Friday, January 25, 2008

American aid worker kidnapped, feared dead

Cyd Mizell, an American woman teaching in Afghanistan was kidnapped on her way to work on January 26, 2008. On February 27, 2008, the aid group she worked for, Asian Rural Life Development Foundation, reported that she was apparently dead. 


Witnesses report seeing 6 gunmen involved in her abduction. Nobody has ever claimed responsibility for her kidnapping and no body has ever been found.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Norwegian journalist, Carsten Thomassen

Carsten Thomassen
Carsten Thomassen, a respected Norwegian journalist and war correspondent for the Norwegian daily Dagbladet, was killed in a terrorist attack at the Kabul Serena Hotel, January 15th 2008.

On January 14th, he was covering Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonar Gahr Store's visit to Kabul. Store and his entourage were staying at the Serena Hotel. While Thomassen was waiting to meet Støre in the lobby, at least two Taliban terrorists forced their way into the Serena Hotel by killing the guards posted outside the main entrance using hand grenades. At least one of the terrorists was dressed in an Afghan police uniform, which may have delayed the reaction of the PST bodyguards inside the hotel.

Thomassen was wounded in the arm, leg and stomach. Once the firing died down, he received first aid from VG photographer Harald Henden, Aftenposten reporter Tor Arne Andreassen, and others.
In the confusion following the attack, he was not evacuated until almost two hours later. He went into shock in the ambulance, and died shortly after while undergoing surgery at a nearby field hospital operated by Czech ISAF forces. 

Due to the nature of his injuries, it is doubtful that he would have survived even if he had been evacuated earlier.

At least six other people were killed in the attack, in addition to the terrorists themselves.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Aid worker killed in Kabul hotel shootings

Thor Hesla
Thor Hesla was among six dead in a Taliban attack on the Hotel Serena, Kabul, on 14th January 2008. Hesla was in Afghanistan working for USAID.

The Taliban said it was behind the attack that killed him, carried out by suicide bombers and gunmen. Six other people were killed at Kabul's Serena hotel that day including journalist, Carsten Thomassen.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Dutch Corporal Aldert Poortema

NETHERLANDS
Name: Aldert Poortema
Age: 22
Rank: Corporal
Unit: 44th Armored Infantry
Location: Uruzgan province, Afghanistan
Date: 12 January 2008
Cause: Gunshot wound from friendly fire incident

Friday, January 11, 2008

Dutch Pfc. Wesley Schol

NETHERLANDS
Name: Wesley Schol
Age: 20
Rank: Private 1st Class
Unit: 44th Armored Infantry
Location: Uruzgan province, Afghanistan
Date: 12 January 2008
Cause: Gunshot wound in friendly fire incident

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

UK Military fatalities 2007

British military fatalities - 2007

Date Name Rank Age Unit Cause
2007




08-Dec Johnson, Lee Sergeant 33 2nd Yorkshire Regiment IED attack
04-Dec Sadler, Jack Trooper 21 Honourable Artillery Coy IED attack
14-Nov Mcdermid, John Captain 43 Royal Highland Fusiliers IED attack
09-Nov Alderton, Jake L-Corporal 22 36 Engineer Regiment Accident
04-Oct Roberts, Alexis Major 32 2nd Royal Gurkha Rifles IED attack
20-Sep Tunnicliffe, Brian Private 33 2nd Mercian Regiment Accident
20-Sep Newman, Phillip Sergeant 36 2nd Mercian Regiment Accident
17-Sep Violino, Ivano "Sean" L-Corporal 29 36 Engineer Regiment IED attack
08-Sep Botha, Johan Private 25 2nd Mercian Regiment Hostile fire
08-Sep Brelsford, Craig Sergeant 25 2nd Mercian Regiment Hostile fire
05-Sep Wright, Damian Private 23 2nd Mercian Regiment IED attack
05-Sep Ford, Ben Private 18 2nd Mercian Regiment IED attack
30-Aug Bridge, Christopher Snr. Airman 20 51 Squadron, RAF Regiment IED attack
23-Aug McClure, Aaron  Private 19 1st Royal Anglian Friendly fire
23-Aug Thrumble, John Private 21 1st Royal Anglian Friendly fire
23-Aug Foster, Robert Private 19 1st Royal Anglian Friendly fire
11-Aug Hicks, David Captain 26 1st Royal Anglian RPG attack
10-Aug Rawson, Tony Private 27 1st Royal Anglian RPG attack
29-Jul Jones, Michael L-Corporal 26 Not reported yet Hostile fire
27-Jul Keen, Barry Sergeant 34 14 Signals Regiment Mortar
26-Jul Atherton, David Guardsman 25 Grenadier Guards Hostile fire
25-Jul Hawkins, Alex L-Corporal 22 1st Royal Anglian IED attack
12-Jul Hickey, Daryl Guardsman 27 Grenadier Guards Hostile fire
01-Jul Wilkinson, Dave Sergeant 33 Grenadier Guards Suicide bomb
30-Jun Dolan, Sean Captain 40 1st Sherwood Foresters IED attack
24-Jun Wright, Thomas Drummer 21 1st Sherwood Foresters IED attack
09-Jun Downes, Neil  Guardsman 20 Grenadier Guards IED attack
06-Jun Sandford, Paul  L-Corporal 23 1st Sherwood Foresters Hostile fire
30-May Gilyeat, Mike Corporal 28 Royal Military Police RPG attack
28-May Bonner, Darren Corporal 31 1st Royal Anglian Hostile fire
26-May Probyn, Daniel Guardsman 22 Grenadier Guards Hostile fire
20-May Davey, George L-Corporal 23 1st Royal Anglian Accident
03-May Davison, Simon Guardsman 22 Grenadier Guards Hostile fire
13-Apr Gray, Chris Private 19 1 Royal Anglian Battlegroup Hostile fire
08-Mar Smith, Michael WO2 39 29 Commando Royal Artillery grenade attack
06-Mar Reddy, Benjamin Marine 22 42 Commando Royal Marines Hostile fire
03-Mar McLaughlin, Liam Bombardier 21 29 Commando Royal Artillery RPG attack
03-Mar Clark, Ross Bombardier 25 29 Commando Royal Artillery RPG attack
22-Feb Summers, Scott Marine 23 42 Commando Royal Marines Accident
21-Feb Holland, Jonathan Marine 23 45 Commando Royal Marines Land mine
15-Jan Ford, Mathew L-Corporal 30 45 Commando Royal Marines Hostile fire
13-Jan Curry, Thomas Marine 21 42 Commando Royal Marines Hostile fire

