Soldier gives birth in Afghanistan, didn't know she was pregnant

On Tuesday, a British servicewoman, who was apparently unaware of her pregnancy, gave birth to a son at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

Most women who have experienced pregnancy and childbirth, might find it hard to believe that the servicewoman was not aware of the fact that she was pregnant.

However, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said that a British servicewoman has given birth while serving in Afghanistan. According to the Daily Mail the woman, reported to be from Fiji, served as a gunner with the Royal Artillery, and had been deployed with the 17th Mechanized Brigade since March... read more.

NZ soldiers perform Haka for fallen comrades in Afghanistan

The New Zealand Defense Force has released a video showing hundreds of its troops, performing a traditional Maori funeral Haka in tribute to their five fallen colleagues who died in Afghanistan.

Digital Journal reported earlier in August on the deaths of two New Zealand soldiers, with six others wounded, in a volatile area north east of Bamiyan Province of Afghanistan. These soldiers were members of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team... read more and watch video.

NATO apologizes for killing 18 civilians in Afghan airstrike

The deadly airstrike in Afghanistan's Logar province took the lives of 18 civilians, including children. NATO now apologizes for the attack.

Digital Journal reported yesterday on the deaths of five women, seven children and six men in the Logar Province of Afghanistan. At the time there was mixed reporting, with Afghanistan stating that civilians had been killed, and NATO saying they merely took out Taliban militants and slightly wounded two civilians.

Now NATO has for the first time publicly confirmed that civilians were killed in the strike... read full article.

18 Afghan civilians killed at a wedding in Logar province?

Among conflicting reports, government officials are saying that 18 Afghani civilians have been killed, while NATO is insisting they took out 8 military commanders in the strike

After a NATO airstrike apparently hit a wedding in the Baraki Barak district, the dead Afghani civilians are said to include seven children, five women and six men. An AP photographer saw villagers pile the corpses into vans and officials offer this as proof of the killing. Villagers are planning to drive the bodies to the capital of Logar province in protest against the attack... read more.

22 civilians killed in suicide blasts in Kandahar, Afghanistan

22 people were killed when 2 suicide blasts occurred in a market area several kilometers from Kandahar Air Field, used by the U.S.-led coalition.

While some news sources are quoting 20 dead and 22 injured, the latest report is that 22 are dead and at least 50 other civilians were wounded in the blast, according to Javid Faisal, spokesman for Kandahar province and cited by AP.

Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, has claimed responsibility for the blast, which was caused initially by a suicide bomber detonating his motorcycle. As people ran to aid the injured, a second suicide bomber walked up to the area and detonated his explosives.... read full article.

Video: Exclusive interview with Afghan President Hamid Karzai

President Hamid Karzai has been interviewed by the Russian media - RT, Rossiya-24 and RIA-Novosti. A controversial interview giving the other side of Afghanistan and Karzai's views on issues there.

President Karzai speaks candidly to the Russian media in this exclusive interview. He states that Afghanistan is a united country.

President Karzai believes that after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, neglect by the western world brought about the growth of terror in the country. He states that this led in turn to 9/11 and also to the terror attacks in Russia.... read full article and view video.

Obama's visit was not a secret to Twitter users in Afghanistan

Most people didn't know about Obama's secret visit to Afghanistan until it happened. But Twitter users in the country had notification several hours before his arrival.

Social networks are part of the current world - any news can be spread within seconds to literally anywhere in the world.

It is obvious why President Barack Obama wished to keep his arrival in Afghanistan a secret. With concerns about the Taliban and recent attacks on diplomats and the NATO headquarters in Kabul, care had to be taken to protect the U.S. president. Obama was in the country to sign a post-war agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

However, Afghanistan's Twitter users were online and tweeting about Obama's visit several hours before his plane even touched down... read full article.

Explosions in Kabul follow Obama's surprise visit to Afghanistan

Five explosions hit the Afghan capital on Wednesday, resulting in at least seven deaths. The attacks follow the surprise visit of U.S. President Barack Obama to the country.

Digital Journal reported yesterday on the surprise trip President Barack Obama made to Afghanistan on May 1, 2012.

Obama was in Kabul to sign a strategic agreement to cement U.S. military and financial support to Afghanistan beyond the 2014 withdrawal. Obama also made an address to the American nation from the military base at Bagram, showcasing his military achievements and also promising to end the war “responsibly.”...  read full article and view video.

U.S. troops may stay in Afghanistan until 2024

The plan was for the U.S. to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by 2014. However, this withdrawal may not be as full as planned.

A National Security adviser has said that the U.S. will help defend the country militarily for approximately a decade after the Afghans take control of their own security.

Rangin Dadfar Spanta, Mr Karzai’s top security adviser, has said that a new strategic pact has been agreed between the U.S. and Afghanistan. Part of this pact implies that the U.S. will not use the country to launch attacks on other countries in the region, including drone strikes.

However he did stress that the U.S. will only aid Afghanistan if approved by Kabul.

Spanta said that Washington may use “diplomatic means, political means, economic means and even military means.” ... read full article.

8 U.S. troopers died of opiate overdose in Afghanistan

Investigative reports have shown that 8 U.S. soldiers have died from a heroin overdose or by mixing prescription and other opiate drugs during 2010/2011.

The United States Army Criminal Investigation Command has released a report on 56 U.S. soldiers who were investigated on suspicion of using, possessing or distributing heroin and other opiates. Of the 56 soldiers, 8 have died from an overdose.

CNN reports that the death of the 8 soldiers was shown to be caused by heroin toxicity or by taking a mix of opiate and prescription drugs.

Statistics prepared by the military also indicate that the number of U.S. soldiers based in Afghanistan, who tested positive for heroin has risen from 10 in 2002 up to 116 in 2010... read full article.

Photos released of US soldiers posing with Afghan body parts

A U.S. soldier has released photos of soldiers posing with Afghan body parts. He released them to the Los Angeles Times to draw attention to the breakdown in leadership and discipline in the U.S. Army.

In yet another example of a series of severe breaches of discipline by U.S. troops, which has dangerously undermined the U.S. position with the Afghan people, a U.S. soldier, on condition of anonymity, has released 18 photos to the Los Angeles Times.

The soldier served in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne's 4th Brigade Combat Team from Ft. Bragg, N.C. He feels the photos show a breakdown in discipline and leadership and that this compromises the safety of U.S. troops.

He hopes that publication of these photos will ensure that security shortcomings at 2 U.S. bases in Afghanistan in 2010 will not be repeated... read full story and view video.

Afghan Taliban bombs diplomats & NATO HQ in revenge against US

In retaliation for recent events, including the Kandahar massacre, burning of the Koran and the U.S. marines urinating on dead bodies, the Taliban launched coordinated attacks.

In one of the most serious Taliban assaults in the last 11 years, attacks were made on NATO headquarters in Kabul and on the diplomatic area, and also targeted adjoining provinces.

The Afghanistan International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has confirmed multiple attacks on 7 locations across Kabul.

In the attacks, the Afghan parliament was hit by rocket fire and residents reported explosions near the building. Attackers attempting to enter the building were driven back by security forces... read full article.