Official: 5 troops killed in Afghanistan bombing are all Americans

Five troops killed in a suicide bombing this weekend at a military base in eastern Afghanistan were members of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division, a senior U.S. military official said Sunday.

Earlier, authorities had said only that five members of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, which includes troops from the United States and other nations, were killed in the Saturday incident.

The families of all five have been notified of the deaths, and a formal announcement from the Army is forthcoming, said the official, who declined to be identified pending the announcement.

On March 29, the same Army division lost six troops in a series of firefights in eastern Afghanistan.

On Saturday, a suicide bomber wearing an Afghan military uniform struck, killing the five, at a military base, Forward Operating Base Gamberi, in eastern Afghanistan’s Laghman Province. The attack came during a meeting between Afghan soldiers and their ISAF mentors.

Four Afghan National Army troops were also killed and eight others, including four translators, were wounded, Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi said in a statement. The wounded were all in good condition, Azimi said.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mojahed claimed 12 foreign soldiers and four Afghan military service members died in the attack. He said the bomber, Abdul Ghani, “joined the Afghan National Army a month ago in order to kill the invaders.”

The Laghman Province base is controlled by Afghan security forces. Azimi said Saturday he would not comment on the Taliban spokesman’s claim.

While clear progress is being made security-wise in eastern Afghanistan, civilians are under duress, according to the U.S. military official.

In February and March of this year, insurgent attacks on civilians increased 330 percent compared to the same period last year, the official said. In February and March 2010, insurgents injured or killed 82 civilians; this year, the total for those two months was 353 civilians.

A plea from the next generation

Taimur Ali Khan

As a child I thought that growing up was the most exciting thing about life. Growing taller, more important, enjoying freedom, all were so tempting. But today everything I perceive is different. I only wish I had never grown up. The news gives nothing but an account of catastrophe: natural or more commonly man made. Perfection that I once envisioned, today is possible, but in a utopian world. Pragmatism portrays a completely different picture. At one time I used to read story books that always had a happy ending but today the principle of ‘Might is right’ has shrouded all good memories from the past. The superpowers are looting and plundering the weaker countries. Hundreds and thousands of innocent lives have been lost in warfare and as if this was not enough terrorism haunts humans everywhere in the world.

I only wish I had remained in my blissful ignorance. At least the bitter realities would not have frustrated and bred pessimism in me. World peace is a mere illusion. The peacekeeping organisations like the UN, Nato and others have demonstrated failure to fulfil even the most basic objectives they were established upon. Terrorism plagues all societies in the world. Not a day passes without bringing the news of suicide bombings in some part of the world or military clashes elsewhere. These are just the global issues, others that affect me more are internal issues of my country.

As one who has newly entered adulthood, I feel an urge to understand the causes of the seemingly troubled world I am exposed to. I question myself at times, that how was I oblivious to all this? Public institutions are declining and falling apart at an unprecedented pace. The national steel mill was sold out cheaper than it took to establish it, to a foreign company by the government. This was soon followed by a political crisis as the judiciary finally woke up and questioned the legality of such a transaction. The reason was obvious: a corrupt government. Leaders of my country have made it a point to gain the maximum out of the country and its resources. They then desert the country with substantial assets abroad. It has become a norm and the nation has become so phlegmatic that these frauds don’t bother anyone.

My elders say that I am a typical case of juvenile frustration; which will die down in due time and I too will conveniently ride the bandwagon but I believe I am different. I have been brought up not to mourn my loss but to look forward to making up for it. I don’t want to curse or criticise anyone but want to fathom the reasons for our failure to develop in these sixty years of independence. I claim vehemently that corruption and unprofessional attitude in every important department of the public institutions is the biggest problem of my country. The institutions are plagued with employees of mismatched skills and work expertise. No wonder these institutions cannot be seen going any further in developmental terms.

One thing common to all institutions, including telecom, education, finance and others was severe lack of work ethics. Every one was bent upon benefiting from the institution in a rather selfish manner. Corruption was rampant. Major embezzlements were only a norm wherever I looked. Fidelity was considered antique and redundant. The prevalent system is based on parasitism, where the workers gain maximum out of the system through illegitimate means and malinger when it comes to their duties.

I believe that God doesn’t give man trouble without its remedy either concealed or at times very obvious. I am a true patriot and acknowledge our achievements as a nation. We stand as a proud nuclear power today. We are an important member of the peacekeeping organisations of the world. But all this is subordinate to the crisis that looms invariably over my country. I am a strong supporter of democracy and want to see it come to Pakistan with complete independence from bureaucracy. I enjoy a profound insight in political and other issues of my country and want to bring about a change and contribute the most to my country.