OEF Summary, Oct. 15, 2009: Forces in Afghanistan Kill, Detain Militants

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2009 -- Afghan and international forces killed and detained multiple suspected militants in operations to interdict Taliban activity in Afghanistan’s Zabul and Wardak provinces in recent days, military officials reported.

A combined force was fired upon during a search today in the Bahar district of Zabul province in pursuit of a Taliban commander and his element believed to be responsible for attacks in the region. They returned fire, killing the militants, one of whom was found to be wearing a suicide vest. The combined force found and destroyed assault rifles, ammunition belts and communications gear found at the scene.

In another operation today, combined security forces killed several enemy militants who fired on them and posed hostile threats in the Chak district of Wardak province after searching compounds known to be used by a Taliban commander and his element. The militants are believed to be responsible for numerous attacks and for supplying weapons and fighters into the region.

The forces continued their search, detained several suspected militants, and found and destroyed bomb-making materials, machine guns, assault rifles, fragmentation grenades, ammunition belts and a small cache of ammunition.

On Oct. 13, an Afghan and international security force killed a Taliban commander in Zabul province. He and his element are believed to be responsible for several attacks in the region.

When the Taliban commander’s vehicle was stopped west of Qalat City, he did not comply with the force’s commands, posed a hostile threat by moving against the force, and was killed.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Force news releases.)