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| Photo Credit: U.S. Department Of Defense |
Afghan-led Force Arrests Taliban Facilitator
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2012 - An Afghan-led security force, supported by coalition troops, arrested a Taliban facilitator and improvised explosive device producer in Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.
The arrested facilitator is suspected of managing the construction of large quantities of IEDs, and organizing the transfer of the IEDs and other weapons to support the insurgency.
He also was believed to be directly involved in organizing and executing IED placement, targeting Afghan and coalition forces.
The security force detained several suspected insurgents and seized 2 pounds of illegal narcotics.
In other operations today around Afghanistan:
-- A combined security force in Paktika province arrested a Haqqani network member believed to be responsible for January and May suicide bombings in Paktika and to have direct ties to a recent suicide bombing in Khost province. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized firearms.
-- A combined security force in Paktia province arrested a Haqqani member believed to have developed and executed complex attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also facilitated the transport of weapons to support other insurgent attacks. The security force seized a fully configured remote-controlled IED, bulk explosives, IED components, grenades and fuses.
In operations yesterday:
-- A combined force killed a Taliban leader and two other insurgents in Kunar province. The Taliban leader, Abdullah, was accused of shooting down a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Kunar on July 25, 2011. The combined force conducted a precision airstrike after identifying Abdullah engaging in insurgent activity with two other militants in an isolated area away from civilians.
-- A combined force in Kunar province killed Manzoor, a weapons facilitator and Taliban leader, and two other insurgents. The combined force conducted a precision airstrike after identifying Manzoor engaging in insurgent activity with two other militants in an isolated area away from civilians.
-- In Ghazni province, a combined force killed a Taliban leader and arrested another. As the Afghan and coalition troops tried to take Abdul Rahman into custody, the armed leaders attempted to fire upon them. The security force engaged, killing Abdul Rahman. Also known as Mola Kaka, he is alleged to have recruited suicide bombers for assassination attempts on Afghan Local Police leadership and also to have organized the safe passage of Taliban leadership. The Taliban leader who was arrested is believed to have conducted attacks against Afghan citizens and to have been behind an IED attack that targeted a coalition convoy. The security force also detained a several suspected insurgents and seized assault-style rifles.
In Oct. 7 operations:
-- A combined force killed a Taliban leader and another insurgent in Wardak province. The security force conducted a precision airstrike after identifying the Taliban leader, Izzatullah, and another militant engaging in insurgent activity in an isolated area away from civilians.
-- In Ghazni province, a combined force saw a man engaging in insurgent activity, and after ensuring no civilians were in the area, killed him with a precision airstrike.
In Oct. 6 operations:
-- A combined security force in Nangarhar province arrested a Taliban leader suspected of being a part of the Shirafat attack network operating in Nangarhar and to be associated with numerous kidnappings and murders. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized firearms.
-- An Afghan-led security force in the Gardez district of Paktia province, supported by coalition troops, arrested a senior Taliban leader suspected of maintaining working relationships with senior Haqqani network leaders. He also is believed to be responsible for planning and directing attacks on Afghan and coalition forces, smuggling weapons, and planting IEDs throughout Logar province's Pul-e Alam and Baraki Barak districts. In addition, he is alleged to have managed the storage and delivery of IEDs and assault rifles to Taliban insurgents for use against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained several suspected insurgents.
-- A combined force in Kunduz province's Qalah-ye Zal district detained several suspected insurgents during a search for a senior Taliban leader believed to be planning an attack targeting Afghan and coalition forces.
-- Afghan and coalition forces killed several insurgents in Kandahar province's Panjwai district with a precision airstrike after identifying the insurgents burying an IED and ensuring no civilians were in the area. No civilians were harmed and no civilian property was damaged.
-- In Ghazni province's Waghaz district, a combined security force killed an armed insurgent and arrested a senior Taliban leader believed to have attacked Afghan and coalition forces using IEDs, mortars and rockets. He also was believed to be in charge of the Ghazni's Taliban education system. The security force also detained another suspected insurgent and seized grenades, blasting caps and weapons accessories.
-- A combined force in Paktia province's Dzadran district detained several suspected insurgents during a search for a Haqqani network facilitator suspected of coordinating the acquisition of suicide vests and weapons to be used in attacks on Afghan and coalition forces.
-- After identifying militants engaging in insurgent activity in an isolated area in Paktia province's Dzadran district, Afghan and coalition forces killed them with a precision airstrike. No civilians were harmed, and no civilian property was damaged.
-- A combined security force in Nangarhar province's Achin district arrested a senior Taliban leader believed to provide lodging, weapons and intelligence knowledge to support the insurgency. The security force detained several suspected insurgents and seized a firearm and explosive material.
-- In Kunar province's Watahpur district, a combined security force killed two armed insurgents with a precision airstrike after identifying a group preparing to attack Afghan and coalition forces. No civilians were harmed, and no civilian property was damaged.
In Oct. 5 operations:
-- The Afghan special police crisis response unit, enabled by coalition forces, seized a large cache of weapons during a short-notice operation in Kabul province's Surobi district. The combined force recovered 85 mortar rounds, about two dozen recoilless rifle rounds and 20 rocket-propelled grenades.
-- A targeted raid by a coalition unit on a suspected insurgent compound in Helmand province's Nahr-e Saraj district yielded 1,600 pounds of materials used in making explosives. The coalition force retained a small portion of the materials for future exploitation and destroyed the rest. No civilians were harmed.
-- An Afghan-led operation rescued several Afghan civilians held hostage in a Taliban compound in Ghazni province's Nawah district. The insurgent captors fled the compound when they saw the Afghan and coalition forces approaching. The hostages were found in poor health, officials said, but they have received medical care and are recovering.
-- Using a precision airstrike, Afghan and coalition forces killed a Haqqani network leader and another insurgent while they were placing an IED for a future attack.
In Oct. 4 operations:
-- Afghan Local Police defended Marzak village in Paktika province's Sar Howzah district when insurgents attacked their checkpoint. Partnered with Afghan uniformed police, national army special forces and coalition special operations forces, the local police quickly responded to the attack, reportedly killing dozens of insurgents and forcing the rest to flee into the mountains. A few local police members taken captive by the insurgents during the attack were rescued. They received medical treatment and were in stable condition, officials said. No civilians were harmed in the engagement.
-- Afghan and coalition forces arrested a Taliban leader in Ghazni province, along with a Taliban facilitator and IED manufacturer and another insurgent.
-- Mullah Abdul Ghafar Akhund, a Taliban leader based in Kandahar province's Panjwai district, was killed during a security operation in the province's Zhari district. A security force conducted a precision airstrike after identifying Abdul and other militants engaging in insurgent activity in an isolated area away from civilians, killing Abdul and two other insurgents. He is believed to have organized numerous IED attacks and coordinated the movement of weapons and ammunition for use against Afghan and coalition forces. No civilians were harmed, and no property was damaged.
In other news, Afghan special police and coalition forces, enabled by the Afghan Interior Ministry's Special Mission Wing, recovered narcotics and weapons during operations throughout Helmand province from Sept. 22 to Oct. 6. The missions resulted in the recovery of about 1,760 pounds of hashish, 1,100 pounds of marijuana seeds, 420 pounds of poppy seeds, several rocket-propelled grenade warheads, a suicide bomber vest and about 20 weapons. The combined force also engaged and killed several insurgents during the two weeks of operations.
