NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR MARCH 22, 2013

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Operation Yields Arrests in Wardak Province
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, March 22, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force today arrested a senior Taliban leader and two high-profile attack facilitators and detained two other insurgents in the Jalrayz district of Afghanistan's Wardak province, military officials reported.

The Taliban leader is accused of planning and directing a number of high-profile attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. His background includes kidnapping and assassination attempts against government officials, efforts to destabilize Afghan elections and recruitment of insider-threat agents, officials said.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force in Kunduz province's Khanabad district detained an insurgent during a search for a Taliban operational leader. The insurgent is believed to be a member of the leader's cell of fighters and to have participated in numerous attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces.

-- In Paktia province's Gardez district, a combined force arrested a facilitator who works for both the Taliban and the Haqqani network and is accused of handling money and supplies for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also was in direct contact with senior leadership for several extremist groups.