Forces Detain Insurgents, Seize Weapons in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 22, 2010 - Combined Afghan and international security forces seized multiple weapons, explosive materials, fake IDs and cell phones when detaining suspects throughout Afghanistan yesterday. In Kandahar last night, a combined force searched a compound and found a building with extensive bomb-making components, including high explosives. The security force saw evidence that some of the explosives may have been rigged to detonate.

After ensuring the building was empty of all people, the combined force called in an air strike to destroy it and the explosives.

In other operations yesterday:

-- A security force searched a compound in Kandahar province and detained an undisclosed number of insurgents. The force found multiple weapons, including automatic rifles, a hand grenade and Taliban propaganda during the search.

-- In Logar province, a force searched a compound and captured a Taliban explosive operator responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. When confronted, the man identified himself and surrendered.

-- A force discovered a weapons cache while on patrol in Uruzgan province. The cache consisted of hundreds of rounds of small-arms ammunition, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher with warhead, hand grenades, hand grenade fuses, several pistols, a heavy weapon barrel and other bomb-making components.

-- Forces detained the nephew of a known bomb maker in Helmand province. The man was found with 15 cell phones, copper wire and two Pakistani forms of identification.

-- International forces engaged a number of insurgents with small-arms fire in Helmand province. Three children were seriously injured in the firefight. The force broke contact with the insurgents, provided immediate medical attention and transported a 5-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl to a nearby medical facility. The third child was cared for by its parents.

In operations Jan. 21:

-- A combined force responded to an imminent threat while searching a compound in Ghazni province. An undisclosed number of insurgents were killed, and one was captured.

-- A force searched a stopped vehicle and a nearby compound in Kandahar province. The force found three men, including one with fragmentation wounds he was unable to explain, who were attempting to bury a handheld radio. The men were detained, and medical care was provided to the injured.

-- In Khost province, a force searched a compound and captured a terrorist cell commander responsible for buying weapons, ammunition and directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The force also captured other militants.

-- A joint security force searched a compound in Kunduz province and detained an Uzbek foreign fighter with close ties to the Taliban. The security force also detained other suspected militants.

-- Combined forces searched two compounds and detained five insurgents with explosive materials in Parwan province. The joint force seized 66 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a Russian-made rocket, three fragmentation grenades and grenade fuses.

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