Combined Force Detains Taliban Leader

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2012 – An Afghan-led, coalition-supported security force detained a Taliban leader during an operation in the Dasht-e Qal’ah district of Afghanistan’s Takhar province today, military officials reported.

The detainee was the senior insurgent leader in the neighboring Darqad district, and was responsible for planning attacks against Afghan government officials, Afghan security forces and coalition troops, officials said. He also provided weapons, ammunition and explosive devices to insurgents under his command.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- In the Nawah-ye Barakzai district of Helmand province, a combined force detained several suspects during a search for an insurgent leader. The sought-after insurgent is responsible for roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition troops. He also supplies weapons and explosive devices to insurgents under his command.

-- An Afghan-led, coalition-supported force detained a Haqqani leader and one other insurgent in the Khost district of Khost province. The leader organized roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the Nadir Shah Kot and Manduzai districts.

-- A combined force detained a Haqqani leader and one other insurgent in the Nadir Shah Kot district of Khost province. The leader conducted roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the district, and was responsible for the movement of explosives into Khost province.

-- A combined force called in an airstrike that killed two insurgents and captured three suspects during an operation to detain a Taliban leader in the Khugyani district of Ghazni province. The sought-after insurgent leader plans kidnappings and conducts attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the district. He also supplies insurgents with weapons and equipment.

And yesterday, combined forces in eastern Afghanistan discovered eight weapon caches that in total contained about 7,150 pounds of aluminum and ammonium nitrates used to make improvised explosive devices, more than 1,000 rounds of rifle ammunition, three 107 mm rockets, two 155 mm and one 120 mm artillery rounds, six 82 mm mortar rounds, two rocket-propelled grenades, two RPG warheads and a launcher, seven small arms and various amounts of clothes, communications equipment and IED-making components.