Okay, here we go again. Every year the Taliban come out and announce their annual pilgrimage into Death - that being their "Spring Offensive." If you recall, their touted spring offensive last year was met by countless bodies of Taliban stacked up like cordwood. Last years big push by the Taliban was a complete and utter disaster. Well, according to a new posting at a jihadist website, they are going to try it again. Here's the announcement:
The Taliban has previously sworn to a new campaign of attacks based primarily by suicide bomber and IED and that is probably what the brunt of this "offensive" will be - which really doesn't qualify as an offensive, in my mind. But at the same time, I think the NATO forces will probably see more attacks coming in areas that have been more calm in recent months and years. There are 3,200 new Marines in Helmand province and in Kandahar so the Taliban would more than likely be cut down like cornstalks in any front end assault there.
Will this Spring's offensive be as disastrous as last year's? Probably not. The Taliban more than likely have learned from the large scale frontal assaults and the organized ambushes but at the same time, I doubt there will be the huge impact of any operation that the Taliban are threatening here. Hopefully, the NATO forces have their own offensive planned.
Here's the full story from Reuters.
"The winter season is about to end, and here spring looms on the horizon, and in order for the continuity of doing the holy jihad, with the coming spring season, the Islamic Emirate begins a new series of operations under the name 'Admonition'," it said.
"Our aim in these operations is to give the enemy an admonishing lesson through conclusive and painful strikes that he does not anticipate, until he knows and is compelled to end the occupation of Afghanistan and withdraw until the last soldier leaves."
The Taliban has previously sworn to a new campaign of attacks based primarily by suicide bomber and IED and that is probably what the brunt of this "offensive" will be - which really doesn't qualify as an offensive, in my mind. But at the same time, I think the NATO forces will probably see more attacks coming in areas that have been more calm in recent months and years. There are 3,200 new Marines in Helmand province and in Kandahar so the Taliban would more than likely be cut down like cornstalks in any front end assault there.
Will this Spring's offensive be as disastrous as last year's? Probably not. The Taliban more than likely have learned from the large scale frontal assaults and the organized ambushes but at the same time, I doubt there will be the huge impact of any operation that the Taliban are threatening here. Hopefully, the NATO forces have their own offensive planned.
Here's the full story from Reuters.
Taliban declares start of new Afghan offensive-Web
LONDON (Reuters) - The Taliban announced the start of a spring offensive in Afghanistan, promising "painful strikes" to force all enemy soldiers to leave, according to a Web message seen by a U.S.-based monitoring service on Thursday.
NATO-led forces have conducted wide-ranging offensives in southern Afghanistan to disrupt the insurgents ahead of spring, which each year heralds a surge in violence as the snows melt and fighters emerge from their mountain hideouts.
The Web message entitled "Taliban declares beginning of spring offensive in Afghanistan" was from Mullah Bradar Akhund, who styles himself deputy emir of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, according to a translation by the SITE Institute terrorism monitoring service seen in London.
The insurgents have already vowed to intensify attacks on Afghan and foreign troops countrywide, launch a wave of suicide bombings and attack supply lines from Pakistan this year in their campaign to overthrow the pro-Western government.
The Web statement said the Taliban would employ "new types of operations" across the country, according to the SITE Institute.
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