Combined Forces Kill, Detain Militants

American Forces Press Service

March 30, 2010 - Afghan and international forces killed several militants and detained numerous suspected militants in recent operations, military officials reported.

No Afghan civilians were harmed in the operations, officials said.

-- An Afghan-international security force detained several suspected insurgents for further questioning after searching a compound in north Kandahar city last night.

-- In Paktika province's Bermal district last night, several militants were killed when they threatened a combined Afghan-international security team. The combined force detained several additional militants and found automatic rifles and multiple rocket-propelled grenades at the compound.

-- In Wardak province's Sayyidabad district last night, an Afghan-international force captured a Taliban weapons facilitator accused of buying and selling large amounts of weapons, munitions and explosives for other militant networks. The security force also detained a few other suspected militants.

-- In Zabul province's Shinkai district last night, a combined force went to a rural area where intelligence information indicated militant activity. Two militants engaged the approaching force and were killed. During a follow-on search the combined force found radios, an automatic rifle, ammunition and a rocket launcher with multiple rounds.

-- In Farah province's Shewan district yesterday, an Afghan civilian turned in two 155 mm rounds and an improvised explosive device to a security force.

-- On March 28, a combined Afghan-international force noticed suspicious movements in an uninhabited area outside of Shindand in Herat province and launched an illumination round. Insurgents then opened fire on the force, causing no injuries. The security force returned fire with small arms and mortar fire, forcing the insurgents to flee. Upon searching the area, the security force found more than 300 pounds of explosives, an 82 mm mortar round, four artillery shells, two grenades, three anti-tank rockets, a 122 mm anti-tank round and small-arms ammunition. The cache was destroyed.

(From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news release.)