A combined Afghan-international security force killed a key al-Qaida leader and several other enemy fighters in a fierce gun battle in Afghanistan’s Paktia province this morning, military officials reported.

The al-Qaida leader was the target in the operation, officials said.

The combined force went to a compound in a rural area in the Zormat district after intelligence information verified militant activity. As the assault force approached the compound, it came under heavy fire and killed several attackers with return fire.

Armed men ran from the compound and fired upon pursuing members of the combined force, who returned fire and killed them.

During a search of the compound, the assault force found a Chinese recoilless rifle with 25 rounds of ammunition, multiple rocket-propelled-grenade launchers and rounds, 20 mortar rounds and multiple automatic rifles and grenades. The assault force also protected several women and children from harm, officials said.

In other recent operations in Afghanistan:

– An Afghan-international security force destroyed a roadside-bomb factory and detained a suspected insurgent in Kandahar province last night. Precision weapons were used to destroy the building.

– A Taliban bomb-attack facilitator and another insurgent were captured by an Afghan-international security force in the Barak district of Logar province last night.

– An International Security Assistance Force patrol found a freshly dug weapons cache at a construction site in Nimroz province’s Khash Rod district yesterday. The cache consisted of a number of mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-tank and anti-personnel mines and artillery shells.

– An Afghan-international force found 58 152 mm artillery shells in Nimroz province’s Shindand district yesterday.

– Afghan forces with ISAF partners in Helmand province arrested a Taliban fighter known to have taken part in attacks against ISAF forces and to have recruited for the Taliban in a combined operation May 23. Afghan Special Police ensured all occupants left the compound safely. Several men were detained, and the combined force seized a small amount of narcotics and an assault rifle. Several women and children were protected throughout the operation, in which no civilians were injured, officials said.

In other news, Afghan army commandos, advised and assisted by U.S. special operations forces, conducted combat and humanitarian operations in Zabul province’s Arghandab district May 23.

While entering the farming village of Garnay, the combined force was engaged by and killed two insurgent fighters. A search of the insurgents and their motorcycle saddle bags yielded five assault rifle ammunition magazines, 150 rounds of machine gun ammunition and two hand grenades.

A further search of the village resulted in discovery of three motorcycles with saddle bags containing seven assault-rifle magazines, three tactical vests and bomb-making materials.

In a separate location, Afghan soldiers, assisted by U.S. special operations forces, entered the farming village of Bolan, located southeast of Garnay and received small-arms fire from multiple locations. The combined force continued to receive small-arms fire sporadically throughout the day.

During a search of the village, Afghan soldiers found a cache containing an infantry rifle, 200 rounds of ammunition and various bomb-making materials.

No civilian injuries or collateral damage were reported during these operations, officials said.

Afghan and international forces killed or captured numerous enemy fighters and seized illegal stockpiles of drugs and weapons in recent operations in Afghanistan, military officials reported.

– An Afghan-international security force detained two suspected militants in Kandahar province last night at a compound that reportedly belongs to a man believed to be responsible for facilitating suicide-bomb attacks in Kandahar City.

– In Helmand province’s Nad-e Ali district yesterday, a combined security patrol found a shotgun, two rifles, a pistol, small-arms ammunition and a bag of bomb-making materials, and another combined patrol found a 300 pounds of marijuana seed, 15 pounds of poppy seed, 10 pounds of hashish, 100 pounds of ammonium nitrate and a small container of an unknown white substance. Ammonium nitrate is a banned fertilizer that can be used to make explosives.

– A local civilian informed a combined patrol of insurgent fighters’ whereabouts in Helmand’s Musa Qalah district yesterday. International forces cordoned off the area while Afghan soldiers went inside the compound to investigate. The soldiers found 264 pounds of opium, two assault rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition. Five people were detained.

– An Afghan-international security force detained several suspected insurgents during the night of May 15 in Zabul province’s Qalat district.

– In Helmand’s Now Zad district May 15, an Afghan-international patrol found five 155mm artillery rounds and 70 pounds of opium.

– A combined patrol in Helmand’s Nad-e Ali district found four 82 mm rounds and three rocket-propelled grenades, May 15.

– Also on May 15, a combined Afghan-international patrol found three mines and three rocket-propelled grenades in Uruzgan province’s Tarin Kot district.

