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Pakistan:3 US soldiers among 7 killed by Roadside IED 70 injured

by Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke | February 3, 2010 at 04:18 am

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3 US Soldiers among 7 Killed in Northwest Pakistan

According to CBC Newsnet and the LA Times the US Embassy in Pakistan has confirmed that three U.S. soldiers are among those killed in a roadside blast in northwest Pakistan. Two other military personnel were injured.

The soldiers were part of a little publicized training program that trains the Pakistan military to handle the Taliban near the Afghan border.

Blast Occurred near a Girls School - More than 70 Injured

The blast occurred near a girls school. The blast injured up to 70, most of the girls, near the village of Haji Abad. One witness said they were all doing classwork when the roof collapsed.

It is not clear if the school was specifically targeted or if it was the convoy. The proximity of the powerful bomb near the school had the inevitable results. Schools have been a favorite target of the Taliban.

SHAHI KOTO, Pakistan (AP) — Three U.S. soldiers traveling with Pakistan security force members were killed Wednesday in a roadside bombing near a girl's school in northwest Pakistan, Pakistani security officials said. Other casualties included school children.

The three soldiers were in the region as part of a small, little-publicized U.S. mission to train members of the paramilitary Frontier Corps to better fight al-Qaida and Taliban militants, the officials said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

The U.S. Embassy declined to comment. If the deaths are confirmed by American authorities, they would represent a major victory for militants close to the Afghan border who have been hit hard in recent months by a surge in U.S. missile strikes and a major Pakistani army offensive.

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stejeb

at 04:31 on February 3rd, 2010

The taliban have been targeting girls' schools and female teachers across the region, if they knew the convoy would be there it was a perfect opportunity to hit both targets.

I think there is a danger that in training these forces we may be doing more harm than good to our own cause in the region, because I don't trust the Pakistan government or military one little bit.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 04:36 on February 3rd, 2010

stejeb, I agree it's a Catch 22 situation. You.re damned if you do and damned if you don't. The biggest variable here is the Pakistani government and who is in control of Pakistan.

158

at 07:33 on February 3rd, 2010

It seems that the Afghan war is becoming a regional war.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 11:39 on February 3rd, 2010

Has been, the whole place is intertwined. I'm not totally convinced that the US will be out of Iraq altogether. Too many high stake US interests near-by.

Barbara McPherson

at 09:48 on February 3rd, 2010

And so it goes ... on and on.

158

at 12:00 on February 3rd, 2010

I see no way the Afghan army can take over in 2 years.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 12:06 on February 3rd, 2010

158 the only way the Afghan army can take over in two years is if the Warlords let them. You have seen the damage that these IEDs can do to a all singing all dancing armoured vehicle. Imagine what they do to a pick up truck. Have a look at the 2nd video in this story. The video comes out of Iraq but shows how powerful and IED can be.