Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Bulgarian troops deploy to Afghanistan

Bulgaria will send on Thursday its 21st contingent to Afghanistan.

The new unit will participate in an ISAF mission in Kabul. A total of 90% of the contingent's 165 soldiers have already participated in missions. The contingent includes 13 women and will be commanded by Svetoslav Godinov, company commander of the Bulgarian 38th Infantry Battalion.

Currently, a total of 600 Bulgarian soldiers and medical staff are currently stationed in Afghanistan in Kabul and Kandahar.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Afghanistan: Wounded Czech soldier airlifted home

Prague, July 7 (CTK) - A military plane flew the Czech soldier who was seriously injured in Afghanistan on Wednesday to Prague Thursday evening, general staff spokeswoman Jana Ruzickova told CTK Thursday.

His condition is still very serious, Ruzickova said, adding that along with him, another two soldiers slightly injured at the end of June returned for convalescence to the Czech Republic.

A team of doctors and medical personnel was on board the Airbus A-319, Ruzickova said.

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Thursday, July 7, 2011

Germany brings charges against Frankfurt Airport shooter

Germany has brought charges against the man accused of murdering two US servicemen en route to Afghanistan in broad daylight at Frankfurt Airport in March. Prosecutors declined to charged him with terrorism.

German authorities have indicted a man accused of shooting two US airmen at Frankfurt International Airport in March. Arid U., who is of Kosovar background, was accused of killing US servicemen Nicholas Alden and Zachary Cuddeback.

The 21-year old was also charged with three counts of attempted murder, for trying to kill three others before his gun jammed.

He faces life imprisonment. 

Monday, July 4, 2011

US Marine awarded Silver Star for bravery in Afghanistan

On Monday, on a U.S. ship in the Gulf of Aden, one of the Marines from that deployment received a Silver Star for combat bravery. Sgt. Franklin M. Simmons, 28, was awarded the Marines' third-highest medal for bravery for actions on Aug. 8, 2008, while acting as a team leader for the Force Reconnaissance Platoon of the 2/7.
While on a patrol in the village of Shewan in Farah province, Simmons' platoon was attacked by "intense rocket-propelled grenade and machinegun fire," according to the Silver Star citation.