Afghan and international security forces killed or detained numerous individuals suspected of insurgent activity and seized explosives, weapons and other ordnance during several operations conducted across Afghanistan yesterday, military officials said today.

– Several individuals were detained when a combined Afghan-international force operating in Logar province searched a compound in Padkhvab-e Shaneh, Pul-e ‘Alam district, after intelligence information revealed militant activity.

– Another Afghan-international force used aircraft and ground forces to stop two vehicles and detained multiple individuals suspected of insurgent activity in Zabul province. The security force was pursuing a Taliban commander in the village of Zakuri, Shah Joy district, after intelligence information revealed insurgent activity. The vehicles were stopped without incident, and several women and children in the vehicles were protected.

– Individuals suspected of insurgent activity were detained by a separate Afghan-international force in Zabul province. The combined force detained two suspected insurgents while searching a compound in the village of Jonubi Garay, Shah Joy district, after intelligence information found insurgent activity.

No shots were fired and no one was harmed during the above operations.

– Also yesterday, an Afghan-international security force found a large amount of explosives and detained an individual suspected of insurgent activity in Kandahar province. The security force searched a series of compounds near the village of Zarif Kheyl, Zharay district, after intelligence information verified militant activity. A Russian-made anti-aircraft weapon, several artillery rounds used for making improvised explosive devices, completed improvised explosive devices and automatic rifles were found.

– A number of insurgents were killed and large weapons caches were found by a separate Afghan-international security force during a two-day clearing operation that ended yesterday in Khost province. The operation took place southwest of Kowte Kheyl, Shamul district, after intelligence reports confirmed insurgent activity in an area known for extensive Haqqani network involvement and facilitation. The security force came under fire several times over the course of the operation and returned fire, killing a number of insurgents. Several of the insurgent strongholds were mined with IEDs and precision air strikes were used to eliminate weapon storage areas. The security force also recovered multiple rocket-propelled grenades, mortar rounds, hand grenades, automatic rifles and IED components.

Afghan and international security forces detained several suspected militants in recent operations, military officials reported.

An Afghan-international security force on the outskirts of Marja in the Nawah-ye Barakzai district of Helmand province detained a few suspected militants for further questioning today after a search based on intelligence information.

In Khost province last night, a combined Afghan-international force in the Sabari district detained a suspected militant for further questioning and found automatic rifles, ammunition and chest racks.

Also last night, a combined force in the Zurmat district of Paktia province captured a Haqqani terrorist network commander responsible for leading several small groups of fighters.

In Helmand’s Nad-e Ali district today, an Afghan-international patrol found three 105 mm rockets and an intelligence radio.

No shots were fired and no Afghan citizens were harmed during these operations, officials said.

A combined Afghan and international security force captured a Taliban leader and seized multiple weapons in Afghanistan yesterday, military officials reported.

The force searched a series of compounds around the village of Saleh Kheyl in Ghazni province’s Jaghatu district after intelligence confirmed militant activity there. The force captured a Taliban sub-commander and another insurgent responsible for conducting homemade-bomb attacks and ambushes against Afghan and international troops. The force also found multiple weapons.

In Helmand, a combined security force searched a vehicle northwest of Marjah in Nad Ali district after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The force discovered several AK-47 assault rifles, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, several RPG rounds, handheld radios and a machine gun. The force detained the men in the car for further questioning.

Meanwhile, an International Security Assistance Force patrol discovered bomb-making materials in the Maiwand district of Kandahar province. The force found numerous homemade blasting caps, detonation cord, batteries, wire and a mortar round. The items were destroyed at the site.

Elsewhere, an Afghan civilian turned in four 81 mm mortar rounds in Kandahar province’s Arghandab district.

An Afghan-led team also confiscated three AK-47s, three grenades, 1,000 machine-gun rounds, RPG boosters and assorted bomb-making materials including wire, batteries and electronic components. The team also discovered about 1,500 pounds of suspected ammonium nitrate fertilizer, which recently was banned because of its potential for use in bombs, and 50 pounds of black-tar opium.

No civilians were harmed and no shots were fired in any of these operations.

Afghan and international security forces in Afghanistan detained numerous suspected militants and seized weapons stockpiles in various operations today, military officials reported.

A combined Afghan-international force detained several suspected militants in Helmand province while searching for a Taliban commander linked to a murder and intimidation campaign.

The force went to a compound north of the village of Ser Banader in the Garmsir district after intelligence experts confirmed militant activity in the area. Despite receiving hostile fire when they approached, the servicemembers searched the compound and detained the militants.

A combined force captured a suspected Taliban commander believed to be responsible for recent assassinations and detained two other militants in an operation south of Kandahar City.

In Khost province, a combined force detained about a dozen suspected Haqqani terrorist network militants and recovered illegal weapons.

The force moved into a series of compounds in the Sabari district after intelligence sources found a concentration of militant activity. After an extensive search, the security force detained the militants. The joint force also found assault rifles and pistols.

