KABUL, Afghanistan – The Afghan Special Operations Unit, supported by
coalition troops, arrested a Taliban leader in
Maiwand district,
Kandahar province, today.
The arrested leader is suspected of reporting directly to the senior
Taliban leader for the district and was responsible for coordinating and
directing improvised explosive device emplacement operations, as well
as insurgent attacks throughout the region.
In addition to facilitating the movement of weapons, prior to his
arrest, the Taliban leader was believed to be directing the preparation
of a
vehicle-borne IED attack against Afghan and coalition force assets.
The Afghan Special Operations Unit also detained multiple suspected
insurgents and seized an IED firing device and IED-making materials as a
result of the operation.
In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:
North
An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a senior Islamic
Movement of Uzbekistan leader and weapons facilitator in Chahar
Darah
district,
Kunduz province, today. The arrested IMU leader is suspected
of planning and conducting improvised explosive device attacks
throughout Kunduz province, as well as coordinating the movement of IED
materials for future attacks on Afghan and coalition security forces.
The security force also detained two suspected insurgents during the
operation.
South
Afghan Special Police and coalition forces confirmed the arrest of a
Taliban commander during an operation in Gereshk district, Helmand
province yesterday. The Taliban commander, Abdul Bari, who operates
across southwest Afghanistan, is suspected of coordinating delivery of
heavy machine guns and IED components to insurgents across central
Helmand province. A coalition official stated his detention has also
identified links to other senior insurgent commanders in the area.
East
An Afghan and coalition security force today confirmed the arrest of a
Haqqani leader suspected of being behind the Sept. 26 suicide attack
that killed two coalition service members in Pul-e ‘Alam district,
Logar
province. The security force also detained a number of suspected
insurgents, and no civilians were harmed during the operation.
An Afghan and coalition security force detained a number of suspected
insurgents during an operation to arrest a Haqqani leader in Pul-e ‘Alam
district, Logar province, today. The Haqqani leader is believed to
oversee the distribution of weapons to support insurgent operations
throughout Logar province.
An Afghan and coalition security force detained one suspected insurgent
during an operation in search of a Taliban leader in Sayyidabad
district, Wardak province, today. The Taliban leader is suspected of
being directly involved in multiple ambush-style attacks on coalition
force convoys throughout the district.
An Afghan and coalition security force confirmed the arrest of a Haqqani
leader in
Sabari district, Khost province, Sunday. The Haqqani leader
is alleged to have spearheaded the planning, supply coordination and
execution of insurgent attacks on Afghan and coalition forces throughout
the
Paktiya province. He is also believed to be tied to several rocket
attacks on Afghan civilians. During the operation, several suspected
insurgents were also detained.
Afghan Special Police members of Provincial Response Company Wardak
recovered IED-making materials and heavy weapons, including three
mortars, in a coalition-enabled operation in Nerkh district, Wardak
province yesterday. The seizure of the IEDs and mortars along with
timely evidence collection, said a coalition official, will help prevent
insurgents from conducting IED attacks on Highway 1, known for frequent
insurgent attacks.
West
The second in command to the Taliban leadership in Shindand district,
Herat province was removed from the battlefield by a coalition air
strike Sunday. The Taliban key leader, Mullah Mansur, is believed to
have commanded an IED cell and having been actively involved in
coordinating ambush attacks on Afghan National Security Forces in the
province, in addition to moving IED and narcotics. Mullah Mansur was
also suspected of recruiting young males into the insurgency.