Afghanistan — Combined Force Captures Taliban Suspect

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2011 — A com­bined Afghan and coali­tion force cap­tured a Tal­iban road­side bomb facil­i­ta­tor, along with sev­er­al oth­er sus­pect­ed insur­gents, in the Pan­jwai dis­trict of Afghanistan’s Kan­da­har province yes­ter­day, mil­i­tary offi­cials report­ed.

Based on numer­ous intel­li­gence reports, the com­bined secu­ri­ty force searched for the sus­pect at a com­pound in the dis­trict. Fol­low­ing inter­views with res­i­dents, the com­bined force iden­ti­fied and detained the man and sev­er­al of his associates. 

In oth­er oper­a­tions yesterday: 

— A com­bined force act­ing on intel­li­gence reports cap­tured a Tal­iban facil­i­ta­tor and two sus­pect­ed insur­gents in Hel­mand province’s San­gin dis­trict. The facil­i­ta­tor pro­vid­ed guid­ance and helped insur­gents con­duct attacks against Afghan and coali­tion forces through­out north­ern Helmand. 

— In Khost province’s Sabari dis­trict, a com­bined force detained sev­er­al insur­gents while search­ing for a Haqqani ter­ror­ist net­work facil­i­ta­tor in an intel­li­gence-dri­ven operation. 

— A com­bined force in Khost province’s Musa Khel dis­trict detained numer­ous sus­pect­ed insur­gents while search­ing for a Haqqani net­work leader. 

— Afghan and coali­tion forces detained sev­er­al insur­gents at a bazaar in Nan­garhar province’s Khogyani dis­trict. A group of insur­gents attacked the com­bined forces at the Wazir Bazaar with small-arms fire before escap­ing into a near­by tree line. The com­bined force returned fire, sup­press­ing the insur­gents and injur­ing two in the process. More than 10 sus­pect­ed insur­gents were detained for fur­ther questioning. 

— A com­bined force found and con­fis­cat­ed 11 120 mm mor­tar rounds in Kan­da­har province’s Arghandab district. 

— In Kandahar’s Zharay dis­trict, insur­gents engaged a com­bined patrol, then broke con­tact when the force returned fire. Fol­low­ing the attack, the patrol found and destroyed 220 pounds of opium. 

In May 15 operations: 

— A com­bined oper­a­tion result­ed in the death of five insur­gents in Kapisa province’s Tagab dis­trict. The oper­a­tion was in response to a call for aid from a ch
— A com­bined oper­a­tion result­ed in dis­cov­ery of 705 pounds of opi­um in Farah province’s Lash‑E Juwain dis­trict. A sus­pect was detained, and the com­bined force destroyed the opium. 

Source:
Com­piled from Inter­na­tion­al Secu­ri­ty Assis­tance Force Joint Com­mand News Releases 

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