Troops Kill, Capture Insurgents, Discover Weapons in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 13, 2007 - Afghan forces working in concert with coalition forces netted three suspects and a weapons cache and killed several insurgents in Afghanistan over the past three days. Afghan National Border Police and coalition advisors detained an insurgent leader yesterday during an operation in Rabat village, in Paktika province.

Credible intelligence led forces to an ex-border police officer's compound, where they found the insurgent leader and a weapons cache. The suspect is being held for questioning. Troops fired no shots and injured no civilians during the operation, military officials said.

"The Afghan National Border Police are continuously improving their methods to eliminate insurgents and corruption throughout the country," said Army Cpt. Vanessa R. Bowman, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokeswoman. "The (Afghan National Border Police) is making Afghanistan a safer place for all Afghans."

In Afghanistan on Aug. 11:

-- Combined forces detained two males at a militant safe house during an operation west of Kandahar City. One detainee is suspected of being a Taliban commander and a key figure in an improvised-explosive-device operation, military officials said. Troops processed the suspects at the Kandahar Airfield military detention facility, and they are being held for further questioning.

-- Afghan National Army and coalition soldiers killed several enemy fighters who attacked Firebase Anaconda in Oruzgan province. The insurgents retreated, leaving behind the dead and two wounded comrades, military officials said. This was the third attack on Firebase Anaconda in one week.

-- Afghan and coalition forces thwarted a Taliban ambush northwest of the Sangin District Center, in Helmand province, using small-arms fire and precision air strikes to repel more than 50 insurgents. Three Afghan National Auxiliary Police members and one coalition soldier were wounded. All were evacuated, and their prognosis is good, military officials said.

(Compiled from Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)