South Korean military fatalities - list

SOUTH KOREA
Full list of military fatalities since 2002

Date Name Rank Age Unit Cause
27-Feb-07 Jang-ho, Yoon Sergeant 27 South Korean Army Suicide bomb
28-Jan-03 Hyo-sung, Kim Captain 33 South Korean Army Gunshot

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Finland military fatalities since 2002

FINLAND
This is the full list of Finland's military fatalities since 2002

Date Name Rank Age Unit Cause
15-Feb-11 Kansonen, Jukka Lieutenant 35 Finnish Navy IED attack
23-May-07 Immonen, Petri Tapio Sergeant 29 Finnish Border Guard IED attack

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Portuguese soldier, Private Sergio Pedrosa

Private Sergio Pedrosa died while serving in Afghanistan on 24th November 2007.

The Portuguese soldier was involved in a traffic accident involving a Portuguese Army tank.

Private Pedrosa served with the Portuguese 10th Infantry.

Australian commando Luke Worsley killed in action

It is with great sadness that the Department of Defence announces the death of Australian Commando, Private Luke Worsley, serving with Special Operations Task Group in Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, 23 November 2007.

Private Worsley, 26 years of age from Sydney, was killed by small arms fire while participating in a planned and deliberate attack by our forces against Taliban leaders and their supporters in Uruzgan Province.

Luke Worsley
 Read Australian Department of Defence press release

Italian Army CWO Daniele Paladini

CWO Paladini
Italian Army Chief Warrant Officer Daniele Paladini, aged 35, died on 24th November 2007 from wounds suffered in a suicide attack against NATO-led troops in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, in which at least six civilians were also killed.

CWO Paladini was severely injured together with thee other Italian soldiers when a bomber who had strapped explosives around his body detonated himself near the troops' convoy in Kabul's western Paghman district.

Despite emergency medical treatment, CWO Paladini could not be saved.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Dutch Corporal Ronald Groen

Dutch Corporal Ronald Groen, aged 21, was killed on 3rd November 2007 when his armoured reconnaissance vehicle hit a roadside bomb.

The incident happened about 5km northwest of Poentjak patrol post in Afghanistan. Two Dutch soldiers were injured by the blast.

Cpl. Groen served with 43 Mechanised Reconnaissance.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Australian SAS Sergeant, Matthew Locke, killed in action

Sgt Matthew Locke, SAS
Sergeant Matthew Locke, MG serving with Special Air Service Regiment in Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan was killed in actionon Thursday, 25 October 2007. 
 
Sergeant Locke was on a patrol when fatally wounded by small arms fire from Taliban extremists.
He was involved in Operation Spin Ghar, which directly supported an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Afghan National Security Forces operation to target and clear Taliban extremists from the area around Tarin Kot, in Uruzgan province.


Continue to Australian Department of Defence release

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Australian trooper killed by IED

Trooper, David Pearce
Trooper David Pearce, serving with Reconstruction Task Force in Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan, was killed by an IED on Monday, 8 October 2007.

Trooper Pearce, 41 was posted to the Brisbane-based 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment in October 2006. He was serving with the Reconstruction Task Force when he died.

Trooper Pearce was born in Liverpool, New South Wales, and enlisted in the Australian Army Reserve in 2002. Following a period of Reserve service he transferred to the Australian Regular Army in July 2006.

Trooper Pearce had previous operational experience having deployed to the Solomon Islands with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Queensland Regiment in 2005-2006.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Two Spanish soldiers killed

German Burgos
Stanley Vera
Two Spanish soldiers have been killed and three more seriously injured in an attack on a Spanish patrol near Shewan on 24th September 2007.

The soldiers were travelling in an armour-plated BMR vehicle which is reported to have run over a mine.

Minister for Defence, José Antonio Alonso, named the dead as Germán Pérez Burgos, a married man from Alange, Badajoz, and Stanley Vera, born in Guayaquil in Ecuador.