Forces Detain Suspected Militants in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 28, 2009 - Afghan and international security forces detained several suspected militants, including a Taliban commander, in Afghanistan in recent days, military officials reported. A combined force captured a Taliban commander and other suspected militants in Wardak yesterday.

The force went to a small compound in Sayad Abad district after intelligence confirmed militant activities there. The force entered the compound and captured the Taliban commander, who identified himself and the other militants.

Meanwhile, a combined force captured a Taliban facilitator and several other suspected militants in Kandahar yesterday.

Elsewhere, a combined force captured a Haqqani terrorist network suicide bomb facilitator and several other suspected militants yesterday in Khowst.

In Helmand, a combined force detained one suspected militant yesterday while searching for a Taliban weapons facilitator.

No Afghan civilians were harmed during these operations.

In Zabul yesterday, a combined force killed several militants, including a Taliban commander responsible for homemade bomb attacks.

The force found machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and a significant amount of bomb components.

In Kandahar yesterday, a combined force captured a Taliban facilitator believed to be responsible for transporting weapons and illegal aid.

No civilians were harmed in either operation.

During a Dec. 26 operation in Wardak, combined forces killed a Taliban commander responsible for planning attacks against combined security forces and buying weapons and bomb components in Wardak.

In other operations in Afghanistan:

-- In Laghman, a combined force detained suspected militants Dec. 26 while searching for a Taliban facilitator.

-- In Khowst on Dec. 25, a combined force captured several suspected militants, including a known Haqqani facilitator. The force recovered multiple AK-47 rifles, hand grenades and bomb components from the home of the Haqqani facilitator.

-- In Kandahar, a combined force captured a Taliban facilitator and a small group of other suspected militants Dec. 25.

-- A combined force detained several suspected militants while searching for a Taliban enabler in Wardak province Dec. 25.

-- In Paktika, a combined force killed somearmed militants and captured a small group of insurgents while searching for a Haqqani commander. During a search, the force captured several more suspected militants and recovered weapons and bomb components.

-- International Security Assistance Force members in southern Afghanistan detained nearly a dozen insurgents Dec. 24 for possible connection to the manufacturing of homemade bombs. Patrolling servicemembers in the south also found about 600 pounds of what is believed to be ammonium nitrate, a key ingredient of homemade explosives, as well as a Russian anti-tank mine. A local resident also led troops to a homemade bomb that had been placed under a bridge.

(From International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news releases.)