Forces Kill More Than 30 Armed Militants in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 17, 2008 - Coalition and Afghan forces killed at least 30 armed militants during fierce fighting in Afghanistan over the past week, military officials said. As troops searched for a Taliban leader in a compound in the Tag Ab district of Kapisa province Aug. 15, they came under fire from multiple groups of enemy fighters. Coalition forces responded with air strikes and small-arms fire, killing the insurgents, military officials said.

Seven woman and 11 children located with the militants as gunfire erupted were caught in the crossfire. All were unharmed, except for one woman who suffered injuries that were treated onsite by coalition medical personnel, before she was transported to a coalition medical facility for further care.

Afghan and coalition forces killed more than 30 enemy fighters during several days of fierce fighting in Kandahar province from Aug. 13-15, military officials said.

Militants engaged a combined reconnaissance patrol numerous times over a three-day period with machine gun and small-arms fire as troops patrolled the Zamto Valley, which spans multiple districts in Kandahar province. Afghan and coalition forces quashed the attacks by returning fire with a variety of small arms and calling for close-air support, military officials said.

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