Forces roll-up Taliban, Haqqani, Islamic fundamentalists

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

08.26.2010

Courtesy Story

ISAF Joint Command

KABUL- Afghan and coalition security forces captured two Haqqani Network and several Taliban leaders during 35 separate operations this week.

Also in the past week, a Taliban commander and a Jama'at ul Dawa al-Qu'ran commander were killed.

Clear rules of engagement and extreme measures taken to avoid civilian casualties, resulted in more than 85 percent of the operations conducted without shots fired. The Afghan-led operations resulted in more than 60 suspected insurgents detained and more than 45 insurgents killed.

Over the course of one night last week, the security force captured a Haqqani sub-commander in Khost, a Taliban commander in Paktika and a Taliban deputy district commander in Logar. One of the Haqqani leaders reports directly to Haqqani senior leadership in Pakistan. Both Taliban leaders are involved in improvised explosive device attacks and one has direct ties to the Kabul Attack Network.

Additionally, Afghan and coalition security forces killed several insurgents in Kunar province, including Sayed Shah, a commander of Jama'at ul Dawa al-Qu'ran, an Islamic fundamentalist group that works alongside the Taliban. Shah was responsible for planning and conducting attacks and was involved in the logistics of propaganda campaigns.

Afghan international security forces also conducted operations focusing on three southern Afghanistan provinces during four separate operations.

In Kandahar's Arghandab District, security forces captured two Taliban IED commanders responsible for the planning and acquisition of weapons and munitions. One of the commanders ordered fighters to conduct attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces.

In Zabul last week, another security force killed a Taliban commander, Saad Khan, who led IED attacks and small-arms fire attacks against Afghan civilians, Afghan and coalition forces. On the same night, in Lashkar Gah District of Helmand province, a security force detained three suspected insurgents to include a Taliban facilitator for weapons, money, equipment and IED materials.

"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: 08.26.2010
• Date Posted: 08.26.2010 03:52
• Story ID: 55181
• Location: KABUL, AF