Forces in Afghanistan Kill, Capture Enemy Fighters

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

April 29, 2010 - Afghan and international forces killed or captured numerous enemy fighters and seized stockpiles of drugs and illegal weapons in recent Afghanistan operations, military officials reported.

-- Two Haqqani terrorist network facilitators and two other militants were captured by an Afghan-international security force in the Terayzai district of Khost province this morning. The detained suspects are believed to be responsible for the movement of weapons and for planting roadside bombs. The Afghan-international security force found shotguns, an automatic rifle and a grenade at the scene.

-- In the Khash Rod district of Nimroz province this morning, a combined force detained a few suspected insurgents for questioning.

-- In Kunduz province's Ghor Tepa district last night, a combined force saw an insurgent leave a compound and try to maneuver around the security team. After being ordered to surrender, the insurgent pulled out a concealed pistol and was shot and killed. The security force detained several suspected insurgents for questioning.

-- Yesterday in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, a combined force captured a Taliban subcommander who is known to direct the production, strategy, tactical coordination and emplacement of roadside bombs and ambushes against coalition forces. Several other suspected insurgents also were detained for questioning.

-- In the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province yesterday, a combined patrol received a tip about a weapons cache in a mosque. International Security Assistance Force patrols cordoned off the area while Afghan forces searched the mosque, where they found 32 82 mm mortar rounds, six grenades, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a machine gun, an assault rifle, 50 blasting caps, hundreds of rounds of small-arms ammunition, 20 feet of detonation cord and 11 mine fuses. The cache was moved to a safe location and destroyed.

-- Also in Helmand's Nad-e Ali district yesterday, a combined patrol found and confiscated a grenade, a rifle, four magazines, 80 rounds of ammunition and bomb-making materials buried along a compound wall.

-- While patrolling in Helmand's Musa Qalah district yesterday, ISAF forces received a tip from an Afghan civilian about a cache in a local compound. They found and confiscated three 155 mm artillery shells, a large number of small-arms shell casings, syringes and medical supplies buried with empty bags of a fertilizer banned by the Afghan government because it can be used to make explosives.

-- An Afghan-international security force killed an armed man while pursuing a Taliban facilitator in Nangarhar province the night of April 28. During an operation in response to intelligence reports of militant activity, members of the combined force observed a man with a weapon near one of the buildings. The security force repeatedly attempted to persuade the man to lower his weapon by using hand signals and verbal commands through their Afghan interpreter. The man ignored the repeated commands, and was shot and killed when he aimed his weapon at the combined force. ISAF and Afghan forces officials will conduct a joint assessment to review this operation, officials said.

-- An Afghan-international patrol confiscated a large drug cache in Helmand's Reg-e Khan Heshin district April 28. As the patrol approached several moving vehicles, the drivers attempted to flee. One of the vehicles became stuck in the sand and was secured by Afghan border police who were part of the patrol. The patrol then discovered the vehicle contained 4,600 pounds of raw opium and about 24 pounds of a substance believed to be heroin. A satellite phone and a two-way radio also were recovered. Two men were detained for possessing the drugs. The narcotics trade directly funds insurgents, officials said.