Militant Driver Injures Troops in Afghanistan

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2011 – At least three International National Security Assistance Force troops were injured today when their foot patrol was hit by a car in the Kandahar district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, military officials reported.

The uninjured troops determined that the incident was intentional and opened fire on the vehicle, which lost control and crashed into a ditch, officials said.

Along with the injured ISAF troops, the vehicle passenger and a pedestrian bystander were killed. The driver and two other pedestrians were injured and were taken to a nearby medical facility.

In operations yesterday throughout Afghanistan:

-- A coalition airstrike killed numerous insurgents after ground forces saw a large number of enemy fighters maneuvering near their patrol in Kunar province’s Sar Kani district.

-- Afghan and coalition forces detained several suspected insurgents while searching for a Hezb-E Islami Gulbuddin terrorist who leads at least 50 insurgent fighters in Khost province’s Terayzai district.

-- In Zabul province’s Shah Joy district, a combined patrol detained several suspected insurgents linked to Taliban safe havens throughout the district.

-- Security forces captured three Taliban weapons traffickers in Kandahar province’s Zharay district. Troops also found 1,000 pounds of marijuana and 500 pounds of marijuana seeds during the operation.

-- Forces captured a Haqqani network terrorist in Khost province’s Terayzai district. He reportedly was trafficking weapons and explosives in preparation for attacks on security forces.

-- In Logar province’s Baraki Barak district, troops detained two suspected insurgents while searching for a Taliban weapons trafficker.

-- Security forces found several weapons and drug stockpiles throughout Afghanistan. Operations resulted in seizure of 5,250 assault-rifle rounds, 5,000 .50-caliber machine-gun rounds, 1,650 pounds of explosives, 200 hand grenades, 150 pounds of homemade explosives, 21 rocket-propelled grenades, 15 Afghan army uniforms, 13 mortar rounds, 12 land mines, eight anti-tank mines, four rocket-propelled grenade boosters, four .50-caliber sniper rifles, three explosive devices, two assault rifles and assorted bomb-making materials. Troops also found 1,200 pounds of cannabis resin and 800 pounds of hashish.