Afghanistan Operation Leaves Taliban Commander Dead

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, May 12, 2010 - Afghan and international forces killed a leading Taliban commander in Afghanistan's Helmand province yesterday, military officials reported.

Officials said the combined operation resulted in the death of a leading Taliban commander known as Amid. The insurgent commander's demise is expected to disrupt the training facilitation of an active Taliban network in Helmand's Malmand district.

After several compounds were identified as possible locations for Amid, the operation was conducted to search the compounds and find him. As the combined force approached the first compound, one insurgent fled to an adjacent compound that was occupied by women and children, while two others hid in a nearby tree line.

The combined force secured three compounds, and Afghan special police conducted numerous callouts in local dialects. Several men, women, and children vacated the compounds and were moved to a safe area for the duration of the operation.

Once they were assured the civilians were safe, the combined force proceeded to the tree line to apprehend the insurgents who had fled from the first compound. The insurgents ignored numerous callouts by Afghan special police and instead presented a credible threat to the combined force, which then shot and killed them. Officials said Amid, a leading Taliban commander and suicide-attack facilitator, was confirmed to have been killed. Several other men were detained.

Eight women and 23 children were protected and returned safely to their homes, officials said.

In Helmand's Sangin district last night, a combined Afghan-international security force detained several suspected militants for questioning during an operation in search of a Taliban commander. No shots were fired, and no Afghan citizens were harmed during the operation, officials said.