NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 23, 2012

Photo:  Refueling Over Afghanistan.  Credit:  U.S. Air Force.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 23, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Afghanistan's Kandahar province yesterday, military officials reported.

The arrested Taliban leader coordinated improvised explosive device emplacements and ambushes against Afghan and coalition forces, officials said.

The security force detained two other suspected insurgents.

In Nov. 21 Afghanistan operations:

-- Three Taliban senior leaders, including the No. 1 Taliban leader in western Logar province, were killed Nov. 21 during a security operation in Logar province. At the time of his death, Abu Baker was the top Taliban leader in western Logar province. Abu Baker facilitated weapons to insurgents, planned attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and was directly involved in foreign fighter facilitation. Deceased Taliban leader Bashir was involved in the Aug. 7 suicide-vehicle IED attack on Forward Operating Base Shank, and directly linked to the final, pre-execution stages of planning for an impending vehicle-borne IED attack targeting Afghan and coalition forces in Logar province, officials said. Deceased Taliban leader Zarqawi facilitated weapons to execute IED as well as direct- and indirect-fire attacks on Afghan and coalition forces. A number of additional insurgents were also killed. One suspect was detained and several rocket-propelled grenades and multiple assault rifles were confiscated.

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator in Kunduz province. The arrested facilitator is suspected of being directly involved in the purchasing and distribution of weapons to Taliban fighters. The security force also detained one other suspect and seized rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, hand grenades, assault rifles and ammunition.

-- Combined forces arrested a Taliban senior leader in Nimroz province. The arrested insurgent leader is suspected of being involved in the purchasing and movement of weapons and providing intelligence to other Taliban senior leaders. The security force also detained a number of other suspects.

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 8, 2012



Coalition Forces Train Afghan Police in Farah Province A NATO international coalition force member maintains security during an Afghan-led joint security patrol to deny the enemy freedom of movement in Khak-E-Safed in Afghanistan's Farah province, Oct. 30, 2012. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Pete Thibodeau

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Force Arrests Taliban Leader
American Forces Press Service
KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 8, 2012 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Afghanistan's Logar province today, military officials reported.

The arrested insurgent leader is linked to indirect-fire attacks on Afghan and coalition forces and led several indirect-fire attacks on Forward Operating Base Shank in the province.

The security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator in Nangarhar province. The force killed one insurgent and wounded a second after being attacked as they approached the Taliban facilitator's location. The arrested facilitator enabled the distribution of weapons, ammunition, improvised explosive devices and suicide vests for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also arrested two suspected insurgents and seized several grenades and an assault-style rifle with associated gear and ammunition.

In Nov. 6 operations:

A combined force seized more than three dozen one-liter bottles filled with homemade explosives primed with detonating cord and a number of pressure plates in Helmand province. All of the items were destroyed.

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 2, 2012

Photo:  Afghanistan.  Credit:  U.S. Army.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 2, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.

The arrested insurgent leader is suspected of organizing improvised explosive device operations, kidnappings and attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, officials said.

During the operation, officials said, the security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

In other operations today:
-- In Helmand province, a combined force detained two suspected insurgents during a security operation while searching for a Taliban leader. The Taliban leader is believed to be responsible for distributing munitions to Taliban insurgents and serves as the functional head of a Taliban direct-action cell.

-- In Nangarhar province, a combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator who is believed to have organized attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and enabled the movement of extremists in central Kunar province. During the operation, the force also detained two suspected insurgents.

-- In Paktiya province, an Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani leader suspected of directing attacks against government officials in the province and also working directly with Taliban leaders to carry out the kidnappings and executions of several Afghans. The force also detained a suspected insurgent during the operation.

And, a combined force arrested a Haqqani leader in Logar province Oct. 30. The arrested insurgent leader is alleged to have organized and executed IED attacks.

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 1, 2012

 

Photo Credit:  U.S. Army.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Taliban Facilitator

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 1, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator in Afghanistan's Helmand province today, military officials reported.

The arrested Taliban insurgent is responsible for the Aug. 7 insider attack in Paktia province that killed one U.S. service member and wounded three, officials said.

During the operation, Afghan troops also seized what is believed to be the Taliban insurgent's Afghan army identification card. Another suspected insurgent was also arrested.

In other operations today:
-- A combined force arrested a Haqqani facilitator and detained a number of other suspects in Khost province. The arrested facilitator was directly tied to the June 20 suicide bomber attack on Afghan and coalition forces in the Khost district.

In Oct. 31 operations:
-- Afghan Provincial Response Company Ghazni, enabled by coalition forces, seized a large cache of explosive material in Ghazni province. Following the operation, Afghan and coalition forces recovered 3,750 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a known component in making explosives. All seized materials were destroyed at the location.

-- A combined force killed a Haqqani leader, Irfan, in Paktia province. Irfan, also known as Asayal and Hamza, was responsible for directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and coordinating the movement of weapons and bomb-making materials for the attacks.

