Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader, Insurgents

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 22, 2012 – An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader today in the Panjwai district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, military officials reported.

The Taliban leader conducted attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and moved weapons and explosives to other Taliban fighters in the area. Prior to his arrest, officials said, the Taliban leader carried out an improvised explosive device attack against Afghan forces.

The security force also detained several suspected insurgents during the operation.

In other operations today:

-- In Kunduz province’s Imam Sahib district, a combined force detained several suspected insurgents and seized weapons during a search for an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader who finances and directs attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force detained several suspected insurgents in Helmand province’s Now Zad district during a search for a Taliban leader who is in charge of acquiring weapons for Taliban fighters in the province’s Marjah and Washir districts.

-- In the Pul-e Alam district of Logar province, a combined security force detained several suspected insurgents during an operation to arrest a Haqqani network leader who facilitates construction of improvised explosive devices and oversees IED attacks.

In other news, Afghan and coalition officials announced today that the insurgent leader Mullah Dost Mohammad was one of several insurgents arrested Aug. 20 during an operation in the Tarin Kot district of Uruzgan province. Mohammad is a key member of an IED supply and facilitation network in the Deh Rafshan area of Tarin Kot, officials said. He also is responsible for IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.