OEF Summary, April 4, 2009: Troops in Afghanistan Kill 20 Insurgents in Helmand

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, April 4, 2009 -- Afghan national security forces, assisted by coalition forces, killed 20 insurgents during one of a series of continuing operations in the Kajaki District of Helmand province, April 3.

The combined forces were conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol in known Taliban stronghold in order to deny insurgents’ freedom of movement when they were ambushed by numerous armed insurgents with mortar and small-arms fire.

ANSF and coalition forces dismounted and pursued the enemy in their fighting positions. The combined forces returned fire with small-arms fire and called for close-air support destroying six enemy fighting positions and killing 20 insurgents.

Insurgents in the Kajaki District are known to be heavily involved in bomb-making, weapons smuggling, drug activity, direct attacks on Afghan and coalition forces and intimidation of the local people.

No ANSF, coalition forces or non-combatant injuries have been reported.

In other news, Afghan and coalition forces detained four suspected militants during an operation in Lowgar province to further disable the Haqqani terrorist network operating in eastern Afghanistan, April 3.

In Baraki Barak District, Lowgar province, approximately 80 km southwest of Kabul, a combined Afghan-coalition force raided a compound early this morning to remove a local Haqqani tactical commander responsible for direct-fire ambushes, kidnappings and improvised explosive device operations in Baraki Barak.

When the combined force arrived at the targeted compound, Afghan forces called for non-combatants to peacefully exit the buildings, with all occupants following the force’s directives. Without incident, four suspected militants were detained.

Four women and two children were protected with no damage to the compound and no shots fired.

In other operations yesterday, Afghan national army Commandos of 1st Company, 2nd Commando Kandak, 203rd Corps, assisted by coalition forces, captured a Taliban commander and three other insurgents in an early-morning raid of a compound in the Lagharah Valley of Khowst province.

The captured mid-level commander is responsible for facilitating suicide bombings and emplacing improvised explosive devices in the surrounding area. He is also known to have aided in direct ambushes and IED attacks on Afghan national police and coalition forces. The compound has been used in the past to launch attacks against the people of Afghanistan, including the ordered burning of a school in Seekuun village.

Three other militants believed to associate with and aid the Taliban commander were also detained.

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

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