Taliban Cause Carnage With Motorcycle Laden With Explosives.
Taliban Forces On The Move.
In what appears to be a major offensive by the Taliban in Helmand Province it seems their forces are fanning out across this Afghan province and their forces are made up of: Pakistanis, Chechens, Chinese Uighurs, Uzbeks and Arabs and have been doing well in this latest upsurge in Taliban violence since the Americans and others largely left the defending of Afghanistan to the Afghans.
Near Bagram Airbase used by American and other NATO forces a joint NATO - Afghan foot patrol sweeping a local village encountered a Taliban operative on a motorcycle laden with explosives and before they had time to react the rider had ridden his bike into the patrol killing six American soldiers and wounding two other Americans (reports do not say whether they were military or security forces) plus an Afghan interpreter.
The Taliban right away acknowledged responsibility for this attack and it is clear although much of the NATO forces have gone there is still a presence there. The Americans are believed to have about 9,800 military personnel there who help the Afghan forces and are involved in counter - terrorism operations. The rest of the NATO forces comprised of troops from various countries comprise around about 13,000.
Helmand Province has seen its fair share of fierce fighting between British troops and Taliban forces during the British tenure there resulting in the deaths of 450 British soldiers. The British had gone there to keep the peace but found themselves in a vicious fight for the control of Helmand with the Taliban and possibly Al - Qaeda.
The Taliban though looked down on opium production when they were in power in Kabul but now times have changed and they grow opium in that province (Helmand) because it funds their war effort so it is easy to see why the Taliban fight so fiercely for that province.
