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WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2012 – An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader and detained an additional suspected insurgent during an operation in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province today, military officials reported. The leader directed roadside-bomb attacks against Afghan forces throughout the district, officials said. In Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- In the Darah-ye district of Kunar province, a combined patrol found and destroyed about 880 pounds of hashish. In Jan. 31 operations: -- An Afghan-led and coalition-supported force detained two suspects and seized and destroyed two anti-tank mines, heavy machine gun ammunition and bomb components...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2012 – An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader today in the Kandahar district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, military officials reported. The leader executed attacks against coalition forces in the Tarnek wa Jaldak district of Zabul province, officials said. Multiple suspected insurgents were detained during the operation. In other Afghanistan operations today: -- An Afghan-led and coalition-supported force in Kandahar’s Maiwand district captured a Taliban leader who operated an attack cell in Helmand province and conducted attacks in the Nahr-e Saraj and Sangin districts. In operations yesterday: -- In the Shah Joy and Qalat...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2012 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator and detained several suspected insurgents during an operation in the Lashkar Gah district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province today, military officials reported. The facilitator distributed weapons and explosives to insurgent fighters and coordinated roadside bomb attacks against Afghan forces throughout the area, officials said. In other Afghanistan operations today: -- A combined force in the Jalrayz district of Wardak province captured a Taliban facilitator who distributed homemade explosives and weapons to insurgent fighters throughout the Maidan Shahr district. -- In the Khost district of Khost...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – An Afghan and coalition security force captured an al-Qaida facilitator in the Gardez district of Afghanistan’s Paktia province today, military officials reported. The facilitator coordinated insurgent activity t and provided reports to senior al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan, officials said. No civilians were harmed. In other Afghanistan operations today: -- A combined patrol found about 5,559 pounds of marijuana in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province. -- In the Qalander district of Khost province, a combined force detained several suspects and seized grenades and assault rifles while searching for a Haqqani network leader who attacks Afghan...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2012 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed several insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader in the Kot district of Afghanistan’s Faryab province today, military officials reported. The sought-after leader is an explosives expert and suicide-attack network facilitator who targets senior Afghan government officials throughout the Almar district, officials said. During the operation, two insurgents exited a building and fired at the security force, officials said. Several remaining insurgents barricaded themselves inside the building and also opened fire. The security force returned fire, killing the insurgents. The security force confiscated several assault rifles,...

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 24, 2012 – Afghan and coalition forces killed five insurgents and detained eight suspects during operations in eastern Afghanistan yesterday, military officials reported. A coalition airstrike killed five insurgents in the Tagab district of Afghanistan’s Kapisa province. Afghan police detained four suspects in Laghman province’s Methar Lam district after a firefight. Afghan police detained four people wanted for questioning in the Sabari district of Khost province.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2012 – Combined Afghan and coalition forces found two large drug caches in Afghanistan yesterday, military officials reported. A combined patrol in the Panjwai district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province found about 660 pounds of marijuana, and a combined force in the Dand district of Kandahar province discovered about a ton of hashish. In Jan. 21 Afghanistan operations: -- A combined force killed Farid, a Taliban judge, and two other insurgents and seized rocket-propelled grenades, assault rifles, grenades and chest racks in the Sayyidabad district of Wardak province. Farid was responsible for ambushes and for roadside-bomb and direct-fire...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2012 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed a Taliban leader and two of his associates during an operation in the Achin district of Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province today, military officials reported. The leader, Khetab Gul, was responsible for a recent suicide car bomb attack in Nangarhar, officials said. He also constructed roadside bombs, planned attacks and distributed bomb-making materials to insurgents throughout the province. During the operation, several armed insurgents barricaded themselves inside a building and fired at the security force, officials said. The force returned fire, killing Gul and two other insurgents. The security...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2012 – An Afghan-led and coalition-supported force captured a Taliban facilitator in the Ghazni district of Afghanistan’s Ghazni province today, military officials reported. The facilitator planned roadside-bomb attacks and distributed heavy weaponry throughout province. Multiple additional suspected insurgents were detained during the operation. In Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- A coalition patrol detained four suspects and discovered several drugs and weapons caches in the Reg-e Khan Neshin district of Helmand province. The caches totalled about 660 pounds of various compounds used to make homemade explosives, various bomb components and about 110 pounds of marijuana seeds. The security force...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2012 – An Afghan-led and coalition-supported security force killed seven insurgents and captured more than 30 others during a search for a Taliban leader in the Charhar district of Afghanistan’s Balkh province today, military officials reported. The Taliban leader plans attacks against Afghan forces and directs the placement of bombs throughout the province. Insurgents used rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire to engage the security force. They also used Afghan civilians as human shields. The security force seized explosives, pressure-plate bombs, weapons and ammunition. The material was destroyed. In other Afghanistan operations today: -- A combined force captured...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2012 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured two Taliban facilitators and detained a suspected insurgent in the Khugyani district of Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province today, military officials reported. The facilitators distributed weapons and supplies to insurgent fighters and coordinated attacks throughout the district. The security force confiscated multiple weapons during the operation. In other news in Afghanistan today: -- In Helmand province’s Nahr-e Saraj district, a combined force captured a Taliban leader who directed the placement of roadside bombs and coordinated attacks against coalition forces. The force also seized about 10 pounds of hashish. --...

