Airstrike Kills Taliban Leader Involved in Aug. 7 Attack

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan – One of the Taliban leaders behind an Aug. 7 attack on a coalition base in Afghanistan’s Logar province was killed by Afghan and coalition security forces in Logar’s Pul-e Alam district yesterday, military officials reported.

Afghan and coalition security forces positively identified the Taliban leader, Bismullah, and two additional insurgents and killed them with a precision airstrike after confirming no civilians were in the area, officials said.

Bismullah is believed to have supplied suicide bombers with essential equipment for the Aug. 7 attack, which wounded several Afghan civilians but failed to cause any significant damage to the coalition base. At the time of his death, officials said, he was believed to be planning another large-scale attack and had transported several rockets across the region.

A post-strike assessment determined no civilian property was damaged and no civilians were harmed.

In other news, a combined Afghan and coalition security force killed several armed insurgents during an operation to arrest a senior Taliban leader in Balkh province’s Chimtal district today. As the security force approached the Taliban leader’s suspected location, several insurgents opened fire and the security force returned fire.

In operations yesterday:

-- A combined force of coalition troops and Afghan special police in Kandahar province’s Maiwand district seized a vehicle packed with nearly 3 tons of explosives. The Afghan-led team stopped the vehicle and detained its three occupants. The vehicle is believed to have been bound for bomb makers in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, officials said, and the explosives were destroyed on site.

-- The Wardak Provincial Response Company and coalition forces disrupted an insurgent attack on an Afghan army security patrol in Wardak province’s Maidan Shahr district. Responding to a reported insurgent ambush on the patrol, the response company provided covering fire for the unit in contact and conducted a follow-on mission to investigate a suspected Taliban checkpoint.

Combined Force Arrests Suspected Taliban Explosives Dealer

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2012 – An Afghan special operations unit, supported by coalition troops, arrested a suspected Taliban explosives dealer during an operation in the Zharay district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province today, military officials reported.

The detained explosives dealer is believed to be responsible for coordinating the purchase and transfer of explosives and other bomb-making equipment for Taliban insurgents throughout the region, officials said.

Prior to his arrest, the suspect had acquired several components for building homemade bombs, officials said.

The Afghan special operations unit also detained three other suspected insurgents and seized more than 40 pounds of illegal narcotics as a result of this operation.

In another Afghanistan operation today, a combined force arrested a suspected Taliban IED expert, detained several other suspects and seized military uniforms, firearms and explosives in the Khugyani district of Nangarhar province. The arrested IED expert is believed to be a leading figure in the movement and provision of explosives for attacks against coalition and Afghan security forces throughout eastern Nangarhar province.

Also today, Afghan and coalition forces confirmed the death of Shabeer, a Haqqani network leader, following a Sept. 2 precision airstrike in the Pul-e Alam district of Logar province. Shabeer was believed to have been coordinating a high-profile attack using vehicle-borne bombs and other weapons. A post-strike assessment determined no civilian property was damaged and no civilians were harmed.

In operations yesterday:

-- A combined force detained several suspects and seized Afghan army uniforms, an assault rifle and IED components during a search for a Haqqani leader in the Sayyid Karam district of Paktia province.

-- A combined force detained several suspects and seized a firearm during a search for a Taliban leader in the Ghazni district of Ghazni province.

-- A combined force killed two armed insurgents in Logar’s Pul-e Alam district.

In Sept. 2 operations:

-- In the Reg-e Khan Neshin district of Helmand province, International Security Assistance Force troops found and destroyed 1,190 pounds of wet and dry opium and detained four people.

-- During a search for a Taliban leader in the Baraki Barak district of Logar province, a combined force killed multiple insurgents and seized an 82 mm recoilless rifle.

-- A coalition airstrike killed multiple armed insurgents during an operation in Logar’s Pul-e Alam district.

Also on Sept. 2, Afghan and coalition forces confirmed the Aug. 30 arrest of a Taliban insurgent in the Hisarak district of Nangarhar province. The insurgent is accused of using his status as a member of the Afghan National Police to conduct a May attack that killed two coalition service members. Prior to his capture, officials said, he was attempting to join the Afghan army.

In Sept. 1 operations:

-- A combined force killed an insurgent, detained numerous suspects and destroyed an explosives and weapons cache during a search for a Haqqani leader in the Sayyid Karam district of Paktia province.

-- In the Wali Muhammad Shahid Khugyani district of Ghazni province, a combined force detained several suspects during a search for a Taliban leader.

-- A combined force detained numerous suspects during a search for a Taliban bomb maker in the Washer district of Helmand province.

Coalition Airstrike Kills Taliban Bomb Expert

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, March 23, 2012 – A coalition airstrike killed a Taliban expert bomb maker and wounded another insurgent in the Baghlan-e Jadid district of Afghanistan’s Baghlan province today, military officials reported.

The airstrike targeted the two insurgents as they were planting two roadside bombs. One bomb was a pressure plate device, and the other was remote-controlled.

Afghan and coalition security forces removed and destroyed both explosives and detained the wounded insurgent. The expert bomb maker built explosive devices for attacks against Afghan and coalition troops and trained other insurgents in constructing roadside bombs, officials said.

