Forces Kill Militants, Detain Suspects in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 3, 2008 - Coalition and Afghan forces killed more than a dozen militants and detained two during operations in Afghanistan over the past few days, military officials said. A militant was killed and two were detained during a coalition forces operation yesterday in Ghazni province targeting a militant who officials said planned roadside bomb attacks and conducted indirect-fire attacks against coalition forces.

In an Aug. 1 operation in Farah province, coalition forces killed several militants. Officials said intelligence reports helped to pinpoint the militants' location in a remote area known to be a safe haven for Taliban and foreign fighters.

After the militants were positively identified and U.S. forces determined there were no noncombatants in the area, officials said, coalition aircraft carried out an air strike.

Elsewhere, coalition and Afghan forces killed more than a dozen militants during a security patrol in the Shaheed Hasas district of Oruzgan province Aug. 1, officials reported.

While coalition and Afghan forces were conducting a mounted patrol, a roadside bomb detonated, striking a coalition vehicle. Militants then attacked the patrol with small arms and indirect fire. Coalition and Afghan forces responded with small-arms fire and close-air support, killing more a dozen militants, officials said.

No coalition forces, Afghan forces or civilian casualties were reported.

(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 101 news releases.)