Numerous Insurgents Die in Afghanistan Operations

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2011 – International Security Assistance Force troops killed numerous insurgents during separate clearing operations in southern and eastern Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, military officials reported.

In Helmand province’s Musa Qalah district insurgents engaged two ISAF patrols with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. After gaining positive identification, coalition forces returned fire and called for air support. An air weapons team supporting ground forces engaged the enemy position, killing several insurgents.

An ISAF patrol killed two armed insurgents moving toward a fighting position used in the past in Khandar province’s Zharay district.

Also today, an ISAF patrol in Kunar province’s Nurgal district came under fire from several insurgents. Coalition forces returned mortar fire on the enemy position, killing some insurgents and dispersing the others.

Afghan security forces and ISAF troops also discovered several caches in southern Afghanistan.

In Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan provinces, Afghan security forces and ISAF patrols found three assault rifles, a rocket-propelled grenade, an 82 mm round, a 20 mm recoilless rifle round, an anti-personnel mine, two hand grenades, and bomb-making components and chemicals.

In operations yesterday:

-- A combined Afghan and ISAF patrol seeking a Taliban suicide-bomb facilitator killed several insurgents and found weapons in Helmand’s Lashkar Gah district. The patrol was threatened by several insurgents while attempting to clear buildings in the targeted compound, and shot and killed them. The patrol found three assault rifles and associated ammunition at the scene and detained several suspected insurgents.

-- Afghan and coalition forces acting on intelligence reports killed Abdul Wahab, a Taliban attack facilitator, along with another armed insurgent, and detained several other suspected insurgents in Nimroz province’s Khash Rod district. Abdul Wahab was responsible for the movement of munitions and bomb-making materials in northern Nimroz and facilitated the movement of materials to Taliban associates in Kandahar province, officials said. The security force recovered multiple assault rifles, chest racks, ammunition and 400 pounds of bomb-making materials.

-- In Wardak province’s Sayyidabad district, Afghan and coalition forces detained a Taliban leader and bomb manufacturer. The security force found a bomb-making manual, parts and testing equipment, as well as military uniforms, at the scene.

-- Afghan and coalition forces detained a Taliban weapons facilitator for Toto village in Nangarhar province’s Sherzad district. The Taliban facilitator was responsible for supplying weapons for attacks on Afghan and coalition forces in Sherzad and Khugyani districts under the guidance of the Sherzad district Taliban shadow governor and Nangarhar province’s Taliban shadow governor, officials said.

-- Coalition forces detained a Haqqani terrorist network facilitator at an Afghan Border Patrol checkpoint in Paktika province. The facilitator operated in the Orgun area of Wardak province and was responsible for the movement of supplies, roadside bombs and vehicle-borne bombs, officials said.

-- Two insurgents were killed when a coalition airstrike targeted a group of armed insurgents in Ghazni province’s Gelan district. A senior Taliban district leader reportedly among the armed insurgents is responsible for attacks on coalition forces and the provincial reconstruction team, officials said. An Afghan and coalition follow-on force conducted a ground assessment verifying that two insurgents were killed. Items found included an assault rifle, chest racks, ammunition, and bomb-making materials. The security force then went to a weapons storage facility where the armed insurgents were seen earlier in the day and found a recoilless rifle with 10 rounds, four RPG rounds, and other weapons. A kinetic strike was conducted on the weapons storage facility after all women and children were removed from the immediate area. A separate combined force followed leads to a compound where the armed insurgents also were seen earlier in the day and detained a suspected insurgent. ISAF officials are gathering information to confirm whether the senior leader was among the insurgents killed in the strike.

-- Afghan and coalition forces killed Hafiz, a Taliban leader, along with several other armed combatants, and detained several combatants in Takhar province’s Khwajah Ghar district. Hafiz was from Darqad district and led attacks against Afghan village security forces, officials said, and assisted Pakistan-based Taliban facilitators by moving money, weapons, ammunition and fighters from Kunduz province to Takhar province. He also was closely associated with the Taliban provincial and district shadow governors and had ties with an al-Qaida facilitator, officials added. After multiple intelligence sources led the combined force to the targeted building, armed combatants engaged them with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. The security force returned fire, killing Hafiz and several armed combatants. After the building was secure, the combined force detained several suspected combatants and recovered multiple RPGs and launchers, numerous assault rifles and ammunition from the scene.

-- In Faryab province’s Gormach district, intelligence reports led a partnered Afghan and coalition force to a compound where Taliban leaders conducted operational planning and facilitated attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. As the force approached the compound, armed combatants shot at them with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms. The security force returned fire, and the armed combatants fled. The security force pursued them, and the enemy fighters again fired at them. The security force returned fire, killing several armed combatants. After the compound was secure, security forces discovered that an Afghan man, a woman and two children were wounded during the engagement. A coalition medical technician provided medical attention and transported the man to a coalition medical facility. One of the children died at the scene, and the woman and second child were treated and released. Security forces recovered a machine gun, multiple assault rifles, a chest rack and ammunition from where the armed combatants were killed and met with local officials to explain the purpose of the mission.

In Jan. 23 operations:

-- A combined Afghan and ISAF vehicle-interdiction operation targeted insurgent smuggling routes in Kandahar and Helmand provinces. Several insurgents were killed, and large quantities of weapons and narcotics were found. Acting on multiple intelligence reports and tips from local residents, members of the patrol saw a suspicious vehicle parked outside of a small compound. As the patrol moved to search the vehicle and compound, they were engaged by two armed men. The patrol returned fire, killing them. As the patrol moved further into the compound, they shot and killed another man who tried to engage them. The patrol found and destroyed two assault rifles, associated ammunition, 60 pounds of pure heroin, 52 pounds of brown heroin and 1,895 pounds of wet opium.

-- In Helmand province’s Sangin district, several insurgents tried to enter an ISAF observation post. After verbal warnings, coalition forces killed one insurgent.

-- Also in Helmand, insurgents engaged Afghan and ISAF patrols with small-arms fire in the Marja and Nahr-e Saraj districts. Coalition forces returned fire and called for air support. An air weapons team supporting ground forces engaged the enemy positions, killing several insurgents and dispersing the others.