Forces Kill, Detain Militants, Seize Weapons, Drugs

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

May 17, 2010 - Afghan and international forces killed or captured numerous enemy fighters and seized illegal stockpiles of drugs and weapons in recent operations in Afghanistan, military officials reported.

-- An Afghan-international security force detained two suspected militants in Kandahar province last night at a compound that reportedly belongs to a man believed to be responsible for facilitating suicide-bomb attacks in Kandahar City.

-- In Helmand province's Nad-e Ali district yesterday, a combined security patrol found a shotgun, two rifles, a pistol, small-arms ammunition and a bag of bomb-making materials, and another combined patrol found a 300 pounds of marijuana seed, 15 pounds of poppy seed, 10 pounds of hashish, 100 pounds of ammonium nitrate and a small container of an unknown white substance. Ammonium nitrate is a banned fertilizer that can be used to make explosives.

-- A local civilian informed a combined patrol of insurgent fighters' whereabouts in Helmand's Musa Qalah district yesterday. International forces cordoned off the area while Afghan soldiers went inside the compound to investigate. The soldiers found 264 pounds of opium, two assault rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition. Five people were detained.

-- An Afghan-international security force detained several suspected insurgents during the night of May 15 in Zabul province's Qalat district.

-- In Helmand's Now Zad district May 15, an Afghan-international patrol found five 155mm artillery rounds and 70 pounds of opium.

-- A combined patrol in Helmand's Nad-e Ali district found four 82 mm rounds and three rocket-propelled grenades, May 15.

-- Also on May 15, a combined Afghan-international patrol found three mines and three rocket-propelled grenades in Uruzgan province's Tarin Kot district.

-- In the Baghlan-e Jedid district of Baghlan province the night of May 14, an Afghan-international force killed several militants and captured several others as they searched for a Taliban leader. The security force went to a compound in a rural area after intelligence information indicated insurgent activity. At the compound, the Afghan members of the assault force called for the insurgents to surrender, but they refused and engaged the security force. After the combined force returned fire and killed several militants, other insurgents surrendered and were detained. Two of the militants, including a woman who tried to engage the assault force with an automatic rifle, were wounded and were taken to a nearby hospital. The search team found automatic rifles, grenades and tactical communications equipment at the compound.

-- In Kandahar province on the night of May 14, a combined force operating in the Kandahar district detained several suspected insurgents for questioning.

-- In Logar province's Baraki Barak district the same night, a combined force searching for a Taliban bombing-cell commander detained a few suspected insurgents for questioning.