OEF Summary, July 17, 2009: Troops in Afghanistan Raid Terrorist Compounds

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 17, 2009 -- Coalition and Afghan forces raided several terrorist compounds in eastern and southern Afghanistan in the past two days, disrupting bomb networks and seizing suspects and weapons, military officials reported.

The combined forces killed several insurgents in a gun battle in Paktia province last night, and a dozen militants were detained in raids in Logar, Paktika and Khost provinces in the East and Helmand province in the South.

Afghan and coalition forces searched an enemy encampment last night in the remote reaches of Paktia province in an effort to disrupt the flow of foreign fighters and weapons by the Haqqani terrorist group through the Khost-Gardez Pass along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

The force targeted the site, southeast of Gardez, after intelligence indicated militant activity. Several insurgents engaged the force with small-arms fire throughout the operation. The force used direct fire and close-air support to repel the attacks, killing several shooters. The force continued the search and uncovered large munitions caches throughout the encampment. All munitions were destroyed in place.

In Logar province, Afghan and coalition forces searched a compound thought to be used by a known Haqqani commander as a bomb-making cell for attacks on coalition and Afghan forces.

The force targeted the compound near the village of Ebad, southwest of Kabul, after intelligence indicated militant activity. The force conducted the search without incident and confiscated an AK-47 rifle and a chest rack. Three suspected militants were detained.

Two groups of joint Afghan and coalition forces searched known militant compounds July 15 in Khost and Paktika provinces to disrupt Haqqani communication lines and the flow of money and weapons into the regions.

The combined force targeted a compound north of the city of Khost after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The force conducted a search of the compound without incident and two AK-47 rifles and a shotgun were confiscated. The force detained five suspected insurgents.

In Paktika province, the combined force targeted a compound southeast of Ghazni where intelligence indicated militant activity. A search was conducted without incident and four suspects were detained.

No Afghan National Army or coalition force or civilian casualties were reported during either incident.

Afghan and coalition forces searched a compound last night in Helmand province thought to belong to a key Taliban commander believed to be responsible for directing suicide and bomb attacks in the area.

The force targeted the compound in the Nad Ali district where intelligence indicated militant activity. The force conducted a search without incident and uncovered a hand grenade in one of the targeted buildings. The force detained four suspected militants.

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

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