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Press Release | April 28, 2009

Afghan, Coalition Forces detain 10 militants in eastern Afghanistan

By None , U.S. Forces - Afghanistan

Joint Press Release

March 10, 2009

Release Number: 20091003-01

Afghan, Coalition Forces detain 10 militants in eastern Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan and Coalition Forces detained 10 suspected militants during operations March 10 to degrade terrorist networks operating in Nangarhar and Khowst Provinces to reduce militant operations in eastern Afghanistan.

In Shiwzad District, Nangarhar Province, approximately 70 km southeast of Kabul, Afghan Special Operations Forces and Coalition Forces conducted operations to disrupt an Al-Qaida foreign fighter facilitation network responsible for the March 2 suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devise attack in Jalalabad City that injured six innocent civilians.

With information provided by a local Afghan, the combined force targeted a compound where militants were known to stay.  When the combined force arrived at the compound, occupants were not compliant to instructions to exit the premises.  After forcibly entering the compound, the assault force ensured all women and children were moved to safety.  The force then cleared the buildings on the compound and detained five suspected militants with no shots fired.  The force inspected several vehicles on the compound and found one was being prepared for use as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive devise (VBIED).  After ensuring the women and children were moved to a safe location, the vehicle was destroyed to ensure it could not be used for nefarious purposes.  Also found on the compound were three AK-47 assault rifles, two rifles, one pistol and two chest racks.

Seven women and nine children on the compound were protected.

In Nader Shahkot (Nader Shah Kowt) District, Khowst Province, approximately 130 km southeast of Kabul, Afghan Special Operations Forces and Coalition Forces conducted operations to disable a high-level Haqqani commander with strong ties to Hezb-I-Islam Gulbuddin and Taliban militants, and to dismantle an improvised explosive devise cell responsible for planning and conducting attacks against Coalition Forces.  Information provided by a local Afghan enabled the force to identify several compounds to search.  Upon arriving at the targeted location, the combined force cleared all buildings without incident, finding and AK-47 assault rifle and chest rack.  Five suspected militants were detained.

Thirteen women and 38 children were protected.

In a separate operation Monday evening in Kama (Kameh) District, Nangarhar Province, approximately 130 km east of Kabul, Afghan Special Operations Forces and Coalition Forces conducted a traffic stop approximately 10 km north of Jalalabad to search a vehicle suspected to be carrying a Taliban militant.  The combined Afghan-Coalition force searched the vehicle and interviewed the occupants.  Once they determined the militant was not on board, the vehicle was allowed to proceed.  Local Afghan Police assisted the force with traffic and pedestrian control to ensure no civilians were involved in this military operation.

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Contact information:

  • Ministry of Interior, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Directorate of Media and Public Relations, office telephone:  93 (0) 220 1758

  • Ministry of Defense, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Press office telephone:  93 (0) 20 210 2742

Contact Information – US Forces Afghanistan Public Affairs Office

Primary: Tel +93 (0) 799 51 2919

Alternate: Tel +93 (0) 707 355 965

USFOR-A-MediaRelations@afghan.swa.army.mil