Troops Detain Three Suspects in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

May 16, 2007 – Afghan and coalition forces captured three suspected insurgents during raids in Afghanistan in the past two days. In an operation this morning against Taliban fighters in the Kajaki district of Helmand province, Afghan and coalition forces detained two militants.

Credible intelligence had led the Afghan and coalition forces to the compound where the Taliban militants allegedly resided. Militants fired on the combined forces as they approached a building. Coalition forces responded with small-arms fire and followed up with an air strike that destroyed the militants' firing position.

The suspects are being held for questioning.

"A precision strike was conducted when it was obvious the militants were well-armed and had no intentions of surrendering," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman.

Afghan and coalition forces detained another suspected militant during a raid in the Mandozai district of Khowst province yesterday. No shots were fired, and no one was injured in the operation.

Village elders provided information that led coalition forces directly to the man who is suspected of helping and training suicide bombers for extremist Siraj Haqqani, military officials said.

"This is the sort of cooperative effort that will eventually purge these extremists from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," Belcher said.

(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)

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