Cheesiest Prison In Afghanistan Sees Another Taliban Prison Break, More Than 450 Taliban Are Free Tonight

Dammit this pisses me off. You know, our troops are working their asses off in Afghanistan risking everything to kill and capture Taliban and al Qaeda and when we do put hundreds and hundreds of the bad guys behind bars, the Afghans are so fucking stupid that they can't even keep watch over prisoners. This jailbreak last night in Kandahar happened at the same damn prison where a few years ago literally a thousand prisoners escaped. Obviously, nothing was done to shore up this prison after the first break.

From the story at The Long War Journal:

The Taliban sprung more than 450 senior commanders and fighters last night from an Afghan prison in the provincial capital of Kandahar.

The Taliban prisoners escaped from Sarposa prison in Kandahar City yesterday using a "350 metre-long tunnel," according to Al Jazeera. The news organization said that 540 Taliban "officers" and fighters escaped, while the Associated Press reported that 476 Taliban escaped.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, in a statement released on the Voice of Jihad website, claimed credit for the jailbreak and said that "106 commanders" were among the 541 escapees. The identity of the prisoners has not been disclosed.

Mujahid also said the tunnel was built over the past five months, while a handful of inmates inside Sarposa were aware of the plot.

"As per plan, Mujahideen started digging a 360 meter tunnel to the prison from the south side, which was completed after a 5 month period, bypassing enemy check posts and Kandahar-Herat main highway leading directly to the political prison," the Taliban statement read.

Mujahid also said that a suicide team was prepared to carry out a diversion, but "the need did not arise due to the inaction shown by the enemy." The US military did find suicide vests inside the tunnel, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Imagine that you are an American Marine or soldier and find out that nearly all of the bad guys you have captured in the past six months are now free...back on the line to take more pot shots at you. Good grief.

And I'm not even talking about the Taliban that the Afghan government has been voluntarily releasing in a show of some sort of perverted "good will."

If the damn Afghans can't hold these guys, then why the hell do we even bother with the capture and the inherent risks? Apparently we need Americans to even show the Afghans how to run a damn prison, too.

More than 450 Taliban leaders, fighters escape from Kandahar jail


The Taliban sprung more than 450 senior commanders and fighters last night from an Afghan prison in the provincial capital of Kandahar.

The Taliban prisoners escaped from Sarposa prison in Kandahar City yesterday using a "350 metre-long tunnel," according to Al Jazeera. The news organization said that 540 Taliban "officers" and fighters escaped, while the Associated Press reported that 476 Taliban escaped.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, in a statement released on the Voice of Jihad website, claimed credit for the jailbreak and said that "106 commanders" were among the 541 escapees. The identity of the prisoners has not been disclosed.

Mujahid also said the tunnel was built over the past five months, while a handful of inmates inside Sarposa were aware of the plot.

"As per plan, Mujahideen started digging a 360 meter tunnel to the prison from the south side, which was completed after a 5 month period, bypassing enemy check posts and Kandahar-Herat main highway leading directly to the political prison," the Taliban statement read.

Mujahid also said that a suicide team was prepared to carry out a diversion, but "the need did not arise due to the inaction shown by the enemy." The US military did find suicide vests inside the tunnel, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The Sarposa prison is notorious for its lax security. In June 2008, Sarposa was the scene of a major Taliban jailbreak. More than 1,100 prisoners, including 400 Taliban fighters, were sprung from the Sarposa prison by a well-trained assault force, which used a massive suicide truck bomb and heavily-armed fighters to penetrate the front gate. The prison was poorly guarded and the more than 1,100 prisoners easily escaped.

Yesterday's jailbreak takes place as Afghan and Coalition forces and the Taliban vie for control of the Afghan south after operations ejected the Taliban from their traditional strongholds in the provinces. ISAF has killed and captured thousands of fighters and hundreds of commanders during conventional operations and conventional raids over the past year. The influx of 100 leaders and estimated 400 fighters will be welcomed by the Taliban, which have been hit especially hard in the south.

