Forces in Afghanistan Capture Suspected Insurgents

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

July 30, 2010 - Afghan and coalition forces captured numerous suspected insurgents in recent operations in Afghanistan, and insurgents have continued killing civilians as they seek to intimidate the population, military officials reported.

A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained four suspected insurgents in Paktia province last night, including a Haqqani terrorist network subcommander who facilitates the movement of weapons into the province's Gardez district. The commander was in direct contact with senior Haqqani leadership operating in the Khost-Gardez area and in Pakistan, officials said.

The security force targeted a compound near the village in Gardez district and secured the area. Afghan forces then called for all residents to come out of the compound peacefully. After initial questioning, the insurgent commander and three additional suspected insurgents were detained. Multiple automatic weapons, magazines, grenades and chest racks were found, along with a blasting cap.

An Afghan and coalition security force detained three suspected insurgents in Helmand province's Nad-e Ali district last night while in pursuit of a senior Taliban tactical commander who regularly conducts kidnappings and intimidation campaigns against Afghan civilians. He also is known to direct bombing attacks against Afghan civilians and coalition forces.

When Afghan forces called for all residents to peacefully come out of the targeted compound, two men tried to escape and were detained immediately. A total of three suspected insurgents were detained for further questioning.

A combined security force detained three suspected insurgents in Khost province's Khost district last night while in pursuit of a Haqqani bombing-attack attack facilitator.

No shots were fired, and the security force protected women and children who were present during the operations.

In other news from Afghanistan, coalition forces took advantage of a brief target of opportunity earlier this week by conducting several precision strikes on a bunker complex in Paktia province where the senior Haqqani network commander for Khost-Gardez Pass was believed to be hiding, officials said. The commander was responsible for command and control of all Haqqani and foreign fighter camps in the area. Afghan and coalition forces still are gathering information to confirm the commander's death, officials said, adding that at least a dozen insurgents reportedly were killed in the strikes.

Meanwhile, officials said, insurgents have continued killing innocent civilians in their efforts to intimidate the Afghan people.

An Afghan civilian woman and girl were killed and another girl was wounded in an explosion in Kandahar City today when a stationary motorcycle rigged with explosives detonated outside the home of a parliamentary candidate. The detonation took place as the candidate was coming out of his house, but he was unharmed in the explosion.

Yesterday, the son of an election campaign chief for a parliamentary candidate and another civilian were killed in an insurgent ambush.

"Insurgents continue to wage war against innocent civilians involved in the election process as they attempt to deny Afghans stability and security," said Army Col. Rafael Torres, director of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command's Combined Joint Operations Center. "The killings appear to be an attempt to target parliamentary candidates as well as members of their campaigning teams. We strongly condemn these killings, and would like to assure the Afghan people that these cowardly acts will not deter our Afghan partners and ISAF from our goal of a stable and secure Afghanistan."

Insurgents killed 13 Afghan civilians and wounded four more in attacks throughout Afghanistan yesterday. Six Afghan civilians were killed by insurgent small-arms fire while building and repairing roads in Ghazni province's Ab Band district of Ghazni province, Afghan officials reported.

Three more civilians were killed and two were wounded when a roadside bomb detonated in Kandahar province's Kandahar district. In Ghazni province, three Afghan civilians were killed and one was wounded when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb, and another roadside bomb in Paktia province's Tsamkani district killed a civilian and wounded another.