Afghan-led Force Captures Haqqani Network Leader

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 15, 2012 — An Afghan-led and coali­tion-sup­port­ed secu­ri­ty force cap­tured a Haqqani net­work leader in the Bak dis­trict of Afghanistan’s Khost province today, mil­i­tary offi­cials report­ed.

The leader sup­plied insur­gents with bomb-mak­ing mate­ri­als, emplaced road­side bombs and direct­ed fight­ers in attacks against Afghan forces, offi­cials said. Mul­ti­ple sus­pect­ed insur­gents also were detained dur­ing the operation. 

In oth­er Afghanistan oper­a­tions today: 

— In Khost’s Khost dis­trict, an Afghan-led and coali­tion-sup­port­ed force cap­tured a Haqqani net­work leader and detained an addi­tion­al sus­pect. The Haqqani leader con­duct­ed road­side bomb and direct-fire attacks against Afghan forces. 

— A com­bined force cap­tured a Tal­iban facil­i­ta­tor, detained sev­er­al sus­pects and seized 180 pounds of hashish and 15 pounds of opi­um in the Pan­jwai dis­trict of Kan­da­har province. The facil­i­ta­tor con­duct­ed road­side-bomb attacks in the Zharay and Pan­jwai districts. 

— In the Nahr‑e Saraj dis­trict of Hel­mand province, a com­bined force detained two sus­pects while search­ing for a Tal­iban leader who con­ducts direct-fire and road­side-bomb attacks against coali­tion forces. 

— A com­bined force cap­tured a Tal­iban leader and detained anoth­er sus­pect in the Shin­war dis­trict of Nan­garhar province. The insur­gent leader planned attacks and dis­trib­uted weapons through­out the province. 

— In Kandahar’s Zharay dis­trict, a com­bined force killed three insur­gents who dis­played hos­tile intent after the secu­ri­ty force stopped their vehi­cle, which lat­er was found to con­tain bombs, bomb com­po­nents, firearms, rock­et-pro­pelled grenades, ammu­ni­tion, and radio trans­mit­ters and receivers. 

In oper­a­tions yesterday: 

— A com­bined force in the Khan­abad dis­trict of Kun­duz province killed two insur­gents who dis­played hos­tile intent and detained a sus­pect dur­ing a search for a Tal­iban leader who is respon­si­ble for attacks against civil­ians and Afghan forces. 

— In Helmand’s Reg‑e Khan Neshin dis­trict, a com­bined force found and destroyed about 500 pounds of mar­i­jua­na seeds. 

In a Feb. 13 oper­a­tion in Nangahar’s Achin dis­trict, an Afghan force detained a nar­cotics deal­er and seized about 226 pounds of nar­cotics and sev­er­al firearms for destruc­tion at a lat­er date. 

Source:
From an Inter­na­tion­al Secu­ri­ty Assis­tance Force Joint Com­mand News Release