Forces Kill, Detain Insurgents in Kunduz Province

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, April 1, 2011 – Afghan and coalition forces killed two armed insurgents and detained at least 10 others yesterday during clearing operations in the Imam Sahib district of Afghanistan’s Kunduz province, military officials said.

Troops were searching for a Taliban weapons expert, who specializes in making explosive devices and suicide vests. He is also linked to a February suicide bombing in the district and to Taliban leadership in Pakistan and in Afghanistan’s Wardak and Kabul provinces.

Several insurgents were detained at the first compound without incident, but troops encountered gunfire at their second target as their search for the weapons expert continued. Troops returned fire, killing the insurgents. Security forces also confiscated a rocket-propelled grenade with six warheads, an assault rifle, a shotgun, an automatic machine gun and associated ammunition.

In other operations yesterday throughout Afghanistan

-- A combined patrol detained several suspected insurgents, including a Taliban weapons trafficker, in Kandahar province’s Kandahar City.

-- In a separate operation in Kandahar City, troops captured a Taliban weapons trafficker who acquired bomb-making materials from Pakistan for distribution throughout Kandahar province.

-- In Paktika province’s Orgun district, Afghan and coalition forces detained a senior Haqqani network terrorist fundraiser linked to several suicide bombings and other attacks on security forces.

-- Security forces found several weapons and drug stockpiles throughout Afghanistan. The operations resulted in seizure of 3,100 pounds of marijuana, 500 assault-rifle rounds, 40 pressure plates, 12 mortar rounds, nine rocket-propelled grenades, four hand grenades, two assault rifles, two explosive devices, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a rocket-propelled grenade booster, a pistol and assorted bomb-making materials.