20 suspected Taliban killed
KABUL, May 4: A firefight in southeastern Afghanistan left about 20 suspected Taliban and one Afghan police officer dead while six US servicemen and five Afghan police were injured, the US military said on Wednesday. The fighting involving US warplanes and helicopters as well as ground troops erupted on Tuesday in Deh Chopan, a troubled district in Zabul province, the military said in a statement.
A village leader with suspected links to the Taliban and six other attackers were detained by US forces, the statement added. One insurgent was also wounded during the battle, it said. The firefight was one of the biggest since overthrow of Taliban.—AFP
Seven suspects held in Bajaur Agency
By Anwarullah Khan
KHAAR (Bajaur Agency), May 4: Army commandos and paramilitary forces arrested an Uzbek national and six other suspects, including Afghans, during a mid-night operation in the Mamond sub-division, some 15km from here on Wednesday. The suspects, including three local activists of an out-lawed religious organization, were taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation. The locals were identified as Maulana Gul Mohammad, Maulana Bashir Ahmad and another man, known as Hafiz. Names of the Afghans could not be ascertained.
The Political Agent of Bajaur Agency, who had also taken part in the operation, while talking to journalists, confirmed the arrest of the Uzbek. He said that the operation had been completed successfully.
Officials revealed that the Uzbek was only a foot-soldier.
The troops had also recovered modern weapons, laptops, satellite phones and other sensitive documents from the houses where the suspects were hiding.
Army soldiers, lady commandos and paramilitary troops of Bajaur Scouts and Khasadars raided the Chopatra and Sewai villages in the Mamond sub-division on Wednesday night. They searched several houses, eye- witnesses said, adding that the residents also extended full cooperation to the troops during the operation.