Raid Nets Taliban Leader in Kandahar Province

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2011 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during a raid yesterday in the Zharay district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, military officials reported.

The Taliban leader was responsible for procuring weapons, setting up attacks and recruiting new fighters, and he maintained close connections with Pakistan-based Taliban leaders and their key associates, officials said.

In other operations yesterday:

-- In an intelligence-driven operation, a partnered Afghan and coalition force captured a Taliban facilitator responsible for planning and conducting roadside-bomb attacks targeting Afghan government officials and coalition forces in Zabul province’s Shah Joy district.

-- Afghan and coalition forces killed and detained several insurgents after taking small-arms fire in Kunar province’s Sar Kani district. Afghan soldiers detained more than 10 suspected insurgents during the operation.

-- An Afghan and coalition force acting on intelligence information captured a Haqqani terrorist network facilitator and two other suspected insurgents in Khost province’s Sabari district. The facilitator was responsible for acquiring weapons for attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces.

-- In an intelligence-driven operation in Logar province’s Baraki Barak district, a combined Afghan and coalition force captured a Taliban facilitator associated with bomb attacks.

-- A partnered force looking for a Taliban leader in Logar’s Charkh district detained several suspected insurgents. The wanted man is responsible for multiple attacks against Afghan civilians and Afghan and coalition forces in the province’s Charkh and Baraki Barak districts and works under a senior Taliban leader responsible for the kidnapping and murder of two coalition personnel last summer, officials said.

-- A coalition airstrike killed several insurgents in Kunar province’s Marawarah district after a dismounted patrol reported a group of insurgents getting into position to attack coalition forces.

-- In Bamyan province, an Afghan civilian turned in 10 high-explosive rockets, seven rocket-propelled grenade charges, eight grenades and four 82 mm projectiles.

-- A coalition patrol in Ghazni province’s Ghazni district found a chemical and weapons cache that included hundreds of pounds of explosive chemicals, 15 mines, three grenades and assorted ammunition.

In April 2 operations:

-- Afghan and International Security Assistance Force troops killed several insurgents, captured two others and discovered a weapons cache in Uruzgan province’s Deh Rawud district. After coming under small-arms fire by numerous insurgents, the combined patrol returned fire and called for air support, and several insurgents were killed in an airstrike. The combined force found and destroyed a shotgun, three assault rifles, nine full assault-rifle magazines, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, five RPG rounds, 17 RPG motors, a 155 mm artillery shell, two grenades, an anti-tank mine and two chest racks at the scene.

-- A partnered force conducting a clearing operation killed an insurgent and found a weapons cache in Zabul province’s Shah Joy district after taking small-arms fire during a search. The security force found a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, four RPG rounds with boosters, two assault rifles, a radio, a hand grenade, a homemade bomb, two chest racks with assault-rifle magazines, various bomb-making materials and personal military equipment.

-- In Kunar’s Sar Kani district, an ISAF air weapons team supporting ground forces killed numerous armed insurgents.

-- A combined Afghan and coalition force acting on intelligence information killed a Taliban facilitator in Zabul province’s Shah Joy district after taking small-arms fire. After the engagement, the security force found the armed insurgent dead, along with an Afghan civilian. The force was unaware of the Afghan civilian’s presence until they cleared the building, officials said. The security force found a rocket-propelled grenade with four rounds, four RPG Boosters, two assault rifles, a fragmentation grenade, two chest racks with assault-rifle magazines, a homemade bomb, multiple detonators, bomb-making materials and a hand-held radio. "We deeply regret the accidental killing of a civilian during this operation," said Army Col. Patrick Hynes, ISAF Combined Joint Operations Center director. "We use every means at our disposal to conduct operations in a way that reduces the possibility of civilian casualties, and we'll make amends for this unfortunate event."

-- An Afghan and coalition force looking for two local Taliban leaders detained several suspected insurgents in Baghlan province’s Baghlan-e Jadid district.

-- Afghan and coalition forces captured a Taliban facilitator and detained numerous other suspected insurgents in Kunduz province’s Imam Sahib district.

