Aug. 19, 2011

As embattled district cools, battalion moves north

CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Afghanistan (August 19, 2011) — A battalion of Marines left Marjah District today, signaling coalition force’s growing confidence in Marjah’s Afghan National Security Forces.

Aug. 19, 2011

Governance, development efforts continue in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (August 18, 2011) — Corruption and insurgent violence remain serious issues, but Afghan community members and leaders are strengthening their local governments “from the bottom up,” a senior Defense Department civilian serving in Afghanistan said today.

Aug. 17, 2011

Afghan, coalition forces pursue insurgents

WASHINGTON (August 15, 2011) — Afghan and coalition forces have been heavily engaged in Afghanistan’s southeastern region in recent days, killing and detaining numerous insurgent fighters there, military officials reported.

Aug. 16, 2011

Iraqi military capabilities growing, General says

WASHINGTON (August 15, 2011) — Iraq has the most capable counterinsurgency force in the Middle East and Central Asia, but its military still has a long way to go to defend the Iraqi people, a spokesman for U.S. Forces Iraq said here today.

Aug. 15, 2011

Official reports security progress in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (August 12, 2011) — Calling the operation against al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden “a great step” toward U.S. objectives in Afghanistan, a senior defense official emphasized the importance of continuing to build Afghan security forces and institutions so they can continue this momentum.

Aug. 15, 2011

CJIATF 435 bringing power to ANA life support area, local villages

SEH DU-KAHN, Afghanistan — As part of the ongoing process to transition the Detention Facility in Parwan (DFIP) to eventual Afghan control, engineers from Combined Joint Interagency Task Force (CJIATF) 435 conducted a survey of the surrounding area in Parwan Aug. 10 in an effort to connect part of the complex to Afghanistan’s national power grid.

Aug. 12, 2011

Afghan, coalition forces prevent mosque attack

KABUL, Afghanistan (August 10, 2011) — Afghan and coalition forces yesterday prevented a planned enemy explosion of a mosque in southern Afghanistan and killed a Taliban leader who led insurgent operations in the north, military officials reported.

Aug. 11, 2011

NATO airstrike kills insurgents who caused helicopter crash

WASHINGTON (August 10, 2011) – Coalition forces used a precision airstrike to kill Taliban insurgents involved in the Aug. 6 downing of the helicopter carrying 30 U.S. service members and eight Afghans, the commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan said today.

Aug. 9, 2011

Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah assists villagers after fire

FARAH, Afghanistan (August 9, 2011) — Members of Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah assisted villagers after their building caught fire during a mounted combat patrol in Pusht-e Rod District of Farah province, Aug. 2.

Aug. 9, 2011

Panetta urges continuing Afghan mission to emphasize resolve

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 2011 — The United States must not break faith with those who have paid the ultimate price, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said during the change of command for U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa, Fla., today.