Coalition Kills Six Taliban Fighters, Disrupts Network in Zabol

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 22, 2009 - Coalition forces killed six armed Taliban militants and detained another during an operation to disrupt the Taliban's foreign-fighter and roadside-bomb networks in Afghanistan's Zabol province yesterday, military officials said. In Daychopan district, northeast of Kandahar city, coalition forces targeted a suspected Taliban commander believed to have ties to the roadside-bombing network along Highway 1 and to recent attacks against coalition forces in Zabol province. He also is suspected of trafficking foreign fighters into the region.

As coalition forces prepared to search the compound, they instructed everyone to leave the buildings peacefully. Armed militants from surrounding compounds responded by engaging coalition forces with small-arms fire. Coalition forces returned fire, killing five armed militants, while protecting 23 women and 31 children.

During the skirmish, one armed militant left the building and engaged coalition forces from behind large rocks on a nearby hill. While taking enemy fire, coalition forces responded with precision air strikes, killing the militant.

A search revealed multiple AK-47 assault rifles and other weapons. Coalition forces confiscated the weapons.

(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)