Combined Afghan, Coalition Force Kills Taliban Chief

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2011 — A com­bined Afghan and coali­tion secu­ri­ty force yes­ter­day killed a senior Tal­iban leader and a sub­or­di­nate dur­ing a secu­ri­ty oper­a­tion in the Ghor­ma­ch dis­trict of Afghanistan’s Faryab province, mil­i­tary offi­cials report­ed.

Mul­lah Bahud­din was respon­si­ble for direct­ing attacks against Afghan secu­ri­ty forces, and he also facil­i­tat­ed weapons dis­tri­b­u­tion and sui­cide-bomb attacks in the area. He was a key leader in the Tal­iban hier­ar­chy who worked with the Badghis and Ghor­ma­ch groups. 

Bahud­din and his sub­or­di­nate were killed dur­ing a fire­fight with the secu­ri­ty force. Fol­low­ing the engage­ment, the secu­ri­ty force con­fis­cat­ed a machine gun, grenade rock­et motors and a pistol. 

The deceased insur­gent leader is one of more than 50 Tal­iban mem­bers killed since the begin­ning of the year dur­ing secu­ri­ty force oper­a­tions in Faryab province, offi­cials said. 

In oth­er Afghanistan oper­a­tions yesterday: 

— A com­bined patrol con­fis­cat­ed and destroyed 2,200 pounds of mar­i­jua­na seeds and 3,300 pounds of hashish in the Zharay dis­trict of Kan­da­har province. 

— In the Nahr‑e Saraj dis­trict of Hel­mand province, a com­bined force detained sev­er­al sus­pects dur­ing a secu­ri­ty oper­a­tion tar­get­ing a Tal­iban facil­i­ta­tor. The facil­i­ta­tor is respon­si­ble for coor­di­nat­ing the move­ment of fight­ers, road­side-bomb mate­ri­als and ammu­ni­tion to sup­port Tal­iban oper­a­tions in the region. 

— A com­bined force detained two sus­pects dur­ing a secu­ri­ty oper­a­tion in the Pan­jwai dis­trict of Kan­da­har province. The tar­get of the oper­a­tion is a Tal­iban leader who directs a team of fight­ers in the area. 

— In the Maid­en Shahr dis­trict of War­dak province, a com­bined patrol detained numer­ous insur­gents dur­ing an oper­a­tion tar­get­ing a crim­i­nal leader. The tar­get is respon­si­ble for numer­ous attacks against Afghan and coali­tion forces. 

— A com­bined force detained sev­er­al sus­pects dur­ing a search for a Tal­iban facil­i­ta­tor in the Khugyani dis­trict of Nan­garhar province. The facil­i­ta­tor is respon­si­ble for direct-fire attacks against Afghan secu­ri­ty forces, and he also assists with the move­ment of fight­ers and weapons with­in the district. 

— In the Jani Khel dis­trict of Pak­ti­ka province, a coali­tion patrol con­fis­cat­ed two recoil­less rifles, four recoil­less rifle rounds, det­o­na­tion cord and 51 pounds of explosives. 

— Afghan and coali­tion forces killed an insur­gent, detained three sus­pects and seized a weapons cache as the result of mul­ti­ple oper­a­tions in Region­al Com­mand East. The cache con­tained a 7‑pound bag of ammo­ni­um nitrate — a banned fer­til­iz­er used in home­made explo­sives � as well as an assault rifle, an 82 mm base plate, a pres­sure plate and a grenade. 

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