KABUL: Four US soldiers were killed in attacks in southern Afghanistan, the military said Thursday, with security forces on alert for violence during voting in presidential and provincial elections.

Three were killed in attacks in the south on Wednesday while a fourth died in a mortar attack in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, the International Security Assistance Force said.

The new deaths added to a mounting death toll for international troops in Afghanistan that has reached 50 this month, according to a toll maintained by the independent icasualties.org group.

There are about 62,000 US forces in Afghanistan, making up the bulk of an international deployment from 42 countries.

The international troops were on alert for Thursday's election but were operating behind the scenes, leaving Afghan forces to man the polling stations.

The Taliban, who were in government between 1996 and 2001, is leading an insurgency against the foreign troops and Afghan government.

The militia has demanded Afghans boycott the elections and has threatened to attack polling stations.


http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/06-four-us-soldiers-killed-in-afghanistan-rs-05
Last month was the deadliest for the foreign troops in Afghanistan since the 2001 US-led invasion with 76 losing their lives, most of them in attacks, according to icasualties. -AFP

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Pakistan Airforce: The largest distributor of Indian airforce parts in Asia



Pathankot Strike
8 F-86Fs of No 19 Squadron led by Squadron Leader Sajjad Haider struck Pathankot airfield. With carefully positioned dives and selecting each individual aircraft in their protected pens for their strafing attacks, the strike elements completed a textbook operation against Pathankot. Wing Commander M G Tawab, flying one of the two Sabres as tied escorts overhead, counted 14 wrecks burning on the airfield. Among the aircraft destroyed on the ground were nearly all of the IAFs Soviet-supplied Mig-21s till then received, none of which were seen again during the War.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFHlzP69n9c

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Rest In Peace