Combat Journalist

Combat Journalist (Kabul) – A grieved day in Afghanistan for everybody; the government, the people, coalition forces, US Military, & the Taliban insurgents.

First Attack – Twin Suicide Bombings in Kandahar:

A suicide bomber in Spin Boldak district of Southern Kandahar province attacked a crowd of people who were having tea or lunch or chatting with each other in a small café close to the highway.

First explosion caused by a motorcycle-mounted IED left several dead and wounded.

Within few minutes when people from around the area gathered at the explosion spot, a foot suicide bomber penetrated the crowd; setting the bomb on his body off, killed the 2nd group of civilians also.

The twin explosions killed 23 civilians and wounded over 50. Around 30 of the wounded men had suffered minor injuries and were dismissed after medical treatment at a close by clinic.

Second Attack – Suicide bombing in a crowded marketplace in Northern Faryab

A crowded marketplace in Maimana capital of Northern Faryab province where civilian men, women & children usually go to purchase their household needs.

Suicide bomber on foot sets his body explosives off in the middle of the market in the afternoon, couple of hours after Kandahar massive twin suicide attacks.

Two people were killed; one was a woman, another, a Local Policemen patrolling the market.

Atop the two killed, 10 people were also wounded – out of which 5 were women who were out to purchase goods for their houses.

A controversial incident – Precision Air Strike by NATO Forces killing 18 Afghans

This incident took place in South Central Logar province when NATO troops came under fire from an insurgent position. The dismounted forces requested air support to tackle the attack.

Helicopters arrived at the scene, and attacked the hideout where the forces had taken fire from.

According to local Afghan officials 18 civilians including women & children were killed as the Taliban insurgents were hiding within the same house with the civilians; and 8 Taliban fighters were also killed.

But according to the ISAF-NATO Public Affairs Office, after “Follow-on assessment, it became clear that only two women were slightly wounded, & the forces transported them to an ISAF medical facility for treatment”.

President Hamid Karzai condemned this, and called for a thorough investigation to determine further facts about the incidents – and to clarify if the civilian casualty did actually occur.

Last incident is crash of an ISAF helicopter in East of Afghanistan

In the afternoon Wednesday 7th May ISAF Joint Command Press Desk released a statement saying a helicopter of the coalition forces has crashed in Eastern Afghanistan killing two crew members.

The helicopter was a UH-60 Blackhawk.

An Afghan official later said that the helicopter belonged to the US Army infantry and was en route to Kabul. He did not specify the province where the helicopter crushed.

The official said the crush site was secured & cordoned off by Afghan & coalition troops in the area.

A natural incident killed an 11-years-old girl in Northern Balkh province

This incident is although non-hostile, but is sad and unfortunate for the girl who lost her life.

She was busy playing with her plastic toys, when the television which was improperly set on table, fell off at the small girl’s head, killing her immediately.

The television was an old SONY 32” and was relatively very heavy.

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