Troops Detain Five Suspected Militants, Assist Attack Victims

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 16, 2007 - Coalition forces detained five suspected militants and provided critical medical assistance to suicide-attack victims during recent Afghan operations. During a mission today, coalition forces detained five suspected militants in Paktika province in an operation to disrupt extremist activities in Afghanistan.

Intelligence sources led coalition forces to compounds in the Orgun district, where suspected militants were indicated to be hiding. Upon reaching the compounds, coalition forces conducted a search of the buildings in the area.

"While performing a search of buildings in the Orgun district, coalition forces detained five individuals with suspected ties to extremist forces," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. "Through swift, decisive actions we're making it extremely difficult for militant forces to operate with impunity in the region."

After a thorough search of the compounds, coalition forces also found several weapons, ammunition and explosive materials. The explosives were destroyed to prevent them from being used by militant forces.

In operations Oct. 13, coalition forces provided life-saving treatment to victims of a suicide attack in a crowded marketplace in the southern province of Kandahar. The suicide blast killed two Afghan National Police officers and seven Afghan citizens and wounded several others. After receiving notification of the attack, coalition forces immediately launched a medical support team and supplies to the Kandahar hospital to aid the wounded Afghan victims.

"Coalition forces will continue to provide needed support to all Afghan citizens affected by these recent attacks," Belcher said.

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