunduz CIVCAS Event. An airstrike took place during the recent attack on a Taliban position in Kunduz city where two American Special Forces Soldiers died. The airstrike hit a building(s) where senior Taliban leaders were in - and also some civilians (many children). Some estimates say over 30 civilians were killed. Read more in "U.S. general pledges investigation on Afghan air strike casualties", Reuters, November 5, 2016. See also "NATO and government forces are increasingly responsible for Afghan civilian deaths", The Washington Post, November 3, 2016.

Australian Woman Kidnapped. According to some initial reports (Tolo News) an Australian woman employed by an NGO was kidnapped at gunpoint on Saturday night (5 Nov 2016) in Kabul.

Hand-Holding at FOB Gamberi. Learn a little bit about what it is like to be an advisor to the Afghan National Army's 201st Corps in eastern Afghanistan. See "Texas troops aiding effort to advise Afghan military", My San Antonio, October 31, 2016.

Senior al-Qaida Ldr Killed by Airstrike. The US says that Farouq al-Qahtani, who had long-standing ties with Osama bin Laden, was killed in a precision air strike in October. (The Guardian, November 4, 2016).

ALP, Uprisings, and Militias. In the northern province of Takhar there is a mix of armed groups that exist in addition to the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police. Read more in "Afghanistan tries to clean up its militias, both legal and illegal",  LA Times, October 31, 2016.

Green-On-Green Attacks are Up. The occurrence of attacks by members of the Afghan security forces against other members of the Afghan army or police is rising. Read "Wave of Afghan-on-Afghan Insider Attacks Hits Afghan Army",  Military.com,  October 31, 2016.

Army NCO Considered for MoH. An Army non-commissioned officer is being considered for the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in eastern Afghanistan in 2012. Read "We weren't out there looking for awards", Stars and Stripes, November 4, 2016.

Former Serviceman Dies in Afghanistan. A former Navy SEAL - Brian Hoke - died in Afghanistan. Hoke was from the Leesburg, Virginia ara and a 1996 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He left the military in 2002 and worked for the U.S. State Department with many deployments overseas. He is survived by his wife and three children. Info from "Virginia Serviceman Dies in Afghanistan", NBC Washington.com, October 31, 2016.

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U.S. Service Member Dies in Afghanistan (4 Oct 2016)

Resolute Support Headquarters reported that a U.S. service member died in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 from injuries resulting from the blast of an improvised explosive device (IED). SSG Adam Thomas, of the 10th Special Forces Group based at Fort Carson, Colorado was killed during operations in the Achin district of Nangarhar province. The combat operation was part of a larger U.S. - Afghan counter-terrorism mission targeting the Islamic State - Khorasan. Read more about SSG Adam Thomas:

www.sof.news/afghanistan/ssg-adam-thomas/

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U.S. Special Forces Soldier KIA in Marjar, Helmand

Matthew McClintock
U.S. Army Photo

A U.S. Army Special Forces Soldier was killed during fighting in Marja district of Helmand province on January 5, 2016. SSG Matthew Q. McClintock, age 30, of 1st Battalion 19th Special Forces Group was killed by small arms fire. His SFODA was accompanying an Afghan SOF unit in an advisory capacity when it encountered insurgents. Two other SF Soldiers were wounded in the engagement. One rescue helicopter was waved off due to enemy fire and another rescue helicopter was grounded with its crew in the vicinity of the attack due to fire received or a mechanical issue. Four Afghan Special Ops personnel were also wounded. News reports indicate it took several hours to evacuate the wounded special operators due to the intense fighting. McClintock was on his third combat tour. He had previously served with the 1st Cavalry Division and the 1st Special Forces Group. He leaves behind a wife and infant son.

News Reports on the incident:

"Casualty Report", USFOR-A News Release, January 5, 2016.

"Afghanistan conflict: US casualties on special forces mission", BBC News, January 5, 2016.

"DoD Identifies Army Casualty", DoD News Release, January 6, 2016.

"DoD identifies Special Forces soldier killed in Afghanistan", Army Times, January 6, 2016.

"Pentagon identifies Army Special Forces soldier killed in Afghanistan", The Washington Post, January 6, 2015.

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SOF News

Joe Votel to CENTCOM. News reports indicate that General Votel, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), is being nominated for commander of Central Command (CENTCOM). No word on who will take USSOCOM (another SEAL, another JSOC dude, or just maybe - a Green Beret!).

Tony Thomas to USSOCOM? Some news reports say that the current commander of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), LTG "Tony" Thomas, will take the helm at USSOCOM. Thomas commanded the Special Operations Joint Task Force - Afghanistan (SOJTF-A) a few years ago. If selected "Thomas would be the third former JSOC commander in a row to head up SOCOM; the last time a career Green Beret held the post was more than 15 years ago, before the war on terror began, even though Green Berets account for by far the plurality of SOCOM's special operators and are seeing increased use from Africa to Afghanistan as the military tries to shape the war efforts of allied militaries and irregular forces". Read more in "This shadowy JSOC general is expected to be the next leader of America's special operations forces", The Washington Post, January 7, 2016.

Other Contenders for USSOCOM? LTG John Mulholland, currently assigned to the CIA, is being considered. A long-shot might be LTG Ken Tovo - currently commanding USASOC.

