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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US Marine Matthew Shank, injured in Afghanistan by IED

A Waynesboro Marine is in good spirits after suffering back injuries when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan Saturday morning.

Lance Cpl. Matthew Shank, 21, was driving an all-terrain military vehicle when it hit the IED, according to his mother, Kim Shank. “Fortunately, it flipped the vehicle instead of exploding it,” she said this morning.

Ottawa Marine survives Afghanistan explosion

Ottawa Marine survives Afghanistan explosion

U.S marine critically injured in Afghanistan

A U.S. Marine from Edinburg is reportedly clinging to life after an improvised explosive device hit his patrol unit in Afghanistan.

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British soldier dies in Cyprus

A British soldier from 73 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers), attached to the 3 Royal Anglian Group, died in Cyprus on Tuesday 3rd May 2011.

The soldier was deployed on operations as part of Operation TOSCA, the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP) based in Nicosia, Cyprus. 

The soldier was taken ill and flown to a hospital in Nicosia where he died.

Injured American soldier back in the U.S

US Army Specialist, Zachary Durham, has arrived in the U.S after being medically evacuated from Afghanistan where he suffered injuries while attempting to rescue to pilots in a helicopter crash last week. He will be treated at Walter Reed Medical Center, Washington DC.

Staff Sergeant James Justice was killed in the same rescue mission.

French blogger wounded in Misrata

A French blogger has been wounded in the neck in Misrata after travelling to Libya to report on the revolt against Moamer Kadhafi, according the Rue89 website which published some of his reports. 

French officials are trying to repatriate the man, named only as Baptiste, after a first operation in Libya.

He was hit by a stray bullet fired by pro-Kadhafi troops on Sunday, although he was not close to the fighting at the time, a group calling itself “Friends of Baptiste” says. They have not made his surname public out of consideration for his family. 

He underwent surgery in Misrata but the French authorities are trying to send him back to France so as to be operated on in more hygienic conditions, they say, adding that the conflict is making the plan difficult.

Baptiste went to Libya as part of a group of French activist-bloggers who covered the Libyan conflict and other uprisings in the Arab world. Rue89 published his account of the battle for Misrata.

Afghan civilian casualties spiral upward

KABUL - More than 200 Afghans were killed in attacks and military operations during the past two weeks, Afghan officials said Saturday, calling it the deadliest period for civilians since the war began.

Two attacks on Saturday added to that toll and fueled fears that violence will climb as winter, typically a slow fighting season in Afghanistan, gives way to spring.

The latest violence comes as U.S. commanders are under heavy pressure to show signs of progress in the nine-year-old war. Insurgent groups, meanwhile, have shown resilience this winter and appear determined to keep the fight raging until foreign troops withdraw. 

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ISAF soldier killed in eastern Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan (Feb. 17) – An International Security Assistance Force service member died following an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan today.

No further details are available at this time. 

Source: ISAF Command, Kabul