Militants Kill Civilian in Eastern Afghanistan Fighting

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 3, 2008 - An Afghan civilian was killed and four were wounded this morning when militants attacked a village in eastern Afghanistan where coalition and Afghan troops were on patrol, military officials reported. The firefight started when militants engaged the joint forces with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in Matin, a village in the Pech district of Konar province, officials said.

While returning fire, Afghan soldiers also provided immediate medical care to the wounded and transported them to a medical facility for treatment, officials said. The body of the civilian was recovered and returned to his village, they said.

No servicemembers were wounded in the attack, and the incident is under investigation, they said.

The incident followed several days of fighting along the Pakistan border.

Coalition forces yesterday captured four insurgents during an operation targeting the Haqqani terrorist network in Khowst province, military officials said. The operation targeted a foreign terrorist in the Sabari district who is believed to coordinate and direct militant activities against local residents there, as well as Afghan and coalition forces, they said.

The suspect, who was detained, is believed to be in direct contact with other Haqqani sub-commanders, coordinating terrorist activities intended to destabilize the region, officials said. Coalition forces searched the compound, finding weapons and related items, which were destroyed to prevent future use.

In other news, coalition forces killed three militants Sept. 30 in the Arghandab district of Zabol province in southeast Afghanistan.

Coalition forces were conducting a patrol in a densely vegetated area when they were fired on by militants using small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from a remote position. The troops responded with small-arms, heavy weapons and indirect fire, killing three militants.

No Afghan or coalition forces or civilian casualties were reported.

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