BG Brower Returns to Campbell. General Scott Brower, former commander of the 5th Special Forces as well as a former commander of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - AP (Iraq), has taken up a position with the 101st Airborne Division. He previously was CoS at USASOC and had been deployed to Islamabad, Pakistan. Read more in a news report by The Leaf-Chronicle, January 5, 2016.

Does the UK Need "Tier 2" Units? One commentator says the UK should develop a force similar to the U.S. Army Special Forces Green Berets. The Telegraph, January 4, 2016.

Live to Tell - New Documentary Series. Film 45 is rolling out a 8-part series on elite forces that have been fighting the war on terror since 2001. The program, Live to Tell, airs on the History channel on Sunday nights. First show was on January 10th. www.history.com/shows/live-to-tell

How Not to Do Unconventional Warfare. There are certain steps that need to be taken to successfully form up a resistance group or guerrilla band. These phases of Unconventional Warfare (UW) are learned during Special Forces training for future Green Berets. The recent debacle in forming a resistance fighter group in Syria should certainly be integrated into a 'lessons learned' portion of the the instruction at the Special Warfare school at Fort Bragg. Call it "What Not to Do in UW." Read "What really happened to the U.S. train-and-equip program in Syria?", McClatchy DC, December 21, 2015.

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Six U.S. Killed by VBIED in Afghanistan

Photo by DVIDS Dec 21, 2015.

Six U.S. Air Force personnel were killed near Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan on Monday, December 21st by a vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED). The suicide bomber was driving a motorbike in the attack. Among the victims were a detective with the New York City police department, the son of a DC restaurateur (and AF investigator), and a female major in the Air Force. The Airmen were conducting a meeting with local figures in the area. Additional members of the U.S. military were wounded as well as a small number of Afghan police officials. The Embassy of the United States issued a statement on the attack near Bagram. The six airmen are identified in a news report by Air Force Times. Some news reports say that the attack was partially enabled by a failure of Afghan police to conduct an adequate search of people entering the area where the patrol was working.

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U.S. Aid Worker Killed in Afghanistan

Photo from "Lisa Akbari
Foundation" Facebook

A U.S. aid worker was killed in Kabul by an Afghan man. Lisa Akbari, an Afghan-American (age 35), was shot while leaving the gym in her apartment complex and returning to her room. She worked for the DoD as a member of the Human Terrain System from 2009 to 2013, and then for several humanitarian aid organizations in Afghanistan. Her father is from Afghanistan and her mother from Iran. Lisa grew up in California. The attacker was captured shortly after the incident. A non-profit organization called the "Lisa Akbari Foundation" has been established to raise money for Afghan women and children.

Some news stories of the incident are below:

"American women killed in Kabul wanted to help Afghans, sister says", CNN, Dec 22, 2015.
"Mullah Accused of Killing Afghan-American Woman in Kabul", Breitbart.com, Dec 22, 2015.

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C-130 Crash in Jalalabad

C-130J in Afghanistan (Photo by AFCENT Oct 2013)

A U.S. Air Force C-130J cargo plane crashed on very early on Friday morning in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Six crew members and five contractors died in the crash. Two Afghan civilians were killed on the ground. The Taliban have claimed credit for shooting down the aircraft (naturally); however, Resolute Support spokespeople have denied this - saying the crash is under investigation. Two of the airmen were from the 66th Security Force Squadron based at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts. Four of the airmen were from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas. Read more in "C-130 crash in Afghanistan was not enemy action, Air Force says", Air Force Times, October 2, 2015.

Paper - "Body Count"

The Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) has published an extensive study of the deaths caused by the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. The short name of the paper is "Body Count"; the long name is "Body Count: Casualty Figures after 10 years of the War on Terror". For those that can remember (yes, I do) the term 'body count' gained much attention during the Vietnam War. One of the methods the military command in Vietnam measured progress on the battlefield in Vietnam was using a body count metric - how many of the enemy were killed during a certain operation or period. It became a focus of the military during the 'Five O'clock Follies" - the public affairs office briefings to the press that occurred in Saigon every day at 5:00 pm. The military, in an effort to show progress, would trot out charts depicting the latest body count information. Unfortunately, this public affairs practice turned into a negative. As a result, the US has learned to not release enemy casualty figures; and when they do, they are not tallied from day to day. So it is not surprising that the PSR 'borrows' the term for the title of their paper; as the negative association of the term fits their political agenda and resonates with many of their readership and will likely influence others beyond their usual audience. The paper by PSR attempts to fill the information gap of the casualties not tracked by the U.S. in Afghanistan (and Iraq and Pakistan as well). The paper is dated March 2015, is an Adobe Acrobat PDF, and is over 100 pages of graphs, charts, maps, pictures, figures, etc. In regards to Afghanistan, the paper provides estimates of the number of war deaths from October 7, 2001 to December 31, 2011. It examines the casualty figures of civilians, Afghan security forces, ISAF and OEF Soldiers, private security contractors, civilian employees of the US government, journalists, and insurgents.

www.psr.org/assets/pdfs/body-count.pdf

Security Incidents Increase in Feb 2015

Tolo News has reported that there were 848 security incidents in Afghanistan in February 2015. This was a 22 percent increase over January 2015. Southern Helmand province suffered most of the incidents followed by Nangarhar and Kunar in the east, Herat in the west, Kandahar in the south. Read more in "22 Percent Increase in Security Incidents", Tolo News, March 8, 2015.