Allen Condemns Death of Afghan Official, Promises to ‘Root Out’ Criminals

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2011 – U.S. and Afghan leaders are condemning the death of an Afghan border official and say his killers will be held accountable, military officials reported.

U.S. Army Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, joined Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday in condemning Saturday’s assassination of Abdul Baqi Raghbat in the Shikar Por Darwaza area of Kandahar province.

Raghbat, an advisor to Karzai’s Tribal and Border Affairs ministry (which works with the Afghan Border Police), “played an instrumental role in advancing many areas of Afghan society,” Allen said in an ISAF press release. “He made a difference to the people of this nation, and shamefully, the enemies of peace and stability have taken his life.

“Our heartfelt and sincere condolences go out to the families and friends of Mr. Raghbat and the Kandahar community," he added.

"ISAF will continue to work closely with our Afghan partners to root out these criminals who kill and injure innocent Afghans working toward stability, peace and prosperity for all Afghan people," Allen continued.  "These enemies of Afghanistan must be held to account."

In other news from Afghanistan, combined forces yesterday:

- Discovered a drug cache consisting of about 500 pounds of hashish in Kandahar’s Zharay district.  Security forces destroyed the cache on site without incident.

- Discovered a munitions cache in Helmand province’s Lashkar Gah district consisting of 10 antipersonnel mines, 11 electrical boxes used as detonation devices, and detonation cord. Security forces destroyed the munitions on site without incident.

In Dec. 17 operations, combined forces:

- Discovered a drug cache in Helmand’s Reg-e Khan district consisting of 2,500 pounds of marijuana, 30 pounds of poppy seeds and 75 pounds of marijuana seeds. All of the drugs were destroyed on site without incident.

- In Kandahar’s Zharay district discovered two weapons caches consisting of two 155 mm rounds, one 107 mm round, one antipersonnel mine, two 88 mm rounds, 12 pressure plate detonation devices, and various improvised explosive device-making components. The security force destroyed all munitions on location.

- Discovered a weapons cache in Kandahar’s Panjwa’i district consisting of four emplaced IEDs, one rocket-propelled grenade warhead with two boosters, multiple radios, explosive material and various assortments of wire and small arms ammunition. The security force confiscated all materials for destruction at a later date.

-Captured a Taliban operative involved in a recent suicide bomb attack in Baghlan province during an operation in Kunduz province’s Khanabad district.

In Dec. 16 operations, combined forces:

- Detained multiple suspects in Helmand’s Kajaki district after searching for a Taliban leader who coordinates shipments of explosives and weapons in support of insurgent operations.

- Killed an insurgent during a search for a Taliban leader in Logar province’s Pul-e ‘Alam district after the armed man displayed hostile intent.  The force recovered an AK-47 assault rifle and detained a suspected insurgent.

- Discovered a weapons cache in Uruzgan province’s Tarin Kot district consisting of five 107 mm rockets with fuses. The security force confiscated all rockets for destruction at a later date.

- Discovered an 800-pound marijuana cache in Kandahar’s Arghandab district. Security forces burned the marijuana on site without incident.

- Captured a Haqqani network leader in Khost province’s Sabari district. The man conducted attacks on Afghan forces and coordinated the movement of bomb-making materials throughout the area. The security force seized multiple firearms and detained four additional suspects.