Two NATO soldiers, whose nationalities were not released, died on Tuesday in the explosion of a homemade bomb in southern Afghanistan, said a source from the organization. About 190 foreign soldiers have died in the course of the war in Afghanistan since early 2010, according to an AFP count established from independent website icasualties.org. On the other hand, four French soldiers were wounded on Sunday in Afghanistan when a bomb exploded under the armored vehicle in which they were, said late on Monday to the French general staff told AFP, confirming a report of 'Secret Defense', a blog the newspaper Liberation. "One of the soldiers seriously injured, are being repatriated to France," the admiral said Christophe Prazuck, of staff. The other three were admitted to a French military hospital located in the Kabul International Airport. Again according to the admiral Prazuck, the incident occurred south of the French base Tagab, about 60 miles northeast of Kabul, in an area long controlled by the rebels and the French and Afghan forces are slowly recovering . Continue reading

A soldier from the NATO force were killed today by insurgents in southern Afghanistan, bringing the number of 197 foreign troops died since early 2010, said the NATO force (Isaf). The soldier, whose nationality was not revealed, was killed in an "insurgent attack," he simply stated the command of NATO in a statement. According to a tally based on figures from independent website icasualties.org, 197 foreign soldiers have died in Afghanistan since early 2010, after one year of 2009 far the deadliest for international troops in eight years of conflict with 520 deaths. The number of foreign soldiers must spend in the summer of about 130,000 to about 150,000, of which two thirds are American. Continue reading

At a time when the insurgency has again spread across the country, but not as much violence as some years ago, Bamiyan, famous for the site where the Taliban blew up Buddhist statues, has now become an island of security, and a very popular tourist destination. It is estimated that the city and its valleys were visited this past year by 1,500 Afghans and 756 foreigners, and it is estimated that the three hotels in the area had a revenue of $250,000. The program to increase tourism, is so far only focused on the summer, but could help the ski market seasonally. By 2015 it is expected that the 116 hotel beds today, will reach past 1000, creating at least 1000 jobs and the visit of 10,000 foreign tourists and 100,000 Afghans, which would generate about 6 million euros in the valley, not counting revenue drivers, craft shops, and restaurants. But they would also need to improve transportation connections. Right now going from Kabul to Bamiyan, just 200 kilometers, takes more than eight hours. You can go faster and do it in four hours, but you must pass through Taliban territory. One option is to create a commercial flight path, but it is hard to land at the airport Bamiyan with cattle sporadically roaming around on the track. In any case, even if they can keep Bamiyan like a bubble within a hostile territory, the highest hopes are for peace in the entire country. As much as they want to preserve security in Bamyan in a bubble, if Afghanistan falls, this region will, too. Continue reading

German troops in Afghanistan will receive 15 additional armored Marder vehicles. In addition, Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg announced that pioneer tanks and armored bridges are going to be moved to Hindu Kush. "We are not preparing in general, but are responding to each specific need on site," the CSU politician said in the interview published over the weekend. "Some people are probably still surprised that our soldiers are there in combat." Despite the armor increase in other places in the country, no infantry would be needed except for civic involvement. Continue reading

German Army Inspector Werner Freers advocates a significant increase in combat troops of the German armed forces to strengthen the sustainability of international missions in Afghanistan. He considered the establishment of six additional infantry battalions would be useful, the general said in Berlin. The troops could be used to relieve the burden of forces already in Afghanistan and Kosovo. "What is needed is a strengthening of education and pioneering nature." The Bundeswehr is currently just under 7,000 soldiers abroad. Most soldiers do their service in Afghanistan and Kosovo like the vast majority of the troops is the army. Most recently, due to the drastic deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan and especially in dangerous stronghold of the German Bundeswehr in the northern Afghan Kunduz to infantry, the role of combat troops has been even greater. An infantry battalion includes a total of 800-1200 soldiers. Continue reading

According to a notification of a splinter group of the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) German Islamist Eric Breininger is dead on Friday to the 22-year-old sought on arrest warrants in fighting with Pakistani soldiers have been killed in the Hindu Kush. The years on arrest warrants sought and from numerous terrorist video messages known German Islamist Eric Breininger is supposedly dead, the 22-year-old died in an Internet communication of a splinter group of the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) on Friday at the in fighting with Pakistani soldiers Hindu Kush . The German security authorities consider the publication as a spokesman for federal prosecutors and Federal on Monday at the request of dapD said. For substantive accuracy of the information you could still make any statements that emphasized both. Also to be killed in the battle after the night of Monday, published statement of Ahmet M. Turk born in Germany, as "reported online world" and "Spiegel online". "The representatives of the Taifa al-Mansura congratulate Germany on 30 4th German-fallen martyrs, "it says loudly" online world "in the letter of the terrorist group. "After the heutmorgigen Nachrichtenstand we have learned that have fallen from Germany at the head of Jihad participating Elif-Medya, at his side and Turkish Selehuddin Abdul Ghafar al-Almani." The 22-year-old Breininger from Neunkirchen in Saarland is said to have called in the Afghan-Pakistani border area, "Abdul Ghafar, the German". Behind the name shall the Turkish Selehuddin 32 years old Ahmet M. conceal from Salzgitter. According to the Taifa al-Mansura, according to Germany Eric Breininger and Ahmet M. were in a car in the nordwestpakistanischen provinces of North and South Waziristan have been on the road, as they had been attacked by Pakistani soldiers. According to "Spiegel Online" is the battle near the town of Mir Ali have taken place. Continue reading