– In the Baghlan-e Jedid district of Baghlan province the night of May 14, an Afghan-international force killed several militants and captured several others as they searched for a Taliban leader. The security force went to a compound in a rural area after intelligence information indicated insurgent activity. At the compound, the Afghan members of the assault force called for the insurgents to surrender, but they refused and engaged the security force. After the combined force returned fire and killed several militants, other insurgents surrendered and were detained. Two of the militants, including a woman who tried to engage the assault force with an automatic rifle, were wounded and were taken to a nearby hospital. The search team found automatic rifles, grenades and tactical communications equipment at the compound.

– In Kandahar province on the night of May 14, a combined force operating in the Kandahar district detained several suspected insurgents for questioning.

– In Logar province’s Baraki Barak district the same night, a combined force searching for a Taliban bombing-cell commander detained a few suspected insurgents for questioning.

Combined Afghan and international forces killed or detained numerous enemy fighters in Afghanistan in recent days, military officials reported.

A combined force in Nangarhar province today detained several suspected militants, including a sought-after Taliban facilitator believed to be responsible for numerous weapons shipments to other militant elements in the area. No shots were fired, and no civilians were harmed during the operation.

In eastern Paktika province yesterday, a combined force killed a group of enemy militants and detained two suspected militants while pursuing a Haqqani terrorist network commander with ties to the local Haqqani leadership. He is believed to be responsible for several attacks in the area.

During the assault, the combined force was fired upon and returned fire. Following no response from calls for occupants to come out, the force cleared the building and killed a group of militants inside and outside the building.

A security element searched the enemy positions and recovered blasting caps, bomb-making materials, rocket-propelled grenades, assault rifles, chest racks and communications equipment.

In a separate operation yesterday, a combined force killed an enemy militant in Wardak province while pursuing a Taliban commander believed to be responsible for planning and executing several attacks in the area. The force was fired upon and returned fire, killing an enemy militant. A security element recovered an assault rifle, ammunition magazines and hand grenades.

Also yesterday, a combined force detained more than a dozen suspected militants while pursuing a Taliban commander operating in Kandahar province who is linked to the local Taliban “shadow governor.” Security elements from the combined force pursued suspects seen departing from one of the targeted compounds, detained several suspected militants and recovered an artillery round.

In Kunduz province yesterday, a combined force detained two suspected militants while pursuing a deputy to a Taliban shadow governor.

In other news from Afghanistan, in response to claims of civilian casualties during an operation in Shindand province Nov. 14, International Security Assistance Force officials confirmed the same day that in the early morning hours, a combined force searched a number of compounds associated with a leading roadside-bomber.

Upon entering the targeted complex, the force encountered resistance, and in the subsequent escalation of force, killed one insurgent. The force then was fired upon while clearing the compound, and several armed insurgents were killed, including a woman, officials said.

“The security force protected several women and children present in the compounds, and no civilians were harmed during the operation,” ISAF officials said in a statement. “Additionally, ISAF aircraft did not drop munitions in the area.”

On Nov. 13, a combined force detained several suspected militants in Zabul province while pursuing a Taliban district commander responsible for several attacks in the area and linked to the local Taliban shadow governor.

After repeated calls for occupants to exit one of the targeted compounds, the force used an explosive charge to enter it. The charge inadvertently wounded an Afghan woman who was standing on the other side of the door. The force provided immediate medical aid to the woman, but she later died. Unspecified numbers of enemy fighters were killed or detained.

An element of the force met with local tribal elders to explain the situation and provided compensation to the damaged building’s owner.

Combined Afghan and international forces killed or detained numerous enemy fighters in Afghanistan in recent days, military officials reported.

A combined force in Nangarhar province today detained several suspected militants, including a sought-after Taliban facilitator believed to be responsible for numerous weapons shipments to other militant elements in the area. No shots were fired, and no civilians were harmed during the operation.

In eastern Paktika province yesterday, a combined force killed a group of enemy militants and detained two suspected militants while pursuing a Haqqani terrorist network commander with ties to the local Haqqani leadership. He is believed to be responsible for several attacks in the area.

During the assault, the combined force was fired upon and returned fire. Following no response from calls for occupants to come out, the force cleared the building and killed a group of militants inside and outside the building.

A security element searched the enemy positions and recovered blasting caps, bomb-making materials, rocket-propelled grenades, assault rifles, chest racks and communications equipment.

In a separate operation yesterday, a combined force killed an enemy militant in Wardak province while pursuing a Taliban commander believed to be responsible for planning and executing several attacks in the area. The force was fired upon and returned fire, killing an enemy militant. A security element recovered an assault rifle, ammunition magazines and hand grenades.

