Landing Accident at Bagram Leaves One Injured

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2008 - A Navy P-3 Orion airplane overshot the runway while landing at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, early today, injuring one crew member and destroying the airplane, military officials reported. The entire crew survived, though the one U.S. crew member suffered a broken ankle and was treated at Craig Joint Theater Hospital on Bagram, officials said. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

In other news from Afghanistan, coalition forces detained four suspected militants in operations targeting the Taliban and al-Qaida terrorist networks in Konar and Ghazni provinces yesterday.

Coalition forces seized weapons and detained three suspected militants while searching a compound in an operation targeting an al-Qaida associated sub-commander suspected of facilitating the movement of foreign fighters into Afghanistan. He is also believed to be in contact with and coordinate malicious attacks for senior al-Qaida and Taliban commanders in the region, officials said.

The force searched the compound without incident, finding multiple AK-47 assault rifles, a shotgun and other military style equipment.

A second operation targeted a Taliban subcommander believed to coordinate and direct roadside-bomb attacks in the region. The targeted militant is known to facilitate the movement of foreign fighters into Afghanistan, officials said. Coalition forces detained one suspected militant during the operation.

On Oct. 19, coalition forces detained eight suspected militants during an operation to disrupt the Haqqani terrorist network in Paktia province.

Coalition forces searched a compound in the province's Zadran district, targeting a Haqqani subcommader who is suspected of coordinating militant activities to destabilize the Afghan government. The targeted individual is believed to have been in direct contact with senior Haqqani leaders and to have facilitated the movement of foreign fighters into the region, officials said.

(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)