IED factory, materials destroyed in Southern Helmand

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

09.21.2010

Courtesy Story

ISAF Joint Command

KABUL, Afghanistan – A coalition airstrike destroyed an Improvised Explosive Device factory, along with 4,500 pounds of explosive material in Baram Chah, Helmand province on Sept. 19.

The compound was a known explosive factory associated with a high-level insurgent group in the area. The strike followed an intensive reconnaissance of the compound to ensure no innocent civilians would be harmed during the strike. The strike aircraft launched two separate precision munitions to destroy the IED factory and the stored explosive materials, resulting in limited damage to the surrounding area.

“The destruction of this facility will prevent the construction of hundreds of IED's that insurgents would have used to target Afghan civilians and security forces,” said U.S. Army Col. Rafael Torres, International Assistance Force Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center director. “ISAF will continue to hunt down insurgents involved in making and distributing IED's, and destroy their production facilities wherever we find them.”

Insurgent produced IED's remain the number one cause of indiscriminate violence against Afghan citizens.

NOTE: Video of the strike can be found http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC1kF0xUUdU .

• Date Taken: 09.21.2010
• Date Posted: 09.21.2010 06:37
• Story ID: 56678
• Location: KABUL, AF