OEF Summary, Feb. 22, 2010: Forces in Afghanistan Kill, Detain Militants

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2010 -- Combined Afghan and international forces in Afghanistan killed or detained militants and seized enemy weapons in recent operations, military officials reported.

In Logar province yesterday, a combined force detained a militant while pursuing a Taliban facilitator.

In operations Feb. 20:

• During the search of a compound in Nangarhar province, a combined force captured a Taliban facilitator associated with several rocket attacks on Afghan and coalition forces. When confronted, he identified himself. Several weapons, including automatic rifles and ammunition, and a quantity of drugs were found.

• A combined force detained several suspected militants while pursuing a facilitator in eastern Kandahar city.

• A combined force killed several militants while pursuing a Taliban commander in Kandahar province. The force targeted a pair of vehicles after reports of militant activity. Militants in the vehicle attempted to fire at the combined force. The force returned fire, killing them. A search of the vehicles revealed assault rifles and pistols.

• A patrol detained several suspected insurgents and discovered a weapons cache in Helmand province. The cache consisted of four hand grenades, two assault rifles, six magazines of ammunition, one carbine rifle, 300 large-caliber machine-gun rounds and bomb components. The weapons were buried in what is believed to be an insurgent staging area. The suspects all tested positive for explosive residue and are being held for questioning by Afghan forces.

• A patrol detained a suspected insurgent after seeing him digging in a ditch in Uruzgan province. After investigating, the force discovered five mortar rounds and a rocket where the man was digging.

• A combined force detained a man after the search of a compound in Nuristan province revealed weapons and Afghan military uniforms. The weapons consisted of a 107 mm rocket, three hand grenades, assorted explosive components and 100 small-arms rounds.

• A force searched a vehicle and compound in Helmand province after intelligence information indicated militant activity. Several weapons were seen in the vehicle as the force approached. One of the occupants pointed a weapon at the force. The force engaged, killing several militants. A search of the car revealed multiple assault rifles, a machine gun and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. A nearby compound also was searched, resulting in the discovery of several more rocket-propelled grenade rounds, grenades, chest racks and a handheld radio of a type often used by insurgents for communications. Several suspected militants in the compound were also detained.

• In another Helmand operation, a security force searched a compound after intelligence information indicated militant activity. The force detained several suspected insurgents during the search.

• In Kandahar province, a force searched a compound after reports of militant activity. During the search, the force captured a Taliban facilitator responsible for weapons and ammunition buys and arranging suicide-bombing attacks. A few other insurgents also were detained. The force recovered multiple weapons, including two grenades and a large amount of U.S. dollars.

In operations Feb. 19:

• Afghan police discovered 440 pounds of explosive material in Kandahar province and discovered and defused four homemade bombs in Uruzgan province.

• Afghan police attacked a group of insurgents who attempted to place a roadside mine in Kandahar province. One insurgent was killed, and two were arrested. A rifle and a homemade bomb were found on them.

• Combined forces searched a compound in Paktika province and found a cache of ammunition including five machine guns, a mortar round, a rocket-propelled grenade, 50 boxes of machine-gun rounds, 17 homemade bombs and 15 rocket rounds.

• Afghan police confiscated 255,000 afghanis in Afghan currency, five mobile phones, 10 rocket rounds, five magazines, four rifles and nine military uniforms in Takhar province.

• A combined force captured two Taliban insurgents in Helmand province. One of the captured men is suspected of being a Taliban commander involved with the facilitation of explosive components and the planning of Taliban attacks.

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