This morning I posted an urgent update about this story with links to PJ Tobia’s blog. Here is another update from Scott to me along with several pictures.
Eight suicide bombers attacked Gardez today. Two detonated themselves, four were killed by Afghan forces before being able to detonate their suicide vests, and two escaped. The Afghan forces performed brilliantly. They received intel early in the day and were able to minimize the damage from the attacks. Unfortunately, four Afghan soldiers were killed in the process, but civilian casualties were minimal to none. Following the attacks, patrols were dispatched to attempt to find the two bombers that escaped.
The attack, by tactical considerations, was a failure for the Taliban. Their inability to effectively fight the Afghan and Coalition Forces has left them with tactics that try to instill fear in the populous. Three to four hours following the attacks, I drove through the markets with the 203rd Corp Afghan Army SGT. Major, and the markets were full and busy. This was a good day for the Afghan forces.
WARNING- GRAPHIC PICTURES BELOW
US Army forces patrolling downtown Gardez
Dead attacker outside of Paktia Province Governor’s Mansion (notice BLUE BURKA laying next to him)
Gardez Traffic Circle near Afghan National Police HQ
Dead Insurgent outside of Afghan National Police HQ
National Directorate of Security (Afghan FBI) building Guard Shack
Dead insurgent outside of National Directorate of Security compound
James
says:
Excellent work! This gives me confidence in the abilities of the Afghan military. Hopefully we can train them up and strengthen them to the point where we can bring our men home!
The Kitchen Dispatch
says:
I think when anyone uses humans as bombs, this alone spells not only desperation, but failure in a larger sense.
Excellent work, Scott. It’s what we need. More stuff from the front line.
Dan Phillips
says:
Seeing something like this gives me hope that there may be some peace in the not too distant future, “The Afghan forces performed brilliantly. They received intel early in the day and were able to minimize the damage from the attacks.” It would be wonderful to bring all this to a peaceful conclusion and all of us could live in saftey.