THE TENSION: Detained Taliban Insurgents Identified

Mohammad Daud Gulzar in an undated photo obtained during a Jan. 21 coalition forces operation in the Qalat district of Zabul province in which Gulzar was detained. Gulzar is believed to have provided intelligence, logistical support and improvised explosive devices to Taliban forces. He is also believed to be involved in the deaths of nine Afghan national security force members in Kandahar province. (Photographer: Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO)

$1,500 in U.S. currency, 100,000 in Pakistani Rupees, 93,910 in Afgani were among several significant items discovered in the room Abdul Kabir Khan barricaded himself in while attacking coalition forces during a Jan. 23 operation in the Ghazni district of Ghazni province. The room also contained several hand grenades which were destroyed on site to prevent use by extremist forces. (Photographer: Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO)

Dispatches from the Front:

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Feb. 8, 2008 -- Two insurgents detained during separate coalition forces’ operations have been positively identified as Mohammad Daud Gulzar and Abdul Kabir.

Mohammad Daud Gulzar was detained during a Jan. 21 operation in the Qalat District of Zabul province, which targeted insurgents with ties to Taliban and foreign-fighter facilitators.

Gulzar is believed to have provided intelligence, logistical support and improvised explosive devices to Taliban forces. He is also believed to be involved in the deaths of nine Afghan national security force members in Kandahar province.

Coalition forces also detained Abdul Kabir, known as Abdul Kabir Khan, during a Jan. 23 operation in the Ghazni District of Ghazni province targeting a Taliban commander associated with suicide improvised explosive device operations.

Khan fired small arms at the coalition forces during the course of the operation. He then barricaded himself in a room containing a number of women and children. Coalition forces successfully made their way into the room detaining Khan.

A search of the room revealed several hand grenades that were destroyed on-site and large sums of currency including $1,500 in U. S. currency.

“Taliban losses in experienced fighters, funding and equipment continue to mount to the benefit of the Afghan people,” said Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman, a coalition spokesperson. “With the Afghan peoples’ continued support, coalition forces will continue to pursue insurgent hideouts until Afghanistan is a free, stable country without the fear of violence and instability the Taliban embody.”

(From a Combined Joint Task Force – 82 press release.)