Coalition Forces Kill Militants, Destroy Weapons Cache in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Nov. 18, 2008 - Coalition forces in Afghanistan killed five militants today and destroyed a weapons cache in Farah province, military officials reported. Troops tracked the militants to a remote location northwest of Farah city, where they were seen loading weapons into a vehicle from a weapons cache. Coalition aircraft used precision munitions to destroy the militants, weapons and vehicle.

No civilians or man-made structures were near the operation, officials said.

In other developments, coalition forces detained 14 militants during multiple operations to disrupt the movement of foreign fighters and thwart attacks against coalition and Afghan forces in eastern Afghanistan yesterday.

In the Tagab district of Kapisa province, coalition forces captured a targeted militant believed to be a Taliban commander who plans and conducts such attacks, along with five others. The force searched the compound without incident while protecting 19 women and 25 children during the operation, officials said.

In a separate operation, coalition forces detained four insurgents following a search of a compound in the Waghez district of Ghazni province. The operation targeted a local Taliban commander believed to be in contact with senior Taliban commanders in the region. The militant is also suspected of planning and coordinating attacks in Ghazni that kill and injure innocent civilians and coalition forces, officials said.

In another operations in Ghazni yesterday, coalition forces detained four suspected militants, including targeted al-Qaida and Taliban-associated individuals, in the Zurmat district. These militants are suspected of coordinating and aiding the movement of foreign fighters to carry out attacks into the region, officials said.

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