In Oct. 30 operations:
  -- Afghan National Police Crisis Response Unit members, enabled by coalition forces, detained more than a dozen suspected insurgents and seized a large cache of weapons, ammunition and explosive devices in Parwan province. The Afghan and coalition force also recovered more than a dozen AK-47 assault rifles and several 82 mm mortar rounds and hand grenades.

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR OCTOBER 9, 2012

Photo Credit:  U.S. Department Of Defense 

FROM: 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.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE NEWS RELEASE IN AFGHANISTAN MAY 30, 2012

Photo:  Helicopter Flying Over Afghanistan.  Credit:  U.S. Air Force.

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Combined Force Kills Several Insurgents

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, May 30, 2012 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed several insurgents during an operation to detain a Taliban facilitator in the Sayyidabad district of Afghanistan's Wardak province today, military officials reported.

The Taliban facilitator works directly for the senior Taliban leader in Sayyidabad and also supplies weapons, ammunition and equipment to insurgents for attacks against Afghan and coalition troops, officials said.

As the combined force approached the leader's location, multiple insurgents fired on the troops from within a building, which was later determined to be a mosque. The security force returned fire, killing the insurgents. The Afghan troops entered the building to ensure no insurgents remained.

As the Afghan force cleared the area, they discovered one of the insurgents killed in the exchange had an unstable grenade rigged to his equipment. The Afghan troops requested a coalition explosives expert enter the building and defuse the grenade. The explosives expert rendered the grenade safe, removed it without incident, and departed the area as the Afghan forces finished clearing the building.

During the subsequent search, the Afghan forces recovered a machine gun, multiple AK-47 rifles and several grenades.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force detained a Taliban facilitator in the Washer district of Helmand province. The facilitator worked for Taliban leaders in the district and provided weapons, ammunition and equipment to insurgents for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also performed investigations for the Taliban and attempted to intimidate Afghan civilians who supported the government of Afghanistan.

-- A combined force detained numerous suspected insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader in the Panjwa'i district of Kandahar province. The sought-after Taliban leader plans and coordinates attacks against Afghan government officials, as well as Afghan and coalition troops. He also coordinates the movement of insurgents and weapons into the Panjwa'i district.

-- In the Sabari district of Khost province, a combined force called in an airstrike that killed several insurgents, and it also seized AK-47 rifles, several magazines and multiple grenades, and detained numerous suspects during an operation to capture a Haqqani facilitator. The facilitator supplies weapons, ammunition, rockets and explosives to insurgents for attacks against Afghan and coalition troops throughout the district. As the security force approached the insurgent leader's location, several armed insurgents appeared. After ensuring no civilians were in the area, the security force called for a precision airstrike to engage the enemy fighters. Several insurgents were killed and a follow-on assessment determined that no civilians were harmed and no civilian property was damaged.

-- A combined force detained several suspects during an operation to capture a Haqqani facilitator in the Musahi district of Kabul province. The facilitator is involved in the preparations for an attack in Kabul City against Afghan officials and Afghan and coalition troops. He also coordinates the movement of explosives, weapons and equipment between Haqqani leaders and subordinate insurgents.

And in operations yesterday, a combined force killed several Taliban fighters and seized multiple AK-47 rifles, grenades and IEDs during an operation to detain a Taliban leader in the Almar district of Faryab province. The leader plans and organizes roadside bombings and other attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and is responsible for distributing funds to Taliban district commanders.

TALIBAN FACILTATOR CAPTURED

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Combined Force Captures Taliban Facilitator

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan's Helmand province today, military officials reported.

The facilitator trained and equipped insurgents throughout northern Helmand province and also built several improvised explosive devices used in attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces, officials said.

The security force also detained several additional insurgents and seized bomb-making materials, officials said.

Also today, an Afghan-led force captured a Taliban facilitator and detained one other suspected insurgent in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province. The facilitator provided roadside bombs and ammunition to insurgents for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

In Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- A coalition force seized nearly 400 pounds of suspected narcotics during a patrol in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province.

-- A combined force killed Izatullah, the head of the Taliban commission in Faryab province, and two other insurgents in the province's Pashtun Kot district. Izatullah provided weapons and equipment to other Taliban members for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also managed the Taliban's financial network in the province and tried to impose Taliban law on local civilians. Izatullah recently replaced Numan, an insurgent leader who was killed March 27 during an operation in the Shirin Tagab district.

In April 7 Afghanistan operations:

-- An Afghan provincial response company supported by coalition forces detained several suspects, confiscated drugs, and seized IED-making components in the Gulistan district of Farah province. A subsequent search of a nearby compound resulted in discovery of hashish, multiple IED-making components and three Afghan police uniforms. All of the items were confiscated and destroyed.

Last week, a provincial response company, along with Afghan and coalition forces, killed several insurgents, detained several other suspected insurgents, seized about 3,190 pounds of poppy seeds and 198 pounds of wet opium and confiscated weapons in Helmand's Baghran district.