Taliban Remind Afghans In Kandahar That They Haven't Left, Six Afghan Security Force Personnel Killed

The Taliban accomplished two things today with an attack on a police compound in Kandahar, Afghanistan - first, they served up a harsh reminder to the police, the ANA and the U.S. forces that they are never far from the city of Kandahar and secondly, they demonstrated how elaborate some of their attacks are becoming (more than likely due to the tactics gained from al Qaeda brothers).

Here's what happened today when six Afghan security forces lost their lives and four Taliban jihadis lost theirs (we don't give a shit about the latter)...from The Long War Journal:

A heavily armed Taliban suicide assault team stormed an Afghan police compound in Kandahar City today, sparking a gun battle that resulted in the deaths of six security officials and four Taliban fighters.

The Taliban launched the attack by opening fire on the police compound with assault rifles and machineguns. After the area was cordoned, a Taliban truck bomb disguised as an ambulance pulled up outside the compound. A Taliban suicide bomber then detonated the truck to allow the three other members of the team to breach the compound.

Two of the suicide bombers then detonated their vests while the third member of the Taliban assault team exchanged gunfire with police. US attack helicopters and armored vehicles rushed to the scene to help the Afghan police repel the assault.

Four Afghan intelligence officers, a policeman, and a soldier, and four Taliban fighters were killed during the the battle.

In a statement released on their propaganda website, Voice of Jihad, the Taliban claim credit for the assault. The Taliban's account of the attack matched press reports from Kandahar.

Today's attack was similar to the Taliban's Feb. 12 assault on the provincial police headquarters in Kandahar City. In that attack, a six-man-strong Taliban assault team opened fire on the headquarters from a wedding hall across the street, then maneuvered suicide bombers to attack the police. The attack killed 15 policemen, an intelligence official, and three civilians.

I don't care how you dice this up - the planning and execution is impressive - now, the fact that the Taliban took out six and lost four isn't impressive but that's not what terror is about, it's not about the numbers, per se. It's about getting in the minds of the next wave of Afghan police recruits.

This is the quintessential plotting of al Qaeda - we saw this kind of operation time and time again against Iraqi police forces in the Iraq War. So, not only does this show how accessible Kandahar is to the Taliban, it shows how involved the training of the Taliban by al Qaeda continues to be.

Taliban suicide assault team strikes Kandahar police, kills 6


A heavily armed Taliban suicide assault team stormed an Afghan police compound in Kandahar City today, sparking a gun battle that resulted in the deaths of six security officials and four Taliban fighters.

The Taliban launched the attack by opening fire on the police compound with assault rifles and machineguns. After the area was cordoned, a Taliban truck bomb disguised as an ambulance pulled up outside the compound. A Taliban suicide bomber then detonated the truck to allow the three other members of the team to breach the compound.

Two of the suicide bombers then detonated their vests while the third member of the Taliban assault team exchanged gunfire with police. US attack helicopters and armored vehicles rushed to the scene to help the Afghan police repel the assault.

Four Afghan intelligence officers, a policeman, and a soldier, and four Taliban fighters were killed during the the battle.

In a statement released on their propaganda website, Voice of Jihad, the Taliban claim credit for the assault. The Taliban's account of the attack matched press reports from Kandahar.

Today's attack was similar to the Taliban's Feb. 12 assault on the provincial police headquarters in Kandahar City. In that attack, a six-man-strong Taliban assault team opened fire on the headquarters from a wedding hall across the street, then maneuvered suicide bombers to attack the police. The attack killed 15 policemen, an intelligence official, and three civilians.

Radical Taliban wing linked to recent suicide assaults

Today's attack, like previous complex suicide operations carried out by the Taliban in Kandahar this year, was likely carried out by the Mullah Dadullah Mahaz, or the Mullah Dadullah Front, a radical Taliban subgroup closely linked to al Qaeda. US military intelligence officials told The Long War Journal that this subgroup is suspected of having carried out the recent attacks in Kandahar.

The Mullah Dadullah Front is a wing of the Taliban in the south that has adopted al Qaeda's tactics and ideology, a US intelligence official told The Long War Journal in December 2010. The Mullah Dadullah Front is led by Mullah Adbul Qayoum Zakir, the former Guantanamo Bay detainee who has since been promoted as the Taliban's top military commander and co-leader of the Taliban's Quetta Shura.