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2012 – An Afghan and coalition security force killed a Taliban leader in the Mazar-e Sharif district of Afghanistan’s Balkh province today, military officials reported. The leader was responsible for logistical and financial support of insurgent fighters, led a recent ambush against Afghan forces and buried roadside bombs. In operations in Afghanistan yesterday: -- A combined force in Kandahar province’s Panjwai district found and destroyed about 5,500 pounds of marijuana. -- In Kandahar province’s Zharay district, a coalition security force confiscated seven mines, eight 82 mm recoilless rifle rounds, a heavy machine gun and several bomb...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3, 2012 – Combined international and Afghan forces captured two Taliban leaders in Afghanistan today, military officials reported. A combined force in the northern province of Baghlan captured a Taliban leader in the Baghlan-e Jadid district, where he was known to operate a bomb-making cell and direct attacks against Afghan forces. In the south, a combined security force captured a Taliban leader and another insurgent in Helmand province’s Nahr-e Saraj district. The leader coordinated direct-fire attacks in the upper Gereshk Valley and planted roadside bombs. Afghan and coalition forces detained another suspected insurgent while searching for another Taliban...

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 23, 2011 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force today captured a Taliban leader and four associates in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province, military officials reported. Wali Mohammad and four companions were returning to Afghanistan from Pakistan, officials said. The security force received information that the Taliban leader was visiting southern Afghanistan after being in hiding in Pakistan for several years. Mohammad directed attacks that killed multiple civilians in southern Afghanistan. He also is linked to high-level Taliban leaders within the insurgents’ network. Some bomb-making materials were confiscated during the operation. Also, a...

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 18, 2011 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained multiple suspected insurgents during an operation in the Nawah-ye Barakzai district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province yesterday, military officials reported. The force conducted the operation after receiving a tip that insurgent leaders were meeting at a compound in the area. After calling for the men inside to come out peacefully, the insurgents emerged and were detained without incident. In other Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- In the Now Zad district of Helmand province, a combined force discovered a weapons cache containing three rocket-propelled grenades, multiple improvised explosive device...

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 17, 2011 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator in the Daman district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province yesterday, military officials reported. The facilitator coordinated with insurgent leaders to plan and conduct roadside bomb and suicide attacks in the province. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents. In other Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- A combined patrol burned a marijuana field containing about 500 pounds of the drug in the Reg-e Khan Neshin district of Helmand province. -- In the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, a combined force seized a weapons cache containing...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2011 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani network leader and detained a suspected insurgent during an operation in the Zarghun Shahr district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province yesterday, military officials reported. The Haqqani leader operated a fighter cell in the Zarghun Shahr district, officials said. He also directed attacks against Afghan forces in western Paktika province. The security force seized two assault rifles during the operation. In Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- In the Nawah-ye Barakzai district of Helmand province, a combined force detained multiple suspects while searching for a Taliban leader. The insurgent...

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Nov. 3, 2011 – Afghan and coalition forces killed three insurgents, detained one suspect and seized two weapons caches during operations in eastern Afghanistan yesterday, military officials reported. A coalition airstrike killed three insurgents, officials said, as they were planting device roadside bomb in the Khogyani district of Nangarhar province. Coalition troops detained a suspect in the Tirzaye district of Khost province. Elsewhere, insurgents killed four Afghan civilians when a roadside bomb detonated in the Sayidabad district of Wardak province. In Ghazni province, Afghan soldiers seized 62 82 mm rounds, 24 107 mm rocket igniters, 10 mortar...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2011 – An Afghan and coalition security force killed two insurgents and detained one suspect while searching for a Haqqani network leader in the Yahya Khel district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province yesterday, military officials reported. The Haqqani leader oversees insurgent fighting cells and is responsible for attacks against Afghan forces. Multiple weapons and bomb-making materials were seized by the security force during the operation. In other Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- A combined patrol killed several insurgents and detained two individuals in the Baghran district of Helmand province. The force seized 8,800 pounds of poppy seeds, 66 pounds...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2011 – Afghan and coalition forces killed 10 insurgents, detained one suspect and seized three weapons caches during operations across Afghanistan yesterday, military officials reported. Coalition forces killed three insurgents in Kunar province’s Bar Kunar district. Two others were killed in the Qarghaee district of Laghman province during an airstrike. In the Khost district of Khost province, two other insurgents were killed after engaging coalition forces in a mortar attack. In Kapisa province’s Tagab district, coalition forces killed one insurgent who was attempting to emplace an improvised explosive device. In the Mehtar Lam district of Laghman province,...