In other news, a combined force captured a Taliban facilitator and another suspect in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province today. The facilitator provided weapons and bomb-making materials to insurgents throughout the district and western Kandahar province. He also participated in illegal drug trafficking.

Also today, an Afghan-led force captured a Taliban facilitator, detained several other suspects and confiscated a shotgun in the Bati Kot district of Nangarhar province. The facilitator provided financial and logistical support to insurgents.

Coalition Airstrike Destroys Bomb-making Facility

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, March 21, 2012 – A coalition airstrike destroyed an improvised explosive device-making facility in the Sangin district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province March 19, officials reported today.

Insurgents used the facility to build bombs and coordinate IED attacks in the area, officials said.

Following the precision airstrike, a coalition security force confirmed the building and IED-making materials were destroyed.

In other Afghanistan operations:

-- An Afghan provincial response company, supported by coalition forces, confiscated 44 pounds of hashish, some opium harvesting tools, two rifles and a grenade in Helmand province’s Lashkar Gar district yesterday.

-- In Helmand province’s Nahr-e Saraj district, a combined Afghan and coalition security force confiscated multiple homemade bombs March 18. The team first discovered a motorcycle packed with explosives and, on a later search, found four additional bombs.

-- An Afghan provincial response company, supported by coalition forces, confiscated a large explosives and IED-manufacturing cache in Ghazni province’s Deh Yak district, March 18. The Afghan force found hidden in a garden four IEDs consisting of 187 pounds of explosives, 10 anti-tank mines, 66 pounds of homemade explosives and 10 fuses for anti-person mines.

Combined Security Forces Kill, Capture Insurgents

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2011 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed numerous insurgents and detained five others after they were attacked in Paktika province’s Omnah district yesterday.

The Afghan-led force was attacked several times by armed insurgents while searching a compound for a Haqqani Network leader. The force called in air support to suppress enemy fire.

In other operations in Afghanistan yesterday:

--In another attack by armed insurgents, a combined force killed two insurgents and detained another while searching for a Taliban leader in the Kunduz province’s Archi district. The leader organizes roadside and suicide bombings in the district. A subsequent combined force airstrike ensued, but it is unknown whether or not the Taliban leader was among those killed.

--Combined forces detained several suspected insurgents during a night-time security operation in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province while targeting a Taliban leader responsible for attacks and moving materials for insurgents throughout the Panjwa’i and Spin Boldak districts and central Kandahar province.

--Combined forces captured a Taliban organizer who coordinates homemade explosives, narcotics shipments and financial movements throughout Helmand province’s Sangin district.

--Combined forces captured a Taliban organizer and detained several insurgents in Tarnek wa Jaldak district, Zabul province. The organizer, who led eight fighters and was responsible for roadside bomb attacks along Highway 1, was taken from his compound.

--Combined forces detained several suspected insurgents in the Sabari district, Khost province, while searching for a Haqqani network leader believed responsible for indirect fire and roadside bomb attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces.

--Also in Khost, an Afghan-led security force detained two suspected insurgents in the Musa Khel district while searching for a Haqqani Network organizer responsible for equipment and supply movements to Haqqani senior leadership.

--In Logar province, a combined coalition security force captured a Hezb-E Islami Gulbuddin leader in the Baraki Barak district, following recent reports on his whereabouts.

The leader was responsible for attacks targeting Afghan officials and supporting extensive weapons network attacks across Logar, Wardak and northward into Kabul.

--In a separate security operation in Wardak province’s Sayyidabad district, the combined force detained a suspected insurgent during a clearing operation to disrupt a Taliban safe haven in the district. Several insurgent leaders have been connected to the area.

In operations June 12:

--A second homemade explosives lab was discovered by a coalition force patrol in Musa Khela village, Sayyidabad district, Wardak province. After an improvised explosive device strike, two homemade explosives labs were discovered while the force waited for its damaged vehicle to be moved to a safe location.

The first lab was housed in an Islamic school and contained 400 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer used to make IEDs, and 15 jugs of diesel fuel. The second lab had 400 pounds of ammonium nitrate and 200 to 300 gallons of diesel fuel. In mid-April, 600 pounds of ammonium nitrate were recovered from that area. The ammonium nitrate was destroyed.

In other ISAF news throughout Afghanistan:

--Combined forces detained a suspected weapons organizer in Lashkar Gah district. He is suspected of moving weapons, explosives and narcotics throughout Helmand.

--A coalition force patrol in Garm Ser district, Helmand province, destroyed a drug and chemicals cache comprising 1,135 pounds of wet opium, 419 pounds of dry opium and 198 pounds of chemicals used to make narcotics.

--In Zharay district, Kandahar province, a combined Afghan and coalition force discovered a drugs cache with 882 pounds of hashish.

--A combined force found a weapons cache with 13 rolls of detonation cord, 36 mines, three radios, three ICOM antennas and three vehicle license plates during a security operation in Maiwand district, Kandahar province.

--A suspected insurgent leader was detained in Lashkar Gah district, Helmand province, earlier this month by combined forces, suspected of moving explosives and munitions throughout Helmand and planning suicide attacks against Afghan security forces and the ISAF. The suspected insurgent’s vehicle tested positive for recently carried explosives.