Coalition Patrol Destroys Weapons Cache

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2011 – Coalition forces found and destroyed a large weapons cache during a search in the Muhammad Aghah district of Afghanistan’s Logar province yesterday, military officials reported.

The cache contained several mortar rounds, a rifle, two rocket-propelled grenades, a directional formed charge, 600 heavy-machine-gun rounds, a light machine gun, 400 feet of detonation cord, fuses, blasting caps, batteries, two initiation devices, seven grenades and nearly 500 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a banned fertilizer insurgents have used to build homemade bombs.

In other operations in Afghanistan yesterday:

-- A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained a Taliban leader and one of his associates in Helmand province’s Marja district. The leader was responsible for roadside-bomb attacks and distributing heavy weapons for Taliban operatives.

-- In Zabul province’s Qalat district, an Afghan-led combined force captured a Taliban leader responsible for building and planting roadside bombs.

-- In s Kandahar province, a combined force in the Dand district detained a Taliban leader who is responsible for roadside-bomb attacks against Afghan forces, along with one of his associates, and another combined force in the Spin Boldak district detained several insurgents, including one identified as a key member of a cell responsible for bombing attacks.

-- In Wardak province’s Sayyidabad district, a coalition patrol detained several suspected insurgents, including one suspected of conducting bombing attacks and distributing weapons to enemy fighters.

-- In Helmand province’s Sangin district, , a coalition patrol engaged several insurgents planting roadside bombs, killing one. Another patrol found a mortar, an 81 mm mortar round, 7.62 mm ammunition, a radio and a large quantity of bomb-making materials.

-- A coalition patrol seized 10 rocket-propelled grenade rounds and 7.62 mm ammunition in Helmand province’s Washer district and detained a suspected insurgent.

-- In Helmand province’s Lashkar Gah district, a coalition force seized and destroyed 1,653 pounds of homemade explosives and several yards of detonation cord.