KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan national security forces, assisted by coalition forces, conducted multiple operations in Khost, Ghazni and Kandahar provinces, June 28. The operations were intended to disrupt the flow of foreign fighters, weapons and explosives in the country, and to provide security to Afghan citizens.
In the Sabari District, about 15 kilometers north of Khost city in Khost province, the combined force searched a compound where intelligence sources indicated militant activity. The force searched the compound without incident and detained ten suspected Haqqani militants.
The Haqqani network remains one of the most lethal Taliban organizations operating out of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Area. The network focuses operations against the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and ANSF, and seeks to expel coalition and NATO forces from Afghanistan to maintain its influence in eastern provinces.
In the southern province of Ghazni, about 120 km southeast of the city of Gilan, in another area known for militant activity, the combined force pursued suspected militants, who were found to be wearing suicide vests. When they engaged the friendly forces, the militants were killed.
Afghan and coalition forces then searched a compound where they recovered several grenades, an AK-47 assault rifle and a Kalashnikov Squad Automatic Weapon.
Ghazni province has seen increasing Taliban violence as militants seek to disrupt governance and security in the region.
In Kandahar, combined forces assaulted a hide-out thought to be the safe haven of a Taliban commander, who is responsible for several improvised explosive device and small arms attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the region.
The orchard hide-out was located about twenty kilometers west of the city of Kandahar, where intelligence sources indicated militant activity. The force was engaged by hostile fire during their search of the area and immediately eliminated the threat. The force completed its search without further incident and recovered two AK-47 assault rifles, one Kalashnikov Squad Automatic Weapon, military load-bearing equipment with magazines, two fragmentation grenades, and two radios.
No coalition, Afghan forces or non-combatants were harmed during any of the three operations.