AfPak Taliban Defying the US in Multiple Attacks and a Jailbreak

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In a failure of Afghan and ISAF intelligence, the Taliban succeeded in a multiple strike with attacks in Kabul and across Afghanistan. The Taliban illustrated once again their loyalty across all levels of Afghans by striking deep in the heart of the foreign forces and Karzai’s security in Kabul. In recent attacks they illustrated their ability to strike within the highest security zones and murder US military.

Taliban strike across Afghanistan in ‘spring offensive’

KABUL, Afghanistan (BBC News) – Militants have staged a wave of co-ordinated attacks on the Afghan capital Kabul and other locations. Foreign embassies, Nato’s HQ and the Afghan parliament were hit in the first major attack on Kabul in more than six months. The Taliban said it was the start of a “spring offensive” .

The attackers struck in multiple locations in Kabul and in the provinces of Logar, Paktia and Nangarhar.

Between seven and 10 explosions have been heard in Kabul since the attacks began around 13:15 local time (08:45 GMT) and fighting was continuing at least eight hours later.

Insurgents focused their assault on Western embassies in the central diplomatic area and the parliament area but also attacked international troops in the east of the city. The Taliban listed as targets the German and British embassies, the Kabul Star hotel, the headquarters of the Nato-led international force (Isaf), and parliament house.

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Suicide bombers attacked a US air base near the eastern city of Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar province. Four civilians were wounded and seven insurgents were killed, police said. The dead reportedly include four suicide attackers dressed in burqas and women’s clothes, who were shot dead while making an attack.

According to officials:

In Logar, three police officers were wounded and three insurgents killed and one arrested
In Paktia, three police officers and five civilians were wounded and three insurgents killed after insurgents took over a building used by students in the provincial capital, Gardez
In the northern city of Kundoz, 15 suspected militants were arrested over an alleged plot to launch attacks

Top militants freed below the fold …

Prison break: Taliban attack Bannu jail, nearly 400 inmates escape

DERA ISMAIL KHAN / BANNU / PESHAWAR (AFP/ExpressTribune) – More than 200 heavily armed Taliban militants travelling in several vehicles attacked the Central Jail in Bannu, Southern District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, releasing 384 prisoners in a pre-dawn assault on Sunday, officials said.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for raiding the jail. TTP spokesperson Asimullah Mehsud told The Express Tribune from an undisclosed location that they (TTP) attacked the jail with hundreds of fighters. “The purpose was to free some of our men”, he said, adding “we attacked with 150 Fidaeen (suicide bombers) and took over the area for more than two hours.”

Top militants freed

A senior official of the Township Police station told The Express Tribune that the FIR registered says that hundreds of militants attacked the Bannu central jail around 1:15am and 384 prisoners were released. He said, `Some of them are men that are most wanted’. Explaining the category of the militants that managed to escape, the official said there were 20 men who were facing death sentences and are very dangerous.

Officials believe that the attacker’s main aim was to release Adnan Rashid, a former junior technician of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), allegedly involved in plotting the murder of former president Parvez Musharraf. Inspector General Police, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (IG) Akbar Khan Hoti, said that the whole plan seemed to have been for the release of the top militant. Adnan Rasheed was convicted after a bomb planted under a bridge in Rawalpindi near Islamabad in December 2003 exploded moments after the passing of Musharraf’s motorcade. His appeal is pending before the Supreme Court.

Pakistan Taliban has split, says Rehman Malik