-- Afghan and coalition forces killed a Taliban insurgent and detained two other suspected insurgents while searching for a Taliban facilitator in Helmand province’s Kajaki district. The force targeted a compound in the district based on numerous intelligence reports. While moving into position, the force was returned fire on three armed insurgents who were attempting to flee, killing one.

-- A combined force looking for a Haqqani terrorist network facilitator in Khost province’s Sabari district detained several suspected insurgents in an intelligence-driven operation.

-- In Paktiya province’s Zurmat district, a partnered force detained numerous suspected Haqqani insurgents during an intelligence-driven raid.

-- Also in Paktiya province, another partnered force detained two suspected insurgents while searching for a Haqqani facilitator in the Gardez district. The wanted man is responsible for planning attacks against coalition forces and transports bomb-making materials and fighters from Pakistan, officials said.

-- Two ISAF air weapons teams killed numerous insurgents in Kunar province’s Marawarah district.

-- An ISAF air weapons team supporting ground forces killed two armed insurgents in Helmand’s Marja district.

-- Also in Helmand province, an ISAF patrol was fired on by several insurgents in the Nahr-e Saraj district. Coalition forces returned fire, killing one insurgent and forcing the others to flee.

In April 1 operations:

-- A combined Afghan and ISAF patrol killed two insurgents and detained several others while seeking a senior Taliban leader in Helmand’s Musa Qualah district. One insurgent was killed when he raised an assault rifle, and the other was killed when he tried to throw a grenade.

-- An partnered patrol found an assault rifle, 1,000 7.62 mm rounds, 18 82 mm mortar rounds, four grenades, three rocket-propelled grenade rounds, an RPG launcher, six RPG boosters, a 60 mm mortar round and six chest racks in Kandahar’s Zharay district.

-- In Nangarhar province, a combined patrol operating in the Sherazad district found 2,500 pounds of marijuana.

-- In Paktika, Parwan and Ghazni provinces, ISAF patrols found 11 assault rifles, 150 7.62 mm rounds, two chest racks, seven mortar rounds, two artillery shells, 13 grenades, 12 anti-personnel mines, two RPG rounds, two pressure plates, a bag of ball bearings, electrical components suitable for bomb-making, detonation cord, dynamite and homemade explosives.

-- Afghan and coalition forces acting on intelligence information detained two men while searching for a Taliban leader in Jawzjan province’s Qosh Tepa district.

-- Afghan and coalition forces captured a Taliban leader in Kandahar’s Panjway district during an intelligence-driven operation. The security force also found and destroyed 100 pounds of ammonium nitrate –- a banned fertilizer used in making bombs -- and 100 pounds of marijuana.

-- Also in Kandahar, Afghan and coalition forces captured a Taliban facilitator in Kandahar City.

-- In an intelligence-driven operation in Khost’s Sabari district, Afghan and coalition forces detained a facilitator and an insurgent from the Hezb-E Islami Gulbuddin terrorist organization, along with another suspected insurgent.

-- Also in Khost province, Afghan and coalition security forces acting on intelligence tips detained three suspected insurgents while searching for a Haqqani network facilitator in the Sabari district.

-- In Logar province’s Baraki Barak district, Afghan and coalition forces detained four suspected insurgents in an intelligence-driven operation targeting a Taliban safe haven.

-- Afghan and coalition forces detained a suspected insurgent while searching for a Taliban bomb-attack facilitator in Zabul’s Qalat district.

-- Afghan and ISAF forces in Kapisa province found a pistol, an assault rifle, 580 7.62 mm rounds, three full assault-rifle magazines, a box of 12.7 mm rounds, 80 82 mm mortar rounds, an anti-personnel mine, homemade explosives, a chest rack, an Afghan army uniform and various bomb-making components in the Mahmud-e Raqi district.

-- In Helmand province’s Sangin district, an ISAF patrol tracked several armed insurgents and called for air support. An air weapons team killed one insurgent and forced the others to flee.

-- In Helmand and Kandahar provinces, Afghan and ISAF patrols found five anti-personnel mines, 175 pounds of homemade explosives, three pressure plates, 23 battery packs, four radios, 30 cell phones, a chest rack and various electrical components for homemade bombs. Afghan forces also detained two suspected insurgents related to one of the caches.