In addition to the Feb. 12 suicide assault on the provincial police headquarters, the Taliban subgroup also executed a suicide attack in Kandahar's border city of Spin Boldak on Jan. 8. In that attack the group killed 17 people, including a senior police commander allied with General Abdul Raziq, an anti-Taliban warlord in Kandahar.

Background on the situation in Kandahar

The Taliban, under a directive issued by Mullah Omar, have responded to the Coalition and Afghan offensive in the south with a campaign of violence and intimidation. Taliban fighters have been directed to "capture and kill any Afghan who is supporting and/or working for coalition forces" and the Afghan government, as well as "any Afghan women who are helping or providing information to coalition forces."

As part of the Taliban's counteroffensive in Kandahar, the terror group has targeted tribal leaders, politicians, and other elites for assassination. More than 20 Afghans, including the district chief for Arghandab and the deputy mayor of Kandahar City, have been killed since the spring of 2010. The Taliban's counteroffensive is led by Mullah Muhammad Isa Akhund, the military commander for the province.

Top leaders at the International Security Assistance Force and US politicians have described Kandahar as the strategic center of the country, and said the province is key to defeating the Taliban.

Coalition and Afghan special forces have heavily targeted the Taliban's top leadership in Kandahar and neighboring Helmand province. Scores of mid- and senior-level leaders in Kandahar have been killed or captured over the past several months, including a "key" financier for the Mullah Dadullah Front; an unnamed senior commander who operated in Panjwai and was based out of the Pakistani city of Chaman; and another senior commander who is linked to Iraq's Qods Force.

Numerous Taliban leaders operate from Chaman, which is across the border from Spin Boldak in Kandahar. Pakistan's military and intelligence services have allowed the Taliban to operate from Chaman and other locations, and they support Taliban operations in Afghanistan.

In an effort to curb Taliban influence, special operations raids have been carried out in support of ISAF and Afghan counterinsurgency efforts in Kandahar. Since the summer of 2010, ISAF and Afghan conventional forces have moved into the districts of Arghandab, Dand, Zhari, and Panjwai in an effort to deny the Taliban safe havens and relieve pressure on the city of Kandahar. Scores of new combat outposts now dot the region in an attempt to secure regions that have been under Taliban control for years.

U.S. Troops Fight Off Taliban Suicide Attack at Kandahar Base, 4 Taliban Killed

The Taliban, hoping to take advantage of the Qur'an burning protests going on in Kandahar, Afghanitan, mounted a surprise attack on the Camp Phoenix military base yesterday - four Taliban were clothed in burqas with all four carrying assault rifles and two set off their suicide bomb belts trying to get two of the jihadis inside of the line. U.S. troops shot the shit out of the two Taliban that tried to enter the perimeter of the base. Three U.S. troops were injured.

From the report at The Long War Journal:

US troops beat back a suicide attack on a military base in the Afghan capital of Kabul today as violent protests over the burning of a Koran continue in the southern city of Kandahar.

The suicide bombers were reported to have been dressed in burkas and were armed with assault rifles. Two members of the four-man suicide assault team detonated their vests outside the western gate of Camp Phoenix, apparently in an attempt to clear the way for two of the other suicide bombers to enter the base. The other two attackers were gunned down by US soldiers guarding the base, Afghan officials said.

One Afghan civilian was killed and three US soldiers were wounded in the failed attack.

In a statement released on their propaganda website, Voice of Jihad, the Taliban claimed credit for the attack. The Taliban said seven fighters assaulted the base "with explosive vests and heavy and arms fire," and battled the US troops at Phoenix for three hours. "As many as 23 US invading soldiers including their officers were killed and several more wounded," the Taliban claimed. In their statements, the Taliban often wildly exaggerate casualties.

Today's suicide assault took place as protests in the cities of Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar against the burning of a Koran in Florida have turned violent.

This is just another example of where U.S. and NATO troops have to be at alert at all times, even in a major city like Kandahar - it serves up the dire warning that no matter how long the coalition has control of an area and a city, the Taliban are the masters in inserting enemy fighters into an area. Of course, at the same time, the Taliban are adept at capitalizing on any kind of distraction...like the protests going on.