Also yesterday, a combined force detained more than a dozen suspected militants while pursuing a Taliban commander operating in Kandahar province who is linked to the local Taliban “shadow governor.” Security elements from the combined force pursued suspects seen departing from one of the targeted compounds, detained several suspected militants and recovered an artillery round.

In Kunduz province yesterday, a combined force detained two suspected militants while pursuing a deputy to a Taliban shadow governor.

In other news from Afghanistan, in response to claims of civilian casualties during an operation in Shindand province Nov. 14, International Security Assistance Force officials confirmed the same day that in the early morning hours, a combined force searched a number of compounds associated with a leading roadside-bomber.

Upon entering the targeted complex, the force encountered resistance, and in the subsequent escalation of force, killed one insurgent. The force then was fired upon while clearing the compound, and several armed insurgents were killed, including a woman, officials said.

“The security force protected several women and children present in the compounds, and no civilians were harmed during the operation,” ISAF officials said in a statement. “Additionally, ISAF aircraft did not drop munitions in the area.”

On Nov. 13, a combined force detained several suspected militants in Zabul province while pursuing a Taliban district commander responsible for several attacks in the area and linked to the local Taliban shadow governor.

After repeated calls for occupants to exit one of the targeted compounds, the force used an explosive charge to enter it. The charge inadvertently wounded an Afghan woman who was standing on the other side of the door. The force provided immediate medical aid to the woman, but she later died. Unspecified numbers of enemy fighters were killed or detained.

An element of the force met with local tribal elders to explain the situation and provided compensation to the damaged building’s owner.

Coalition and Afghan forces seized dozens of suspected enemy fighters during recent operations in eastern Afghanistan, U.S. military officials said.

In an operation yesterday, a joint Afghan and coalition force searched a compound in Khost province believed to be frequented by an insurgent known for coordinating attacks against troops as part of the Haqqani terrorist network.

After intelligence indicated militant activity at a compound near the village of Majles, north of the city of Khost, the joint force searched the area and detained seven suspects, including the wanted man.

No Afghan, international security forces or civilian casualties were reported during the incident.

During operations July 25, a joint security force searched a compound in the remote reaches of Paktika province in an effort to disrupt Haqqani command and control, communications, and supply lines in the region.

The joint team searched the compound in the Deela district of Paktika, about 95 miles southwest of Gardez, after intelligence indicated militant activity. Combined forces detained five suspects in the raid.

During July 24 operations:

– A joint force seized a weapons cache in Nangarhar province as part of the ongoing effort to disrupt Taliban operations, particularly suicide-bomber and homemade-bombing attacks against Afghan National Army and international security units in the region. In a raid, troops killed several enemy combatants and detained eight others.

– Combined forces searched a suspected militant compound in Paktia province in an effort to disrupt Haqqani financial and logistical support lines extending from the Khost-Gardez Pass and into the country. The joint force detained seven suspects in the operation.

– A joint Afghan and international security force detained an unreported number of suspected enemy fighters during a search of a compound in Kandahar province that also yielded incriminating photographs. Three Afghan security force members died and three others were wounded in the operation. An investigation into the incident has been directed.

Source: Department of Defense

Afghan and coalition forces killed several enemy fighters, detained one other and destroyed weapons caches in operations in Afghanistan over the past two days, military officials reported.

A joint Afghan and coalition force killed enemy fighters and detained a suspect on a Taliban compound in central Helmand province yesterday.

The force was pursuing a senior Taliban commander believed responsible for the recruitment of bomb-making technicians and the transfer of weapons and bomb-making materials into the region.

The combined force searched a compound near the village of Heyderabad after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The force engaged a group of enemy fighters after receiving fire.
The force detained an enemy fighter and seized an AK-47 assault rifle, a chest rack and 75 pounds of black-tar heroin.

When leaving the compound, the force was engaged multiple times and called in precision close-air support. Several enemy fighters were killed during the incident.

No Afghan or coalition force or civilian casualties were reported.

Elsewhere, Afghan National Police, aided by coalition forces, killed several militants and destroyed a large weapons cache in Zabul province’s Arghandab and Shajoy districts July 20 during a cordon-and-search operation in an area known as a militant leader meeting point and Taliban recruiting area.

Upon entering a local village, militants engaged the Afghan-led joint force with small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire. The force responded with small arms and heavy weapons, killing multiple militants.

A search yielded a large weapons cache that included an estimated 7,000 pounds of explosives and other miscellaneous ammunition. The force destroyed the cache in place.

An Afghan National Police member and two coalition members were wounded. They were treated before being evacuated to a nearby coalition hospital. No civilian casualties were reported.

Source: Department of Defense