Forces Kill Insurgents, Capture Terrorist in Afghanistan

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2011 – Afghan and coalition forces killed two enemy fighters and detained several others, including a Haqqani network terrorist leader, in the Sabari district of Afghanistan’s Khost province yesterday.

The Haqqani leader is linked to several bombing attacks on security forces and to weapons smuggling throughout the province. Troops captured him and the other suspected insurgents after receiving tips about his whereabouts from local residents. Forces killed two armed insurgents in a shootout as they were departing the area.

In other operations yesterday throughout Afghanistan:

-- Security forces searching for a Taliban leader with 80 foreign fighters under his command killed several militants and detained a suspect in a gun battle in Baghlan province’s Burkah district. The militant group is responsible for carrying out bombing and small-arms attacks, as well as for recruiting and training suicide bombers.

-- Afghan and coalition forces searching for a Taliban bombing cell that also is associated with narcotics and weapons smuggling detained several suspected insurgents in Helmand province’s Musa Qalah district. Troops confiscated bomb-making materials, including blasting caps, a mortar round and electronic multifrequency boards used to test radio signal strengths for remotely detonated bombs.

-- Forces captured a Haqqani network terrorist leader with at least 40 Taliban fighters under his command in Nangahar province’s Chaparhar district. The group regularly launches attacks on security forces.

-- Security forces found several weapon and drug stockpiles throughout Afghanistan. Operations resulted in seizure of 200 pounds of metal shrapnel, 100 assault rifle rounds, 44 various rockets and mortars, 40 large-caliber machine-gun rounds, six anti-tank mines, three anti-aircraft rounds, two assault rifles, a rocket-propelled grenade, a vehicle-mounted, large-caliber machine gun and a 105 mm artillery shell rigged with explosives.