ARAB-US RELATIONS - Jun 27 - Pentagon Warns On Afghan Violence.

Pentagon officials warn about escalating violence in Afghanistan, as dozens of insurgents and pro-government forces are killed in one of the bloodiest clashes this year. The attacks in the restive south of Afghanistan raised the death toll in fighting over the past week to more than 100. In Washington, Peter Rodman, assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, warned the House armed services committee to expect Taliban forces to escalate attacks in the run up to the country's September elections. Lt Gen Walter Sharp, the joint staff director of strategic plans, warned that insurgents were increasingly using IEDs improvised explosive devices, which have been a huge problem for US forces in Iraq in their attacks. He added that they were fighting a war of attrition to defeat Afghan and coalition forces. "They believe this is their last chance", said Lt Gen Sharp. He added that the US-led coalition in Afghanistan had "sufficient" forces to train Afghan forces and defeat the insurgency.

Ike Skelton, the top Democrat on the committee, questioned whether Afghanistan was becoming the "forgotten front" in the US war on terror. US combat aircraft pummelled a hideout in the remote mountains on the border of Zabul and Kandahar provinces and killed 49 suspected insurgents on Jun 26 night, Lt Cindy Moore, a spokesman for the military coalition in Afghanistan, said Jun 26. An Afghan soldier was killed and five US soldiers wounded. Gen Salem Khan Ehsas, deputy chief of Kandahar province, who commanded Afghan police forces in the assault, put the toll higher, saying five policemen and seven Afghan soldiers had been killed in addition to about 60 insurgents. Another 30 insurgents had been captured, he said. The battle erupted during an operation by Afghan and coalition troops to root out rebel hideouts. A group of insurgents attacked the troops with small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. Two US CH-47 helicopters were damaged during the 11-hour fight.