Forces Arrest Suspected Militants, Taliban Commander

American Forces Press Service

Nov. 13, 2009 - Combined Afghan and international security forces detained several suspected militants, including an alleged Taliban commander, in operations in Afghanistan today and yesterday, military officials reported. A combined force killed enemy militants and detained several militants in Wardak province, including an alleged Taliban commander believed to be responsible for several attacks in the area.

The combined security force searched buildings near the village of Badam Kalay in Nerkh district where intelligence sources indicated a Taliban commander was located. The force surrounded a mosque, known to be used by the Taliban commander to cache weapons, and called for the militants to surrender.

The force received heavy machine-gun fire from the mosque and responded with precision fire, killing two of the militants. The force again called for the remaining militants to surrender.

Several other militants surrendered, including the suspected Taliban commander.

Afghan members of the joint force then entered and secured the mosque and recovered a medium machine gun, multiple assault rifles, grenades, a pistol, ammunition, video recorder and communications equipment. Following the operation, village elders discussed the operation with the combined force and examined the militant weapons cache in the mosque.

No Afghan civilians were harmed.

Elsewhere, a combined Afghan and international security force detained a group of suspected militants after searching compounds in Zabul province known to be used by a Taliban commander believed to be responsible for making homemade bombs and conducting attacks in the area. After searching the compounds without incident, the combined force detained the suspected militants. No shots were fired and no one was injured.

Meanwhile, a combined force killed an enemy militant and detained a group of suspected militants in Khost province while pursuing a local Taliban "shadow" governor with numerous links to Haqqani terrorist organization senior leadership in the area.

The combined force targeted a series of buildings near the village of Bazikani in Spera district after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The militant was killed when he fired on the force. The force searched the buildings, detained the suspected militants and recovered a number of small-arms weapons.

No Afghan civilians were harmed during this operation.

In Kandahar City yesterday, a combined force detained a suspected militant while pursuing a senior Taliban facilitator and subcommander who allegedly operates in the area.

The combined security force searched a compound after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The force conducted the search without incident and detained a suspected militant for additional questioning. No shots were fired, and no one was injured.

(Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news releases.)