Coalition Airstrike Kills 2 Insurgents

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2012 – A coalition airstrike killed two enemy fighters during a search for an al-Qaida-associated insurgent leader in the Gelan district of Afghanistan’s Ghazni province today, military officials reported.

The insurgent leader is responsible for planning insurgent attacks throughout the province, officials said.

After the airstrike, the security force conducted a follow-on assessment of the area and seized several mortar rounds and explosive materials, officials said, noting no civilians had been injured during the operation.

In other operations today:

-- A combined force detained numerous suspects during a search for a Taliban leader in the Musa Qal’ah district of Helmand province. The sought-after insurgent leader provides supplies to enemy fighters throughout northern Helmand province, and conducts attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the district.

-- In the Khugyani district of Nangarhar province, a combined force detained two suspects during an operation to arrest a Taliban explosives expert. The explosives expert manufactures and supplies insurgents with improvised explosive devices used to attack Afghan and coalition forces throughout eastern Afghanistan.

In July 26 operations:

-- A coalition force discovered a drug cache containing 18,181 pounds of hashish seed and 193 pounds of processed hashish in the Deh Rawud district of Uruzgan province. The seeds and drugs were destroyed.

-- A combined force seized homemade explosives used for making IEDs in Ghazni province’s Ghazni district.

-- In Ghazni province, a combined force found and cleared one IED in the Gelan district and another in the Qarah Bagh district.

-- In Khowst province, a combined force detained an insurgent while investigating a weapons cache in the Sabari district. The cache contained small arms and ammunition, a grenade, and spotting scopes.

-- A combined force detained two insurgents in Khowst province’s Nadir Shah Kot district.

-- In Kunar province, a combined force killed an insurgent in the Nari district.

-- A combined force detained an insurgent in Logar province’s Pul-E Alam district.

-- In Nangarhar province, a combined force found and cleared one IED in the Bati Kot district and another in the Nazyan district.

-- A combined force found and cleared an IED in Paktika province’s Orgun district.