Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Militants Killed, Captured in Afghanistan Operations

American Forces Press Service

Sept. 18, 2007 - Several suspected militants were killed and four others were detained today during an operation by Afghan and coalition forces in Afghanistan's Ghazni province. The combined forces suspected the compounds, located in the Gairo district, were providing sanctuary to anti-coalition militants. AK-47 rifles, hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades were found during a search of the site. Precision munitions were employed to destroy a building and the weapons inside it.

"Violent extremists who keep weapons like these disrupt the efforts for peace in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," said
Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman.

Before the strike on the building, the combined force escorted women and children from the targeted area to a safe distance. They were permitted to return after the strike was complete.

Separately, in a two-day operation ending Sept. 17, elements of the 201st Afghan National
Army Corps and Afghan National Police assisted by coalition forces killed one insurgent and found and destroyed an improvised explosive device factory and weapons cache in the Sorobi district of Kabul province.

A 40-year-old noncombatant was shot in the knee by the insurgents during an exchange of gunfire during the operation. He was treated at the scene and transported to a local hospital.

The weapons cache contained numerous rockets, mortars and about 50 feet of detonation cord. The combined force destroyed the IED factory and weapons cache.

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

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