OEF Summary, Feb. 17, 2010: Afghanistan Operations Seize Suspects, Weapons

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17, 2010 -- Combined Afghan and international forces uncovered weapons caches and detained suspected insurgents during multiple operations in Afghanistan today.

A security force searched a compound in Logar province after reports indicated militant activity. While searching the compound, the force captured a Taliban subcommander responsible for the movement of weapons and leading explosive attacks against Afghan and coalition troops.

In another operation today, a force captured a few suspected insurgents in the Nimroz province while in pursuit of a Taliban commander operating in southern Farah province. The force detained an individual in an empty field on suspicion of supporting militant activities.

After detaining the individual, the force searched a nearby compound after reports indicated militant activity there and detained a pair of additional suspected insurgents. The force discovered Taliban paraphernalia and a type of handheld radio often used by militants for communication.

In Kandahar province today, a patrol found a weapons cache containing two artillery rounds, two grenades, an anti-tank mine, ammunition and a radio. The munitions will be destroyed.

In operations yesterday:

• A security force searched a compound in Nimroz province after getting reports of militant activity. The force detained several militants, found weapons and a large amount of explosives and detonators during their search. Coalition experts detonated the explosives in place.

• The Afghan National Police discovered 55 pounds of explosive material in Kandahar province. Two insurgents were arrested. An investigation has been launched into the case.

• A combined Afghan and international security force found and destroyed a cache of 18 mortar rounds, a grenade launcher and bomb-making materials in Helmand.

• Afghan police discovered and diffused three mines in Uruzgan province. The remote-controlled mines had been placed by insurgents in different districts of the province.

• A combined force on a routine patrol found four 40-pound bags of opium in Helmand, along with an assault rifle with ammunition magazines, a bayonet and a letter from an anti-Afghan-government organization.

• An international patrol observed a group of suspicious individuals near the border in eastern Afghanistan. After receiving positive confirmation that the group consisted of insurgents, the patrol requested air support. Coalition aircraft dropped precision-guided munitions on insurgent locations. More than a dozen insurgents reportedly were killed.

(Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news releases.)