Combined Force Captures Taliban Facilitator

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2012 – An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province today, military officials reported.

The facilitator trained and equipped insurgents throughout northern Helmand province and also built several improvised explosive devices used in attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces, officials said.

The security force also detained several additional insurgents and seized bomb-making materials, officials said.

Also today, an Afghan-led force captured a Taliban facilitator and detained one other suspected insurgent in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province. The facilitator provided roadside bombs and ammunition to insurgents for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

In Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- A coalition force seized nearly 400 pounds of suspected narcotics during a patrol in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province.

-- A combined force killed Izatullah, the head of the Taliban commission in Faryab province, and two other insurgents in the province’s Pashtun Kot district. Izatullah provided weapons and equipment to other Taliban members for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also managed the Taliban’s financial network in the province and tried to impose Taliban law on local civilians. Izatullah recently replaced Numan, an insurgent leader who was killed March 27 during an operation in the Shirin Tagab district.

In April 7 Afghanistan operations:

-- An Afghan provincial response company supported by coalition forces detained several suspects, confiscated drugs, and seized IED-making components in the Gulistan district of Farah province. A subsequent search of a nearby compound resulted in discovery of hashish, multiple IED-making components and three Afghan police uniforms. All of the items were confiscated and destroyed.

Last week, a provincial response company, along with Afghan and coalition forces, killed several insurgents, detained several other suspected insurgents, seized about 3,190 pounds of poppy seeds and 198 pounds of wet opium and confiscated weapons in Helmand’s Baghran district.