Afghan-led forces detain several insurgents in past week

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

08.13.2010

Courtesy Story

ISAF Joint Command

KABUL - Afghan and coalition security forces captured several Haqqani Network and Taliban leaders in Afghanistan this week during 48 separate operations.

Clear rules of engagement and measures taken to avoid civilian casualties resulted in more than 85 percent of operations conducted without shots fired. The Afghan-led operations resulted in a significant number of detainees and large number of insurgents killed.

Afghan and coalition security forces struck at the Taliban leadership again in southern Helmand province this week, capturing two Taliban district commanders in charge of Germ Ser and Nawah-ye Barakzai districts of Helmand province. A senior Taliban commander and a Taliban improvised explosive device cell commander were also captured in Kandahar. Both were known to conduct IED and suicide bomber attacks in Kandahar City.

Afghan-led forces also conducted a multi-day deliberate clearing operation aimed at disrupting the Haqqani Network's freedom of movement in Dzadran District of Paktiya province. The area is known as a Haqqani Network safe haven and is used to stage attacks in Kabul and the Khost-Gardez pass. More than 20 insurgents were killed during the operation.

"We continue to aggressively pursue known enemies of the Afghan people," said U.S. Army Col. Rafael Torres, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center director. "The effective operations, which are carefully planned and executed to mitigate civilian casualties, will continue to create the time and space necessary for enduring governance and development initiatives to take root."

• Date Taken: 08.13.2010
• Date Posted: 08.13.2010 05:57
• Story ID: 54517
• Location: KABUL, AF