Forces Detain Insurgents in Afghanistan

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2011 – Afghan and coalition forces detained several suspected insurgents yesterday in the Mohammad Aghah district of Afghanistan’s Logar province, military officials reported.

Troops were searching for a Taliban leader responsible for planning, coordinating and carrying out attacks against security forces.

In other operations yesterday throughout Afghanistan:

-- Security forces detained two suspected Taliban insurgents while targeting a Taliban safe haven for facilitating homemade explosives and explosive devices in Logar province’s Baraki Barak district.

-- Afghan and coalition forces in Khost province’s Sabari district captured a Haqqani network terrorist leader who has conducted artillery and bombing attacks on security forces in the district.

-- Forces captured a Hezb-E Islami Gulbuddin terrorist weapons trafficker in Khost province’s Sabari district.

In March 29 operations:

-- A coalition air weapons team in Helmand province killed numerous insurgents after responding to requests for air support from ground troops under attack in the province’s Musa Qalah and Nahr-e Saraj districts.

-- Security forces killed numerous insurgents in Kapisa province’s Alah Say district using air weapons support after a group of insurgents attacked patrolling ground troops.

-- Afghanistan and coalition forces killed two armed insurgents and detained several others during a combined patrol when two insurgents demonstrated hostile intent toward the troops in Uruzgan province’s Tarin Kot district.

-- In northern Helmand province, troops killed two explosive device and weapons traffickers when the men tried to engage the troops, officials said. Security forces also detained a suspected insurgent for further questioning.

-- Security forces found several weapons and drug stockpiles in operations throughout Afghanistan. The operations resulted in seizure of more than 11,000 assorted assault-rifle rounds, 3,900 pounds of hashish, 350 pounds of homemade explosives, 300 blocks of plastic explosives, eight pressure plates, four hand grenades, two rocket-propelled grenades and assorted bomb-making materials.