Thursday, June 18, 2009

Afghan, Coalition Forces Capture Militants, Seize Drug Cache

American Forces Press Service

June 18, 2009 - Afghan and coalition troops captured seven suspected militants and seized a supply of heroin during separate operations in Afghanistan yesterday, officials said. Yesterday evening, Afghan and coalition forces detained five suspected Haqqani militants in a village east of Gardez in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province.

The Haqqani network operates out of Pakistan's federally administered tribal area. The network targets the government of Afghanistan and its security forces as part of its goal to expel coalition and NATO forces from Afghanistan.

Also yesterday, Afghan commandos, assisted by coalition forces, uncovered a drug cache and captured two known militants in the Ghorak district of Kandahar province.

Acting on an intelligence tip, Afghan and coalition forces searched a number of known militant and Taliban leader compounds in the area. Besides detaining the two captives, the Afghan commandos confiscated a supply of black-tar heroin during the search.

Several armed militants in the village were identified and eliminated after attacking coalition forces. No Afghan army, coalition forces or noncombatant casualties were reported.

(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)

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