Taliban Militants Crushed after 3 U.S. Troops Killed in Ambush

Perhaps seeking retribution, or perhaps simply extending the war on terror, the U.S. military engaged in a strike in Kabul over the weekend that left roughly 50 Taliban militants dead. The strikes came in the wake of a Taliban ambush that killed three U.S. troops. That ambush, which included roadside bombs, RPGs and random gunfire, was followed up with a strike that took place in a region that has long been controlled by militants.

The fighting included NATO airstrikes and lasted for at least six hours after the ambush occurred. Said U.S. military spokeswoman Capt. Elizabeth Mathias, "The combined ISAF and Afghan force was receiving significant small-arms, RPG and indirect fire throughout that time frame." Mathias did not expound on the counter attacks, nor did she provide casualty figures. The strike came amidst news that the troop levels in Afghanistan are likely to increase in the near term. The top commander in the country, General Stanley McChrystal, is said to be close to sending in a request for thousands more troops, despite the fact that a record number of troops are currently stationed in Afghanistan.

Sunday also saw the rescue of a British-Irish reporter who had been captured by Taliban forces. Troops making the rescue brought body armor for both Stephen Farrell, the reporter and Afghan interpreter Sultan Munadi. Farrell was rescued by Munadi died during the rescue, spurring anger amongst the local population in the region. A British military spokesperson clarified, however, noting, "People need to understand that it’s not like we walked in and tried to save this one guy and leave the other behind. It was really heavy fire, and the risk wouldn’t have been justified to recover a person they knew was already dead."