Norwegian soldier fires grenade at Afghan police building

A soldier with the Norwegian army in northwest Afghanistan accidentally fired a 40mm grenade while preparing a launcher on a military patrol vehicle.

The grenade hit a building in the Afghan police compound in Almar, Faryab province, killing one civilian and wounding another. The incident happened on Wednesday 25th May 2011.

Norwegian military police are investigating the incident.

Taliban kidnap 50 Afghan police

ASADABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Taliban insurgents abducted around 50 off-duty Afghan policemen in an ambush in a volatile province in northeastern Afghanistan, the militant group and provincial officials said on Sunday.

Taliban-led militants have stepped up their fight this year against the Afghan government and its Western backers at a time when Kabul has announced security responsibilities for seven areas will be handed to Afghan forces in July.

The policemen were abducted by militants in the Chapa Dara district of remote northeastern Kunar province after returning from neighboring Nuristan province where they had traveled to collect their salaries, Nuristan governor Jamaluddin Badr said.

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Afghan Police chief killed by suicide bomber

KABUL: A suicide bomber jumped on the police chief of Kunduz Province on Thursday as he patrolled just 150 feet from his headquarters, killing him and two other officers, Afghan officials said. 

The governor of Kunduz, Mohammad Anwar Jigdalak, confirmed the attack, which also wounded the deputy police chief and seven others, including two civilians, in the city of Kunduz, the provincial capital. 

Full story at New York Times

EU 'Faces Failure' Over Afghan Police

International plans to withdraw foreign troops from Afghanistan by 2015 faced a major setback after a British House of Lords committee concluded that the European Union mission to train local police risked failure.

The damning report, from a committee of 12 peers, chaired by Lord Teverson and including former Chief of the Defence Staff, Field Marshall Lord Inge, said "there is a real risk that the EU will fail in an area in where it should show leadership".

Read full story at SkyNews

Afghan Police plan and lead their first Helmand operation

Security and governance have been brought to a previously contested area east of Lashkar Gah, Helmand province, following the first operation in the district to have been entirely planned and led by the Afghan National Police (ANP).

Operation ZMARAY ATTAL 4 (Lion's Hero 4) saw officers enter a Taliban-occupied area that has seen little presence in the past of the Afghan forces or authorities.

The operation was backed by troops from Delta Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (5 SCOTS), but the ANP's conduct was so professional and competent that the British troops had little more to do than simply turn up and watch.

Read full story at MOD (UK)

Afghan police recruits graduate

KABUL, Afghanistan (Feb. 7) – Afghan Uniform Police recruits completed an eight-week basic training course with a graduation ceremony at the Joint Security Academy Southwest here, Feb. 3.

During the two-month course the students learned the techniques and skills necessary to become effective police officers.

“You’ve learned policing skills, you’ve learned combat skills and many of you have learned to read and write,” said Lt. Col. Marcus Williams, commanding officer, JSAS, during his graduation speech.