Forces Kill Insurgents in Afghanistan Airstrike

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2011 – A coalition airstrike killed more than 10 insurgents in the Bermal district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province yesterday, military officials reported.

An air weapons team reported insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades massed at two known insurgent outposts, requested permission and launched precision airstrikes on both locations, officials said.

In other operations yesterday throughout Afghanistan:

-- An International Security Assistance Force patrol killed several armed insurgents and wounded others after being ambushed in Helmand province’s Sangin district.

-- Security forces in Kandahar province’s Zharay district captured several suspected insurgents linked to a drug cache. The operations resulted in seizure of 1,500 pounds of marijuana and 350 pounds of marijuana seeds.

-- In Khost province’s Sabari district, troops captured numerous Hezb-E Islami Gulbuddin terrorists while searching for one of the group’s facilitators responsible for procuring funds and providing the group with intelligence information.

-- Afghan and coalition forces captured several suspected insurgents, including a Taliban bomb expert who is connected to several recent attacks on security forces and Afghan civilians, in the Pul-e Alam district of Logar province.

-- Forces in Nangarhar province’s Jalalabad district detained two suspected insurgents while searching for a Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan terrorist responsible for trafficking weapons and fighters from Pakistan.

-- Based on tips from local civilians, security forces in Logar province’s Mohammed district arrested a senior Taliban leader who is linked to other Taliban leaders throughout the province.

-- In Baghlan province’s Baghlan-e Jadid district, troops arrested two “high-value” Taliban leaders, officials said. One is a bomb expert responsible for attacks on security forces, while the other is responsible for assassinating the Nahrin district governor.

-- Security forces in Kandahar province’s Kandahar City arrested a Taliban leader responsible for planning and carrying out attacks on security forces after tips from local residents led troops to his location.

-- Afghan and coalition forces found several weapons and drug stockpiles throughout Afghanistan. The operations resulted in seizure of 18,810 pounds of ammonium nitrate –- a banned fertilizer used for explosives -- as well as 32 mortars and rockets, 15 machine-gun rounds, six rocket-propelled grenades and assorted bomb-making materials.

In March 26 operations:

-- Forces in Helmand province killed an insurgent and disrupted enemy activity with mortar fire after spotting a group of insurgents maneuvering toward a known enemy fighter position.

-- Security forces captured two suspected insurgents, including a weapons trafficker responsible for acquiring and supplying other insurgents with munitions and explosives, in Afghanistan’s Kabul province.

-- Afghan and coalition forces in Baghlan province’s Baghlan—e Jadid district detained two suspected insurgents, including a senior Taliban leader, after local villagers reported them to security forces.

-- In Kandahar province, troops discovered two weapons stockpiles and a bomb factory during a routine patrol. The operations resulted in troops finding the bomb factory, 110 artillery rounds, four mines, an 82 mm mortar round rigged with explosives and other bomb-making materials.

-- Forces operating vehicle checkpoints in Helmand province’s Reg-e Khan district arrested several drug traffickers and confiscated 400 pounds of opium and 780 pounds of black-tar heroin.

-- Security forces found several weapons and drug caches in operations throughout Afghanistan. The operations resulted in seizure of 73 various rockets and mortars, 17 rocket-propelled grenade boosters, 15 propellant sticks, 12 rocket-propelled grenades, 12 hand grenades, nine assault rifles, nine land mines, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, an anti-tank mine, a claymore mine, a pistol and a large-caliber machine gun with 600 rounds of ammunition.

In March 25 operations:

-- Afghan and coalition forces detained several suspected insurgents, including a Haqqani network terrorist leader linked to several bombings and other attacks on security forces, in Paktika province’s Orgun district.

-- Security forces detained several suspected insurgents, while searching for a Taliban bomb maker responsible for building and planting roadside bombs, in Kandahar province’s Zharay district.

-- Forces in Khost province’s Khost district captured several suspected insurgents, including a Haqqani network terrorist leader responsible for indirect-fire attacks on security forces.

-- In Logar province’s Bakari Barak district, troops detained several suspected insurgents while targeting a Taliban weapons trafficker linked to several recent insurgent attacks and operations.

-- Afghan and coalition forces detained numerous suspected insurgents, while pursuing a Taliban leader responsible for coordinating attacks in the Memla village in Nangarhar province’s Behsud district.