Helmand province – News Stories About Helmand province - Page 3

US, Afghan Forces Kill 60 in Massive Taliban Drug Raid

May 23, 2009 9:43 AM CDT

US, Afghan Forces Kill 60 in Massive Taliban Drug Raid

(Newser) - US and Afghan forces seized a massive drug cache and and killed 60 militants in a four-day operation in Helmand province, Reuters reports. The troops scored more than 17 tons of morphine, opium, and heroin, along with 75 tons of poppy seeds, and caches of weapons and equipment, the military...

US Preps Plans to Take Out Taliban Poppy Crop

Apr 29, 2009 2:51 AM CDT

US Preps Plans to Take Out Taliban Poppy Crop

Offensive aims to cut off Afghan insurgency's financial lifeline

(Newser) - American commanders in Afghanistan are preparing a huge assault on the Taliban's opium-growing heartlands this summer, reports the New York Times. Taking out the opium crop is key to NATO strategy, and commanders expect casualties on both sides will be high as the militants stand their ground to defend the...

Pentagon to Send
30K New Troops
to Afghanistan

Feb 4, 2009 2:14 AM CST

Pentagon to Send 30K New Troops to Afghanistan

Heartland strategy seeks to cut off Taliban's supply of fighters, drug money

(Newser) - US commanders are finalizing plans to beat back the resurgent Taliban with tens of thousands of extra American troops in Afghanistan, the Wall Street Journal reports. As part of Barack Obama's emerging strategy, reinforcements will be deployed in rural areas where Kabul's grip is weak, including along the border with...

9 US Troops Die in Afghan Attack; Suicide Bomb Kills 24

updated

Jul 13, 2008 12:31 PM CDT

9 US Troops Die in Afghan Attack; Suicide Bomb Kills 24

But at least 40 militants killed in separate attack on coalition forces

(Newser) - A multi-pronged militant assault on a remote US base killed nine American soldiers and wounded 15 today in the deadliest attack on US forces in Afghanistan in 3 years, officials said. The attack came the same day a suicide bomber targeting a police patrol killed 24 people, while US coalition...

Harry Praised
by US Pilots

Mar 16, 2008 11:19 AM CDT

Harry Praised by US Pilots

F-15 flyers note composure of then unknown Brit who called in airstrikes

(Newser) - American F-15 fighter pilots were impressed with the composure of the British soldier who called in air cover on Taliban entrenchments in Afghanistan in December. But for 2 months Capt. Ben Donberg and Col. Dan DeBree had no idea that "Widow Six Seven" was actually Britain's Prince Harry calling...

Prince Harry Should Have Stayed

OPINION

Mar 12, 2008 9:11 AM CDT

Prince Harry Should Have Stayed

Christopher Hitchens asks what threat he posed others

(Newser) - When Matt Drudge revealed to the world Prince Harry was in Afghanistan, there he should have stayed, writes Christopher Hitchens for Slate. It's "piffle" to think that his royal highness was a "bullet magnet" in Helmand province, already one of the most dangerous places on Earth for any...

We Were Hunting Harry: Taliban

Mar 3, 2008 5:00 AM CST

We Were Hunting Harry: Taliban

Militants after 'important chicken'

(Newser) - Taliban militants knew Britain's Prince Harry was deployed with his infantry unit in Afghanistan and were plotting to kidnap or kill him, one of their leaders tells Newsweek. Deputy Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Karim claims he learned of the presence of "an important chicken" as long ago as December,...

Media Leak Ends Harry's Afghan Mission

Feb 29, 2008 5:38 AM CST

Media Leak Ends Harry's Afghan Mission

Army planning emergency exit for soldier prince

(Newser) - Britain's defense ministry is setting up emergency plans to withdraw Prince Harry from his battalion in Afghanistan after yesterday's news leak that he had been stationed there. He has completed 10 weeks of what was supposed to be a four-month tour of duty in Helmand Province, reports the Times of...

Afghan Deputy Governor, 5 Others Killed in Mosque Attack

Jan 31, 2008 8:04 AM CST

Afghan Deputy Governor, 5 Others Killed in Mosque Attack

Bombing comes amid 'failed state' warnings

(Newser) - A suicide bomber in Afghanistan killed six people, including the deputy governor of the dangerous Helmand province, in an attack inside a mosque today. At least 11 others were injured in the explosion in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, a focus of reconstruction programs led by the British army,...

Afghans Facing Food Crisis

Jan 6, 2008 5:28 AM CST

Afghans Facing Food Crisis

Minister pleads for wheat from international community

(Newser) - Afghanistan is facing a critical food shortage and is appealing to the world to send extra wheat, the BBC reports. "The situation is serious," warned the nation's commerce minister. Afghanistan relies on food imports, and the rising price of grain on world markets is triggering a national hardship....

Afghanistan Deports EU,
UN Diplomats

Dec 27, 2007 11:50 AM CST

Afghanistan Deports EU, UN Diplomats

Pair accused of meeting, paying Taliban leaders

(Newser) - Two veteran diplomats left Afghanistan today after failing to refute accusations that they’d met with the Taliban, Reuters reports. A UN spokesman said the men were only “speaking to people on the ground,” and would return, but Afghan officials were resolute about barring the EU and UN...

Euro Envoys Booted by Afghanis for Taliban Talks

Dec 26, 2007 7:43 AM CST

Euro Envoys Booted by Afghanis for Taliban Talks

Diplomatic row over alleged Taliban meeting

(Newser) - European officials were scrambling today to block Afghanistan's ordered expulsion of two high-ranking foreign officials because of an alleged link to Taliban insurgents, the BBC reports. Afghan authorities claim that the men, one an Irish envoy from the EU and the other a British UN official, met with Taliban members...

80 Taliban Killed in Afghan Battle

Oct 28, 2007 7:00 AM CDT

80 Taliban Killed in Afghan Battle

Coalition, Afghan forces pitch 6-hour battle after insurgent ambush

(Newser) - In a sudden new flash of violence in another American battle theater, US-led forces killed 80 Taliban fighters yesterday near a southern Afghanistan town held by insurgents. The battle erupted when Taliban troops ambushed a joint coalition and Afghan army patrol with machine gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Coalition forces...

US Targets Afghan Opium Crop

Oct 8, 2007 9:15 AM CDT

US Targets Afghan Opium Crop

Karzai reluctant to allow spraying of heroin producing crop

(Newser) - The US is pressing the Afghan government to stem its booming poppy crop with mass spraying following the biggest opium harvests in its history—which accounts for 91% of the world's production. Therein lies much of the resurgent Taliban's revenue, the New York Times reports, but Karzai fears a Taliban-inspired...

Taliban Shoots Down NATO Chinook

May 31, 2007 4:14 AM CDT

Taliban Shoots Down NATO Chinook

At least 7 dead in Afghan region still controlled by guerrillas

(Newser) - Taliban fighters shot down a NATO Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan yesterday, killing all 7 on board, including five Americans. Guerrillas then ambushed rescuers attempting to reach the crash. The attack occurred in Helmand Province, a region of Afghanistan known for opium poppy cultivation and a strong Taliban presence, according to...