Afghan, Coalition Forces Continue Operations

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

July 16, 2010 - Afghan and international security forces killed or detained numerous enemy fighters and seized illegal drugs and weapons in recent operations in Afghanistan, military officials reported.

-- A combined Afghan-international security force detained a number of suspected insurgents last night in Helmand. While protecting women and children who were present, the combined security force found automatic weapons, grenades, military gear and heroin during the sweep.

-- A combined force killed an insurgent and detained several suspects in Kunduz province last night. When approaching a compound suspected of hosting insurgent activity, the force immediately was engaged by a heavily armed insurgent, and the security force returned fire, killing him. Insurgent fighters in the compound also shot three rocket-propelled grenades at the assault force, but the shots were ineffective. After the fighting ceased, Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all occupants to come out peacefully. When no one complied, the security force cleared and secured the buildings and detained the suspected insurgents. Automatic weapons, magazines and ammunition holders were found at the scene.

-- In Kandahar province last night, an Afghan and coalition security force detained a Taliban commander, his deputy and several other suspected insurgents. The commander and deputy are known to coordinate bombing attacks against Afghan civilians and coalition forces, and also are weapons traffickers. The insurgents were detained after the combined security force interviewed residents of a targeted compound in Molla Alam Kalay, outside Kandahar City. No shots were fired, and the security force protected women and children who were present.

-- Also last night, an Afghan-international security force detained a suspected insurgent in Kapisa province while pursuing a Taliban commander responsible for bombing and ambush attacks against coalition forces. The security force went to a series of compounds in the province's Tagab district, and Afghan soldiers used a loudspeaker to call for occupants of the first compound to come out peacefully. One insurgent escaped the targeted compound and hid in a nearby compound. When the security force went to investigate, the suspected insurgent attempted to engage them with a pistol, and he was killed.

-- An ISAF patrol discovered weapons and drugs in Helmand's Nawah-ye Barakzai district yesterday. The cache consisted of 21 RPGs, six RPG motors, nine hand grenades, 22 pounds of home-made explosives and more than 30 pounds of heroin. The suspected insurgents were detained, and the drugs and weapons were destroyed.

-- Afghan forces disarmed two rockets set on timing devices that were ready to fire into the Afghan capital of Kabul from Kabul province's Khak-e Jabbar district yesterday.



-- An Afghan-international security force killed a Taliban commander and a number of insurgents in the Bala Boluk district of Farah province yesterday. The commander was responsible for bringing foreign fighters from Iran into Afghanistan.

The combined security force went to a training camp for Taliban and foreign fighters based on tips provided to the security force. As the security force approached, a group of individuals fired on them. A coalition aircraft provided suppressive fire to allow the security force to close in on the suspected insurgents.

During the assault, an enemy fighter detonated a homemade bomb, but no security force members were injured by the blast. During the initial sweep, the security force found that one of the dead fighters had booby trapped himself with a hand grenade rigged to detonate if moved. There were no injuries as a result of the subsequent detonation. The security force continued to pursue the retreating insurgents, several of whom engaged the force from a truck poorly disguised as an Afghan police vehicle. A coalition aircraft returned fire, killing the insurgents. The security force secured the area and found multiple automatic weapons, hand grenades, small arms, bomb-making components, RPG launchers and multiple rockets.

-- Insurgents killed two Afghan civilians and wounded four others with indirect fire near the Musa Khel district center in Khost province yesterday. International Security Assistance Force officials said insurgents have killed 76 civilians and wounded 147 more in the past two weeks.

-- An Afghan-international security force conducted a precision strike on a Taliban commander directly connected to a July 2 attack near the Ariana hotel in Kunduz province yesterday. Several other insurgents also were killed in the strike. The Kunduz police chief reported that the Taliban commander was killed in the strike, but Afghan and coalition forces were still gathering information to confirm the report. The Taliban commander had connections to Taliban leadership based in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and was actively involved in roadside-bomb attacks. He openly claimed responsibility for the July 2 vehicle-bomb attack on a U.S. Agency for International Development station near the Ariana hotel that killed two civilians and wounded seven more. After coalition forces verified insurgent activity and carefully planned to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage, the strike was called in on the target in a field far away from any villages. No civilians were wounded or killed.

-- An Afghan-international force captured two Taliban facilitators the night of July 14. The facilitators were associated with the Kabul attack network and were considered a direct threat to the International Kabul Conference, officials said. One is linked to at least three suicide attacks, and the other is a known roadside-bomb facilitator. The security force went to a compound in Kabul, and Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for the occupants to come out peacefully. After the compounds were cleared and secured, the combined security force detained the two facilitators. The Kabul International Conference brings together representatives of more than 70 partner countries, international and regional organizations and financial institutions to deliberate and endorse an Afghan government-led plan for improved development,

governance and stability.

-- A combined security force detained several suspected insurgents in Helmand's Lashkar Gah district the night of July 14 while pursuing the Taliban deputy district commander for the district, who is known to conduct intimidation campaigns against area residents. During the operation, the joint security force found bomb-making components, military gear and Pakistani documents. The suspected insurgents were detained for further questioning after the security force interviewed residents of the targeted compounds.

-- In Nangarhar province July 14, an Afghan-international force captured a Taliban subcommander directly linked to a June 30 suicide-bombing attack against Jalalabad Airfield, in which six to eight Taliban insurgents tried to breach the main gate by detonating a vehicle-borne bomb. They were repelled during a firefight with ISAF and Afghan security forces manning the perimeter and never made it inside the gates. The Taliban commander also is directly linked to a September 2008 ambush that wounded three coalition forces members.

-- A combined Afghan-international security force detained two suspected insurgents in Zabul province the night of July 14 while pursuing a Taliban commander who purchases and distributes bomb-making materials and commands Taliban forces in the province. The commander is responsible for a November suicide attack against an ISAF forward operating base that killed an Afghan civilian and two coalition forces soldiers and wounded two other ISAF troops. No shots were fired, and the force protected women and children who were present.