OEF Summary, April 26, 2009: Troops Capture Taliban Commander in Farah

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, April 26, 2009 -- Afghan national army commandos from the 207th Corps assisted by coalition forces captured a Taliban commander this morning during combat operations in Gulistan District, Farah province.

The Taliban commander is directly involved with numerous attacks on Afghan and coalition forces in the Gulistan Valley, kidnapping, and weapons and fighter trafficking.

The Afghan-led force was conducting combat operations in the area in order to deny insurgents freedom of movement when the insurgent leader was apprehended at his compound without resistance.

A search of the compound uncovered one rocket-propelled grenade launcher with three rounds, one machine gun with ammunition, one AK-47 with ammunition, one mine and numerous bomb-making materials. The weapons and ammunition cache was destroyed in place.

No shots were fired and no commando, coalition forces or civilian casualties were reported.

"The capture of this Taliban commander by this elite force will greatly hinder insurgent operations in the area," said a coalition spokesperson. "This operation was a great success and shows the expertise and professionalism of the commandos and is evidence of their commitment to eliminating violent extremists who terrorize and deny peace to the Afghan people."

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

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