Afghan-Led Forces Detain Insurgents, Thwart Terrorist Attacks

The eight insurgents were detained during a combat operation in the Maywand district of Kandahar province today. The joint operatives raided a compound in Dukah village, detaining suspected narcotics traffickers and confiscating weapons. A U.S. attack helicopter provided close-air support during the mission.

Coalition forces continued to improve security in Kunar province late yesterday by killing five terrorists after a patrol spotted seven enemy fighters maneuvering in the open, west of Asadabad.

In two other events yesterday, residents alerted coalition forces to pending dangers and helped thwart attacks.

In Nangarhar province, a local citizen led coalition soldiers to an unearthed Russian-made 100 mm anti-tank round. A coalition explosives team removed the would-be bomb, rendering it harmless.

Later, in Paktika province, an Afghan impeded terrorists' intentions by warning coalition soldiers about two rockets pointed at a coalition base. A coalition patrol located the rockets, which were set to launch on a timer, and a strike from an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter destroyed the munitions.

"The courage these residents display in stepping forward to show us where the ordnance is located is another example of how local Afghan people are helping to improve security and bring the violence to an end," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force 76. "We're seeing more and more of this all the time."

In another incident yesterday, Afghan National Police discovered a remote-controlled car bomb in Ghazni province. Again, a team of coalition explosive experts dismantled the bomb.

"The enemies of Afghanistan will soon realize the futility of their misguided efforts and lay down their arms to support reconstruction of their country instead of trying to tear it down," Fitzpatrick said.

(Compiled from Combined Forces Command Afghanistan news releases.)