It's good to see our troops are alert to the burqa disguise at this point in time.

US troops defeat Taliban suicide assault on Kabul base


US troops beat back a suicide attack on a military base in the Afghan capital of Kabul today as violent protests over the burning of a Koran continue in the southern city of Kandahar.

The suicide bombers were reported to have been dressed in burkas and were armed with assault rifles. Two members of the four-man suicide assault team detonated their vests outside the western gate of Camp Phoenix, apparently in an attempt to clear the way for two of the other suicide bombers to enter the base. The other two attackers were gunned down by US soldiers guarding the base, Afghan officials said.

One Afghan civilian was killed and three US soldiers were wounded in the failed attack.

In a statement released on their propaganda website, Voice of Jihad, the Taliban claimed credit for the attack. The Taliban said seven fighters assaulted the base "with explosive vests and heavy and arms fire," and battled the US troops at Phoenix for three hours. "As many as 23 US invading soldiers including their officers were killed and several more wounded," the Taliban claimed. In their statements, the Taliban often wildly exaggerate casualties.

Today's suicide assault took place as protests in the cities of Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar against the burning of a Koran in Florida have turned violent.

Yesterday, thousands of Afghans, incensed after a sermon at a mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif, overran security at a United Nations compound. Five Nepalese security guards and three UN workers were killed. Five Afghans were also killed during the riot.

Today, in Kandahar, 10 Afghans were killed after a large crowd gathered in front of the provincial police headquarters. Some people were shot, and others were beaten or stoned to death. According to Reuters, some members of the crowd shouted "long live the Taliban" and "death to America" while waving the white flag of the Taliban.

The Taliban have denied any involvement in the violent protests in Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar, but have praised the deadly attacks, which they said were carried out by "angry Afghans" and "civilian protesters." The Taliban are attempting to capitalize on the protests and have released three statements on the subject today at Voice of Jihad.

Background on the Kabul Attack Network

Today's suicide attack was likely carried out by the Kabul Attack Network, which is made up of fighters from the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and Hizb-i-Islami Gulbuddin, and cooperates with terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and al Qaeda. Top Afghan intelligence officials have linked the Kabul Attack Network to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate as well. The network's tentacles extend outward from Kabul into the surrounding provinces of Logar, Wardak, Nangarhar, Kapisa, Ghazni, and Zabul, a US intelligence official recently told The Long War Journal.

The Kabul Attack Network is led by Dawood (or Daud) and Taj Mir Jawad, military and intelligence officials told The Long War Journal. Dawood is the Taliban's shadow governor for Kabul, while Taj Mir Jawad is a top commander in the Haqqani Network. In the US military files recently released by WikiLeaks, Taj Mir Jawad is identified as a top Haqqani Network leader.

The attacks inside Kabul were directed by Talib Jan, a Taliban commander who has been imprisoned in the Pul-e-Charkhi prison for the past three years.

"From inside the Pul-e-Charkhi prison he was appointing people and giving them targets and instructions: do this, and do that," Lutfullah Mashal, a National Directorate of Security spokesman said on Feb. 9, according to The New York Times. "Most of the terrorist and suicide attacks in Kabul were planned from inside this prison by this man."

ISAF and Afghan forces have been targeting the Kabul Attack Network since the spring of 2010 in an attempt to prevent high-profile attacks in the capital. The Taliban are seeking to create the appearance of instability and shut down the operations of foreign companies operating in the capital, a US military intelligence official told The Long War Journal. The attacks also allow the Taliban to show they can reach into the core of Afghanistan despite ongoing security operations in the Taliban heartlands of the south.

The Taliban have carried out six suicide attacks in the capital since operations against the Kabul Attack Network intensified last year. Three of those attacks have taken place since the end of January.

Last year's suicide attacks were far less deadly than attacks in previous years, however, which included the January 2008 suicide assault on the Serena hotel, the February 2009 assault on Afghan ministries, and the July 2008 and October 2009 suicide attacks against the Indian embassy.