Forces Defeat Taliban in Two Operations

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2007 (AFPS) -- Afghan and coalition soldiers foiled a Taliban ambush in the Kariz-e Sadeqin area of Afghanistan's Farah province Dec. 5, military officials reported.

The combined force was conducting a reconnaissance mission for a weapons cache when two squad-size elements of insurgents ambushed them with small arms, rockets and indirect fire. Afghan forces returned fire with small arms and mortars, which allowed them to outmaneuver the insurgent forces and engage them with close-air support.

"The government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's efforts to increase security in this region will positively affect the establishment of conditions necessary to facilitate future reconstruction and development," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. "The insurgents tried to successfully ambush the (Afghan) patrol. But the results speak for themselves -- another failure for the Taliban."

In other news from Afghanistan, Afghan and coalition soldiers pushed back Taliban insurgents from Now Zad area of Helmand province Dec. 5. The combined force was conducting a reconnaissance patrol in Now Zad when Taliban insurgents attempted to ambush the patrol from established fighting positions. The enemy fired on the Afghan forces using small arms, rockets and mortars. The forces immediately returned small-arms and machine-gun fire, putting the enemy on the defensive.

The enemy moved to secondary positions in an attempt to flank friendly forces as the battle escalated. Afghan forces identified the new enemy fighting positions and engaged with small arms, machine guns and precision air strikes. The insurgents attempted to hide among the civilian population by moving into homes.

"The enemy attempted to take advantage of the historic Afghan hospitality by using civilian homes as fighting positions," the Afghan commander said. "Fortunately, the residents recognized the Taliban were abusing their hospitality and wanted no part of it."

The Afghan civilians prevented the enemy fighters from using the compounds and their inhabitants as human shields. The enemy fighters retreated and the Afghan forces continued to clear the village to ensure no insurgents remained.

"The (Afghan forces) and the citizens of Now Zad both demonstrated their resolve to eliminate the Taliban menace in northern Helmand province," Belcher said. "Continued collaboration like we saw today is the key to bringing peace and stability to this country."

(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)

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