Combined Force Captures al-Qaida Facilitator

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – An Afghan and coalition security force captured an al-Qaida facilitator in the Gardez district of Afghanistan’s Paktia province today, military officials reported.

The facilitator coordinated insurgent activity t and provided reports to senior al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan, officials said. No civilians were harmed.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined patrol found about 5,559 pounds of marijuana in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province.

-- In the Qalander district of Khost province, a combined force detained several suspects and seized grenades and assault rifles while searching for a Haqqani network leader who attacks Afghan forces the in Nadir Shah Kot district.

-- An Afghan-led and coalition-supported force captured a Taliban leader and confiscated bomb-making materials in the Nerkh district of Wardak province. The leader supplied bomb-making materials, weapons and ammunition to insurgents in the Maidan Shahr and Nerkh districts.

In Jan. 28 Afghanistan operations:

-- A combined patrol found and destroyed about 11,000 pounds of marijuana in Kandahar’s Panjwai district.

-- An Afghan-led and coalition-supported force found and destroyed anti-tank mines and bomb-making materials in the Achin district of Nangarhar province.

-- An Afghan-led and coalition-supported force detained two suspects and seized several mortar rounds and small-arms ammunition in the Kunduz district of Kunduz province.

-- A combined force captured a Taliban leader, detained two suspected insurgents and seized bomb-making materials in the Maiwand district of Kandahar province. The leader shipped weapons and ammunition to insurgents.

-- In the Nadir Shah Kot district of Khost province, an Afghan-led and coalition-supported force detained several suspects while searching for a Taliban leader who directs insurgent operations.

-- In Paktia’s Ahmadabad district, a combined force detained a suspect and seized bomb-making materials while searching for a Haqqani network leader responsible for attacks in Gardez province.

In Jan. 27 operations:

-- A combined force captured a Taliban commander who plans roadside-bomb attacks and seized bomb-making components in the Saraj district of Helmand province.

-- An Afghan-led and coalition-supported force detained several suspects in the Ghazni district of Ghazni province.

In Jan. 26 operations:

-- A combined force in Helmand’s Nad-e Ali district detained several suspects and captured a Taliban commander who supplied weapons and explosives to insurgents.