By Joshua Partlow
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 19, 2010; 2:29 PM
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The Taliban’s brazen assault against the heavily-fortified, city-sized Bagram Air Field on Wednesday demonstrated again the insurgents’ penchant for headline-grabbing strikes at the most potent symbols of foreign power in Afghanistan.
The attack before dawn, with gunfire, rockets, and grenades, killed one U.S. contractor and wounded nine American soldiers. The U.S. soldiers at the base responded by killing 10 insurgents, including four wearing suicide vests.
It was the second ambitious attack in as many days, and possibly a demonstration of the new offensive the Taliban promised earlier this month. As the U.S. military sends thousands of new troops to the southern city of Kandahar, the Taliban vowed to respond by targeting Afghan officials, contractors and NATO forces.
On Tuesday, a suicide car bomber targeted a U.S. convoy in Kabul, killing five U.S. troops, a Canadian and at least a dozen Afghan civilians. The attack, coupled with the death of two American troops in separate bombings, pushed the U.S. death toll past 1,000 for the nine-year Afghan war.
The attack at Bagram involved 20 to 30 insurgents and began before 4 a.m., U.S. military officials said. None of them breached the perimeter, but gun battles continued for several hours.
The Associated Press reported that the attackers wore uniforms that appeared to match those of U.S. or NATO troops. A U.S. military spokesman said this tactic “wouldn’t be uncommon,” but could not confirm it happened in this case.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for both major attacks this week. Fighting usually tapers off in the cold winter months and then accelerates in the spring and summer. American military officials have been expecting an increase in violence, both in response to their troop build-up and because of the season.
But the choice of Bagram as a target surprised many people. Insurgents tend to avoid confronting American military might head-on. The airfield, expanded from an old Soviet military base, houses thousands of U.S. troops, the headquarters of the military operation for eastern Afghanistan, and the primary U.S.-run detention center. Insurgents have fired rockets at the base in the past, but the assault was “not something that commonly happens quite in this way,” said Mst. Sgt. Tom Clementson, a U.S. military spokesman at Bagram.
“That’s a dog chasing a school bus. You don’t attack Bagram with 20 guys,” one U.S. official said. “Either they’re crazy or brave or both.” (click HERE for the original article)
Here are some more articles written by different publications
Bagram attack kills US contractor, wounds nine NATO soldiers
Taliban attack key US base in Afghanistan
If you know who the America Civilian is who was killed please don’t post it in a comment. Email me by clicking HERE I don’t want to publish the name until the family has been notified officially.
My sincere condolences to the friends and family of our soldiers and civilians who were injured or killed during this cowardly attack. As far as the suicide bombers go…..good riddance!
Ms Sparky
Update 5-21-2010: Our friends at Defense Base Comp Blog have determined the contractor who was killed at Bagram was Bryan Keith Farr. I think I’ve been have to determine he worked for KBR at one time but am not sure if he has transitioned to the LOGCAP IV contractor Fluor, which I suspect is the case. I’ve checked out his myspace, facebook and searched the tweets on twitter and will be updating as soon as there is confirmation. Anyone who has information and would like to share it please email me or leave a comment below.
Other Related Posts From Ms Sparky
- Christopher P. West sentenced to 5 years for bribery at Bagram
- Iraq car bomb kills U.S. contractor (Updated 06/24/11)
- U.S. Army Contractor Pleads Guilty to Assault in Relation to Stabbing at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan
- Attack on Kandahar Airfield injures soldiers and civilians
- Bagram: the US nerve centre in Afghanistan
Prayers and thoughts go out to the families of those lost and injured. God Bless.
Justice4all
They need to bring back Napalm and burn every forest. mountain range and poppy field these insedious bast#$#s back into the stone age. They need to tactically nuke every cave and seal the suckers in thier holes. every Taliban needs to go meet Allah and the MC or US Army needs to arrange the meeting.
I just updated this post with who I think the civilian contractor was who was killed.
R.I.P B. Farr its not going to be the same without you here…we love and miss you so much..
Imma miss em too mami. RIP B. Shit crazy mane. Look ova me as I get through dis deployment. Shit gets crazier errday mane.
JOHNATHAN BROXTON, IS A “PERFECT” EXAMPLE OF “AMERICAN EDUCATION” AND TALENT.
JUST LISTEN TO HIS “PERFECT” GRAMMAR AND SPELLING. DUDE, WHICH COMPANY DO YOU FOR? DID YOU JUST GET OUT OF “JAIL” OR YOUR LEARNING “HOOKED ON PHONICS”
Lol. Do we really gotta take it there. Im ova here accepting the death of my home boy and all u wanna talk is grammar. I wish I knew who this was. I’m an American Soldier fighting for your ungrateful ass. Its doesn’t take words for me to show u actions. Remember that.
Thanks for serving and I sorry for the loss your “home boy” which I will assume is your friend. But you need to settle down Johnathan. No threats here.
Ms.Sparky are you still out in Bagram
Anastasia, I need to talk to you about someone I know who works out there, is there anyway for me to contact you.
Here’s an article that came out in a Greenville paper.
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20100526/NEWS/305260045/Fluor-contractor-dies-in-Afghanistan-attack
My sources are telling me Bryan worked at the DFAC and was at the ECP (Entrance Control Point) picking up his DFAC workers when the attack occurred. I do not know if he was wearing his PPE at the time. I don’t even know if it was a requirement.
My husband was suppose to be with Bryan when it happend. They road together every night to go pick up workers. My husband is a training coordinator, and he left for R&R the day before it happend. They caught him in the vehicle, and he didn’t want to let go of the wheel or get out, I guess he thought they would use it as a weapon, so, they shot him several times for not doing what they asked. I’m pretty sure they would have shot him anyway though.
My husband is a fluor contractor on bagram. My thoughts and prayers goes out to his family. God bless them.
The person that was murdered by the Taliban, worked at the DFAC (Yelner) and was picking up the “locals” (LN’s) that work on base. As was/is the daily routine for those guys. To say the least, this was very close to home for all of us who use that DFAC and indeed all of us working in any capacity at any installation, fob, or camp.
very sad,
warmest thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.
My condolences to all for the loss of their friend and co-worker.
If he is died be sure that some civilians and innocent Afghan people are the scarifying of this long term war I can’t forget those four teenage boys which they wanted to go to school function but they shot by NATO forces they were that much clean and young that you can’t imagine it even
That was my little brother! The family is ok now that he has been send home to GOD with a proper funeral that he deserves. Thanks to all o f those who have been keeping my family in there prayers. It really help us out.
R.I.P. BRYAN KEITH FARR….LOVE YOU 4-EVER LITTLE BROTHER!!!
My condolences to all of Bryan’s friends and family.
Do you have any condolence for those innocent people which are died by bombing of NATO fighters???
They are small civilian’s Afghan kids that do not know even the meaning of war
Im very sorry for your loss. I just saw this on the site. And may God Bless everyone who new him. And all the contractors in the Middle East. As we all keep working to win the war on Terrorism. God Bless and God Speed.
Ryan and the Oliver family,
Your mom just told me. I’m so sorry.
Is this fact that people calling for NATO North Atlantic Terrorist Organisation ??????