AFGHANISTAN: At least 10 Afghan soldiers were killed when militants attacked their army base in the southern province of Kandahar, the defence ministry said Tuesday, in the latest attack on Western-backed forces.
The assault in Shah Wali Kot district late Monday came just a day after 20 Afghan policemen were killed when Taliban fighters stormed their outposts in the neighbouring province of Zabul.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the Kandahar attack. But Taliban insurgents are intensifying their annual spring offensive and their strength is growing, more than 15 years after they were toppled from power in a US-led invasion.
"Last night the enemies of Afghanistan attacked Achakzai camp of army corps 205 in Shah Wali Kot district," the defence ministry said in a statement.
"Ten brave army soldiers were martyred and nine others wounded. The wounded soldiers were taken to hospital and they are in stable condition."
The attack marks another setback for NATO-backed Afghan forces. It comes just a month after the Taliban killed at least 135 soldiers in the northern province of Balkh in the deadliest insurgent attack on an Afghan military base since 2001.
During the Zabul attack early Sunday, local officials made desperate calls to Afghan television stations to seek attention because they were unable to contact senior authorities for help, highlighting the disarray in security ranks.
Taliban militants launched their annual "spring offensive" in late April, heralding a surge in fighting as the US tries to craft a new Afghan strategy and NATO considers sending more troops to break the stalemate against the resurgent militants.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis last month warned of "another tough year" for security forces in Afghanistan.
The White House is considering sending thousands more troops to break the deadlock.
US troops in Afghanistan number about 8,400 today, and there are another 5,000 from NATO allies. The foreign forces mainly serve in an advisory capacity.
The troop strengths are a far cry from the US presence of more than 100,000 six years ago.
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Militant attack on Afghan army base kills 10 soldiers
Militant attack on Afghan army base kills 10 soldiers
Taiwanese reporter accused of bribing military officers to leak information to China
- District court orders detention of television reporter surnamed Lin and five current and retired military officers
TAIPEI: A journalist in Taiwan was detained Saturday on allegations of bribing army officers to provide military information to people from mainland China, as the self-ruled island cracks down on potential infiltration from China.
Taiwan’s Qiaotou District Prosecutors Office said in a statement that a district court ordered the detention of a television reporter surnamed Lin and five current and retired military officers. The statement didn’t identify the journalist, but CTi TV issued a statement about the detention of its reporter Lin Chen-you.
The company said that it does not know the details of the case, but called for a fair judicial process, adding “God bless Taiwan.”
While Taiwan regularly pursues espionage cases within the government and military, allegations against journalists are unusual.
Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and threatens to take control of the island by force if necessary, has been increasing military pressure against the island. Last month, China’s military launched large-scale drills around it for two days after a Washington announcement of large-scale arms sales to Taiwan.
Prosecutors accuse Lin of paying amounts ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of Taiwan dollars (tens to hundreds of US dollars) to current military officers in exchange for their providing information to “Chinese individuals.” The office didn’t specify who the Chinese people were or whether they were linked to the Chinese government.
Authorities raided the premises of the reporter and nine current and retired military personnel on Friday as part of an investigation into violations of Taiwan’s national security and corruption laws and disclosure of confidential information. CTi said that its offices were not raided.
According to Lin’s Facebook page, he was a political reporter and anchor covering the island’s legislature.
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when the Communist Party rose to power in Beijing following a civil war. Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan, which later transitioned from martial law to multiparty democracy.
Taiwan’s Qiaotou District Prosecutors Office said in a statement that a district court ordered the detention of a television reporter surnamed Lin and five current and retired military officers. The statement didn’t identify the journalist, but CTi TV issued a statement about the detention of its reporter Lin Chen-you.
The company said that it does not know the details of the case, but called for a fair judicial process, adding “God bless Taiwan.”
While Taiwan regularly pursues espionage cases within the government and military, allegations against journalists are unusual.
Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and threatens to take control of the island by force if necessary, has been increasing military pressure against the island. Last month, China’s military launched large-scale drills around it for two days after a Washington announcement of large-scale arms sales to Taiwan.
Prosecutors accuse Lin of paying amounts ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of Taiwan dollars (tens to hundreds of US dollars) to current military officers in exchange for their providing information to “Chinese individuals.” The office didn’t specify who the Chinese people were or whether they were linked to the Chinese government.
Authorities raided the premises of the reporter and nine current and retired military personnel on Friday as part of an investigation into violations of Taiwan’s national security and corruption laws and disclosure of confidential information. CTi said that its offices were not raided.
According to Lin’s Facebook page, he was a political reporter and anchor covering the island’s legislature.
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when the Communist Party rose to power in Beijing following a civil war. Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan, which later transitioned from martial law to multiparty democracy.
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