Category Kunar

Murky death of MI6 ally who paid Linda Norgrove’s abductor

December 4, 2011 · by · in Afghanistan, Kunar · Leave a comment

The Sunday Times The burly figure of Sabar Lal, a 49-year-old gem dealer with a salt and pepper beard, loomed in the arched doorway of his home. Facing him in the garden, a team of US special forces and Afghan commandos levelled their assault rifles. As helicopters buzzed overhead, five bullets fired from one of […]

Pakistani mortars ‘trigger deadly air strike’

November 27, 2011 · by · in Afghanistan, Kunar, Pakistan · 1 Comment

The Sunday Times The US has expressed regret and offered its “deepest condolences” after 24 Pakistani soldiers who were killed in cross-border Nato air strikes were buried on Sunday, calling the attacks a “tragic unintended incident”. Pakistani troops fired mortars at American ground soldiers patrolling the Afghan border, triggering Nato air strikes, according to Afghan […]

Nato ready to risk swifter Afghan handover

October 23, 2011 · by · in Afghanistan, Kunar · Leave a comment

A classified document seen by The Sunday Times shows planners are mulling the idea of completing the planned transfer of power in 2013 The Sunday Times Nato has drawn up plans to accelerate the passing of security to Afghan soldiers and police before it withdraws from the country. It currently plans to hand over all […]

Return of the Radio Mullah?

June 16, 2011 · by · in Afghanistan, Kunar, Nuristan · Leave a comment

In keeping with the Nuristan theme, I thought I’d add a small detail that was left out of the story on Sunday. Maulana Fazlullah, nicknamed the “Radio Mullah” after he launched a pirate radio station in Pakistan’s Swat Valley in 2006, is apparently still hiding in Nuristan despite claims that he was killed in May […]

‘What’s the point? The Taliban will be back within a week’

October 4, 2009 · by · in Afghanistan, Kunar · Leave a comment

The Sunday Times, Combat Outpost Monti, Kunar Province Specialist Alexander Miller had been watching a mysterious Afghan standing in a cornfield for 20 minutes. But it took only a split second for the American soldier to be mortally wounded. As Miller turned his back momentarily, the Afghan picked up a weapon hidden at his feet […]