Afghan, US forces kill 35 Taliban in Kunduz - Summary

Earth Times, Thursday, 13 May 2010, 11:38:48 GMT, dpa

Kunduz, Afghanistan -

US special forces and Afghan troops killed 35 Taliban fighters, including five foreigners, in an operation in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz, the provincial governor said Thursday.

The forces were deployed to the area by helicopter Wednesday night to conduct an operation against a Taliban hideout in Ghor Tapa, 10 kilometres north-west of the provincial capital, also called Kunduz, Governor Mohammad Omar said.

Three Taliban commanders and at least three militants who had been trained to carry out suicide attacks in the province were among those killed, he said.

NATO confirmed the operation from Kabul, saying it was ordered after intelligence information "confirmed the Taliban (fighters) were staging for a large attack."

The troops received fire from several locations when they approached the targeted compound, a NATO statement said, adding that more than two dozen insurgents were killed and several captured during the operation, in which air support was used.

US and German troops operating in northern Afghanistan under the banner of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), have increased their operations against the Taliban fighters in recent months.

About 4,500 German troops are stationed in Kunduz and other areas of northern Afghanistan. Around 500 additional German soldiers and 4,000 US forces were expected to arrive in the region by summer. A German military official said the reinforcements would bring the total number of ISAF troops in the north to 12,000.

The region was more peaceful than southern and eastern provinces until three years ago, but the Taliban has increased their activity in large swaths of Kunduz and Baghlan provinces.

No German troops were involved in Wednesday night's operation, Omar said.

Afghan raids kill up to 40 Taliban fighters: officials

Thursday, May 13, 2010, 4:17 am ET

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan (AFP) –

 Up to 40 Taliban fighters have been killed in separate raids by Afghan and NATO troops in northern and central Afghanistan, officials said Thursday.

In the biggest single raid in weeks, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said two dozen insurgents were killed in northern Kunduz province overnight.

"An Afghan-international security force killed more than two dozen insurgents and captured several others while pursuing a senior Taliban commander in Kunduz last night," it said in a statement.

The Taliban fighters were killed in clashes which erupted after the troops came under fire from a mosque and nearby woods, the military said.

An operation to disrupt the Taliban fighters' movement in the province was continuing, it added.

Mohammad Razaq Youqoubi, Kunduz provincial police chief, told AFP that 26 Taliban fighters were killed during the operation by Afghan and coalition forces.

He said six Taliban fighters were captured and four suicide vests, which the Taliban fighters often use in their attacks, were destroyed.

Elsewhere in the country, 14 Taliban fighters were killed in a similar raid in the province of Ghazni, in central Afghanistan, said Khialbaz Sherzai, a provincial police chief.

He said eight other Taliban fighters were captured in the raid which was also carried out by Afghan and Western troops overnight.

The Taliban resistance movement is battling NATO occupation forces and the NATO-backed Kabul government in a war now well into its ninth year.

Around 130,000 foreign, mainly US, troops are based in the country, with another 20,000 due by August as part of a strategy designed to reverse the Taliban momentum and allow Washington to start withdrawing forces next year.

Afghan-ISAF Operations in Kunduz Province

ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan 2010-05-CA-050 For Immediate Release

KABUL, Afghanistan (May 13, 2010) -

An Afghan-international security force killed more than two dozen (Taliban fighters) and captured several others while pursuing a senior Taliban commander in Kunduz last night.

The combined force went to a compound in the village of Kharid-e Olya, Kunduz district, after intelligence information confirmed the (Taliban fighters) were staging for a large attack. As the Afghan-led element moved into the target area they immediately began receiving fire from a mosque and surrounding woods, and then returned defensive fires. Shortly after, several armed individuals ran toward and fired on the combined force. They were engaged and killed.

 The (Taliban fighters) were killed as they continued to fire on the combined force with machine guns, automatic rifles and hand grenades. Close air support was used, but not on the mosque and compound which received minor damage. No civilians were harmed during this operation.

Joint Afghan-international operations in Kunduz continue to counter Taliban efforts to facilitate movement of fighters, weapons, and explosives into the area to disrupt legitimate government and security in the region.

Afghan-ISAF Operations in Eastern, Southern Afghanistan

ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan 2010-05-CA-052 For Immediate Release

KABUL, Afghanistan (May 13, 2010) -

An Afghan-international security force killed several (Taliban fighters) and detained almost a dozen others as the patrol searched for a Pakistani-based Taliban commander in Helmand Province last night.

 Based on intelligence information, the combined force went to the village of Kheyl Kalizeh, in the Sangin district. As the combined force approached the compound they began receiving fire, and several armed individuals were seen moving to a nearby tree line, and were engaged and killed. The security force captured several other (Taliban fighters) as they searched in and around the compound.

 Multiple automatic rifles and chest racks were found. Also, a tunnel system in the compound was discovered and cleared. The targeted (Taliban fighter) is a Pakistani-based Taliban commander responsible for attacks against ISAF forces and involved in training and moving foreign fighters.

 In Kandahar last night, a combined force searched a compound south of Bahram, in the Ghorak district, after intelligence information indicated insurgent activity. During the search they captured a Taliban commander responsible for attacks on coalition force patrols and bases. He has also been involved in emplacing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and the movement of foreign fighters.

 When the Taliban commander was confronted, he immediately surrendered and identified himself as the targeted militant. Two other militants were also captured.  During the search the security force found multiple automatic rifles and approximately 45 kilograms (100 pounds) of heroin.

 No shots were fired and no one was harmed during the operation.

 In Logar last night, several suspected militants were detained by an Afghan-international security force as they pursued a Taliban commander.

 The combined force searched a compound in the village of Karut, in the Charkh district, after intelligence information indicated (Taliban fighters') activity and detained the suspected militants for further questioning.

 No shots were fired and no one was harmed during the operation.

 The targeted (Taliban fighter) is a Taliban sub-commander, heavily involved with IED emplacements and small-arms ambushes against coalition forces.

 In the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand yesterday, a joint patrol found a weapons and drug cache consisting of an 82mm rocket, a rocket-propelled grenade tail fin, a 105mm shell casing, a 30mm shell casing and 11 kg (24 lbs) of opium. The cache was destroyed on site.

 An ISAF patrol discovered a weapons cache containing three rocket propelled grenades, three shotguns, two grenades, and two mortar rounds in the Zharay district of Kandahar yesterday. The cache was destroyed.