Airstrike Kills Insurgents in Kunar Province

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 21, 2012 – An airstrike in the Watahpur district of Afghanistan’s Kunar province yesterday killed several insurgents, including an al-Qaida affiliated Taliban leader, military officials reported.

Targeted was Mutaqi, also known as Mullah Amir Muhammad or Malik, who was responsible for passing critical information among senior al-Qaida-associated Taliban leaders in the province, officials said, and was involved in planning suicide bombing attacks in the region.

A post-strike assessment by a combined Afghan and coalition security force confirmed no civilians had been injured and no civilian property had been damaged during of the operation.

In operations today:

-- A combined force in Ghazni province’s Gelan district arrested an al-Qaida-associated Taliban insurgent who assisted in the movement of al-Qaida fighters throughout the region and conducted attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. Prior to his arrest, he was attempting to acquire explosives for future attacks. The security force also detained another suspected insurgent and seized bomb-making materials.

-- An Afghan and coalition security force detained two suspected insurgents in Logar province’s Baraki Barak district during a search for a Taliban leader who plans and executes attacks against coalition patrols.

In other news, a combined force in the Kabul district of Kabul province yesterday arrested the insurgent leader responsible for a July 12 bomb attack that killed Hanifa Safi, the Afghan minister for female affairs. The attack occurred in Lagham province’s Mehtar Lam district.

In an Aug. 19 operation, an Afghan crisis response unit supported by coalition troops arrested several insurgents in Wardak province’s Sayyid Abad district. The insurgents are responsible for recent attempts to abduct Afghan interpreters working for the International Security Assistance Force, and were planning to kidnap Afghan and civilian ISAF employees.