Forces Kill, Detain Militants, Find Weapons

Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

May 19, 2010 - Afghan and international forces in Afghanistan killed or detained militants and seized weapons in recent operations, military officials reported.

In Kandahar province's Zharay district last night, a combined force detained several suspected militants for questioning.

Two precision-guided munitions put an end to an engagement yesterday that began when a large group of insurgents attacked Afghan forces in Badghis province's Murghab district.

During the fighting, which lasted several hours, Afghan and international forces fired several mortar rounds before dropping two precision-guided munitions on insurgent positions. No international or Afghan casualties resulted from the engagement, and no Afghan civilians were harmed, officials said.

In Helmand province's Kajaki district of yesterday, an ISAF patrol found and destroyed four grenades, more than 800 pounds of small-arms munitions, two 40 mm rounds and five mini-flares.

In Helmand's Musa Qalah district yesterday, a combined Afghan-international patrol found several homemade bombs strung together. An explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed the devices.

Also yesterday, an Afghan forces patrol found 16 pieces of unexploded ordnance in Balkh province's Nahr-e Shahi district.