ISAF Joint Command operational update

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

01.13.2011

Courtesy Story

ISAF Joint Command

KABUL, Afghanistan – Two Afghan civilians, including a child, were killed and six others seriously wounded in two separate insurgent attacks in southern and eastern Afghanistan today.

In Washer District, Helmand province, Afghan civilians came under fire from several insurgents. As a consequence of the attack, one Afghan civilian was killed and three others were injured. All the wounded were evacuated by Afghan civilians to an International Security Assistance Force medical treatment facility.

In Beshud District, Nangarhar province, one Afghan child was killed and three others wounded by an improvised explosive device emplaced by insurgents in Jalalabad City. Afghan National Security Forces responded to the scene of the blast to assist the wounded and look into the incident.

Also today, two insurgents were wounded by Afghan National Army and ISAF in southern Afghanistan.

In Helmand province, a combined patrol spotted several insurgents displaying hostile actions in Sangin District. After gaining positive identification, coalition forces engaged the enemy position with small arms fire, wounding two insurgents and dispersing the others.

Afghan National Security Forces and ISAF also discovered several caches during separate clearing operations in southern and eastern Afghanistan over the past 24 hours.

In Helmand province, an Afghan National Army and ISAF patrol found a weapons and IED-making cache in Helmand District. The cache consisted of one 105 mm artillery shell, five grenades, detonation cord, seven radio controlled detonators, one anti-personnel mine, one AK-47, four full AK-47 magazines, one chest rack, one pressure plate, 100 7.62 mm rounds and several pressure plate components.

During an ISAF patrol, coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Arghandab District, Kandahar province. The cache consisted of five AK-47s, three recoilless rifle rounds, 200 7.62 mm rounds and some loose ammunition.

In Beshud District, Nangarhar province, an Afghan National Police patrol found a weapons cache consisting of six 82 mm mortar rounds.

In Kandahar and Helmand provinces, a joint Afghan National Security and ISAF vehicle interdiction operation discovered drug and IED-chemical caches.

The caches consisted of 11,000 pounds (5,000 kilograms) of urea, a chemical used to process homemade explosives, 3,300 pounds (1,500 kg) of opium and 815 pounds (370 kg) of heroin.

Intelligence reports and tips from local citizens led the combined security force to stop a suspicious-looking vehicle that was carrying the chemicals. The combined force then moved to another area known to be a hub for drugs smuggling. The joint patrol spotted another suspicious-looking vehicle being loaded with many large sacks. Once the vehicle was stopped and searched the combined force found the narcotics.

During the operations, combined forces also detained two suspected insurgents who were taken by Afghan authorities for processing and further questioning.

Initial reports indicate no civilians were injured and no damage was reported during the clearing operations. The weapons, chemicals and drugs from all the provinces were confiscated and will be destroyed.

• Date Taken: 01.13.2011
• Date Posted: 01.13.2011 09:37
• Story ID: 63474
• Location: KABUL, AF