In other operations, international forces discovered three weapons caches and drugs in Helmand province yesterday while conducting a patrol. The unit seized assault rifles, ammunition magazines, more than 200 7.62 mm rounds and 40 pounds of black-tar heroin in the Now Zad district.

The drugs were destroyed, and the weapons were seized as evidence.

No civilians were harmed in any of these operations, officials said.

U.S. and International Security Forces conducted multiple operations against the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan Monday.

Today marks the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Approximately 16,000 troops are headed soon to Afghanistan, the first of the some 30,000 authorized by President Barack Obama last week.

President Obama meets with the U.S. commander in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal and the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry at the White House.

Combined Afghan and international security forces detained several suspected militants, including an alleged Taliban commander, in operations in Afghanistan today and yesterday, military officials reported.

A combined force killed enemy militants and detained several militants in Wardak province, including an alleged Taliban commander believed to be responsible for several attacks in the area.

The combined security force searched buildings near the village of Badam Kalay in Nerkh district where intelligence sources indicated a Taliban commander was located. The force surrounded a mosque, known to be used by the Taliban commander to cache weapons, and called for the militants to surrender.

The force received heavy machine-gun fire from the mosque and responded with precision fire, killing two of the militants. The force again called for the remaining militants to surrender.

Several other militants surrendered, including the suspected Taliban commander.

Afghan members of the joint force then entered and secured the mosque and recovered a medium machine gun, multiple assault rifles, grenades, a pistol, ammunition, video recorder and communications equipment. Following the operation, village elders discussed the operation with the combined force and examined the militant weapons cache in the mosque. No Afghan civilians were harmed.

Elsewhere, a combined Afghan and international security force detained a group of suspected militants after searching compounds in Zabul province known to be used by a Taliban commander believed to be responsible for making homemade bombs and conducting attacks in the area. After searching the compounds without incident, the combined force detained the suspected militants. No shots were fired and no one was injured.

Meanwhile, a combined force killed an enemy militant and detained a group of suspected militants in Khost province while pursuing a local Taliban “shadow” governor with numerous links to Haqqani terrorist organization senior leadership in the area.

The combined force targeted a series of buildings near the village of Bazikani in Spera district after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The militant was killed when he fired on the force. The force searched the buildings, detained the suspected militants and recovered a number of small-arms weapons.

No Afghan civilians were harmed during this operation.

In Kandahar City yesterday, a combined force detained a suspected militant while pursuing a senior Taliban facilitator and subcommander who allegedly operates in the area.

The combined security force searched a compound after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The force conducted the search without incident and detained a suspected militant for additional questioning. No shots were fired, and no one was injured.

Afghan and international security forces killed multiple militants and detained several suspects in operations in Afghanistan over the past four days, military officials reported.

A combined security force in Khowst detained several suspected militants today after searching a compound in the province’s Sabari district, north of Khowst City. Intelligence reports indicated militant activity there.

The compound is known to be used by a Haqqani terrorist network facilitator and his element, believed to be responsible for funding and supplying weapons and homemade bomb materials to other militant elements in the region.

The force searched the compound without incident and detained the suspected militants, one of whom was identified as the Haqqani facilitator. No shots were fired, and no one was harmed.

The Haqqani network has developed an extensive system of supply routes in eastern Afghanistan used to arm, man and equip its militant elements and training camps within the country, officials said. Afghan and international security forces are working together to block these routes and ensure the safety and well-being of the Afghan people.

In Oct. 17 operations in Afghanistan:

– A combined security force killed several enemy militants and detained a few suspected militants after searching a compound in Khowst province known to be used by a key Taliban commander in charge of multiple fighters in the region. The force targeted the mountainside compound near the village of Afzal Kheyl in Sperah district after intelligence indicated militant activity. No Afghan civilians or combined force members were harmed during this operation.

– In Ghazni province, a combined force killed enemy militants after searching a compound known through intelligence reports to be used by insurgents as a safe haven. No Afghan civilians or combined force members were harmed during this operation.

– A combined security force detained several suspected militants in Wardak province after searching compounds known to be used by a Taliban commander believed responsible for coordinating a Taliban intelligence network in the region. The force conducted the search without incident near the village of Kuz Janjay in Saydabad district after intelligence indicated militant activity. No shots were fired, and no Afghan civilians or combined force members were injured during the operation.

In Oct. 16 operations in Afghanistan:

– A combined force killed a small group of militants and wounded several others in Oruzgan province during an operation to detain a suspected insurgent leader believed to be responsible for planning and conducting insurgent operations in Kochak village in Khas Oruzgan district.

– In Helmand province, a combined force killed an enemy militant, detained several others and confiscated an assault rifle after coming under direct fire from enemy militants while conducting a routine patrol in Nahri Sarraj Desert in Lashkar Gah district. No Afghan civilians or combined force members were harmed during this operation.