Combined Forces Kill Five, Detain 10 in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

May 27, 2009 - Afghan and coalition forces killed five suspects and detained 10 during operations throughout Afghanistan today. Combined forces conducting operations in northern Khost province saw a vehicle turn abruptly toward a security element. Afghan forces used verbal commands and gestures in an attempt to stop the vehicle. When the driver continued approaching, Afghan forces fired warning shots, but the driver was undeterred.

After exhausting all nonlethal measures, Afghan and coalition forces engaged the vehicle, killing the driver who was the only occupant.

In a rural village southwest of Kabul, a combined force raided a compound to capture a Haqqani terror network commander responsible for coordinating bombing attacks in nearby Logar province.

When forces entered the targeted compound, Afghan troops called out for all noncombatants to come out. About 30 women and children complied and were moved to a safe area. In one building, forces encountered armed men who had barricaded themselves. Four militants were killed in the subsequent engagement. Five suspects were detained without further incident.

In Khost city, during a separate operation to disrupt militant operations in eastern Afghanistan, a combined force patrolled to a neighborhood to capture insurgents associated with al-Qaida. Afghan forces led the search of a building with the cooperation of the residents, detained five suspected militants without incident and removed two grenades found in the building.

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