OEF Summary; Nov. 3, 2008: Troops in Afghanistan Dismantle Drug Nest, Deal Blow to Taliban Finances

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2008 -- Coalition and Afghan forces today dismantled a drug-making facility in southeastern Afghanistan and destroyed 44 tons of hashish in what military officials say is a major blow to funding terrorists in the country.

“Today’s discovery clearly demonstrated the links between the Taliban and drug trafficking,” said Army Col. Greg Julian, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesman. “The huge amount of drugs destroyed today will greatly hinder the Taliban’s ability to fund their ongoing, hopeless struggle to subjugate the Afghan people.”

Afghan commandos and coalition forces were searching an area known for insurgent activities in the Spin Buldak district of Kandahar province when the facility was discovered, officials said. The search of the area is ongoing, they said.

In other news from Afghanistan, coalition and Afghan forces killed two militants yesterday in the Maywand district of Kandahar province during a search of an insurgent compound there.

During the search, militants engaged the troops with small-arms fire. The troops responded with small-arms fire, killing two, officials said.

After the engagement, the combined forces discovered a bomb-making facility containing explosives, 10 pounds of heroin, 4 pounds of opium, a small weapons cache and a torture device. The cache was confiscated and the drugs and explosives were destroyed, officials said.

No Afghan, coalition or civilian casualties were reported in either operation.

(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)

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