Afghan, Coalition Forces Target Taliban Leader in Takhar

KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 25, 2011) — Afghan and coalition forces killed Hafiz, a Taliban leader, along with several other armed combatants, and detained several combatants during an operation yesterday in Takhar province.

Hafiz was a Taliban leader from Darqad district and led attacks against local Afghan village security forces. He assisted Pakistan-based Taliban facilitators by moving money, weapons, ammunition and fighters from Kunduz province to Takhar province. The Taliban provincial shadow governor and district shadow governor were closely associated with the now-deceased Taliban leader. He also had ties with an al-Qaida facilitator.

Multiple intelligence sources led the security force to the targeted building in Khwajah Ghar district. As the joint security force arrived, armed combatants shot at them with rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire. The security force returned fire resulting in Hafiz and several armed combatants being killed.

After the building was secure, several suspected combatants were detained based on initial questioning at the scene. Security forces recovered multiple RPGs and launchers, numerous AK-47s and ammunition from the scene.

If we really wanted to win the war in Afghanistan and keep that country divided and literally impossible for al quaida to regroup, we would make the friendliest neighborhoods and sections of Afghanistan wealthy, (by their standards, with decent infrastructure and many cows & goats), and train and arm them to the teeth to protect that 'wealth'. Then more and more "wealth" would be added on to each family or tribe who terminated an al Quaida or Taliban devil. Wealth for free at the start, then kill terrorists to increase their wealth. It's a plan that can't fail. Then sit back and watch the jealousies of the poorer tribes work its way into tribal warfare. "Why can't we kill terrorists for money too"? they will crow. At which point we oblige them, two goats and a cow for each terminated Taliban or al Quaida. A healthy Bull and six cows for a big named leader.

In this way we get the terrorists terminated and the country divided and weak due to spats about who's getting more 'stuff' for their kills.

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