Forces Capture Militants, Seize Weapons Stockpiles

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

April 15, 2010 - An Afghan-international security force captured a Taliban bomb expert and two other militants during an operation conducted in the Khogyani district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province last night, military officials reported. As the combined force approached the compound, an armed combatant was spotted climbing onto a roof. The combatant displayed hostile intent and was shot and killed. After securing the area the combined force discovered the combatant was a woman.

During a search of the compound, the force captured a Taliban subcommander who is a bomb expert believed to be responsible for manufacturing, emplacing and training other militants in roadside-bomb tactics.

Two other militants also were captured, and the security force recovered automatic rifles and ammunition at the compound.

In Ghazni province yesterday, a joint patrol found a weapons cache containing 37 rocket-propelled grenades, 27 RPG fuses and 24 grenades.

In Helmand province's Nad-e Ali district yesterday, a combined patrol found an 82mm mortar base plate, a chest rig for carrying ammunition, an assault rifle, ammunition magazines and ammunition.

In three separate incidents yesterday, combined Afghan and international security patrols discovered significant insurgent weapon caches.

The first, consisting of 108 107 mm rockets and about 200 feet of wire, was found in Kandahar's Arghandab district.

An Afghan civilian in Uruzgan province turned over five anti-tank mines, 38 rocket-propelled grenades, 20 launchers and six boxes of 7.62 mm ammunition to international forces.

A third cache in Helmand's Nad-e Ali district included two machine guns, magazines, more than 12,000 rounds of ammunition and three chest rigs for carrying assault-rifle magazines. Also found was a bag of rubber, often used in pressure-plate-operated roadside bombs.

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