Afghan National Security and International Security Assistance Forces netted several weapons, improvised explosive device making components and drug caches during separate clearing operations in eastern and southern Afghanistan today.

In Kandahar province, an Afghan National Security and ISAF patrol found a weapons and IED making components cache in Kandahar district. The cache consisted of one anti-tank mine, four AK47s, several main charges, one rocket-propelled grenade, 16 full AK47 magazines, six Russian hand grenades, 750 7.62 mm rounds, two tactical vests and three pressure plates.

Afghan and coalition forces detained a Taliban leader during a security operation in Zabul province yesterday.

The Taliban leader is an improvised explosive device emplacer operating in Qalat District. He is responsible for emplacing explosive devices specifically targeting coalition-force vehicles in the district. Recent reporting indicates he wanted a video tape of suicide bombings in order to plan future suicide attacks against coalition forces.

Afghan and coalition forces detained two Taliban facilitators along with one suspected insurgent during a joint security operation in Paktiya province yesterday.

Both Taliban facilitators are part of the Kabul attack network operating out of the Gardez District providing financial and logistical support, managing Taliban supply routes and supporting Taliban operations.

One of the Taliban facilitators had ties with Taliban operations in Pul-e ‘Alam District of Logar province. He is directly associated with senior Taliban insurgents in the Kabul attack network.

General Vang Pao, leader of the Hmong, passed away today. He had been in the hospital suffering from pneumonia.

Am in need of a map of all or part of Vietnam and/or Indochina printed during or even before the war for the second edition of my book Distant War, which will be republished by Navigator Press sometime this sprng. If any of you brought a map of either home with you after the war, my publisher would like to borrow it for a short time and promises to return it in the condition in which it was received. The plan is to use a map on the cover with a picture I took of an abandoned Huey at Cu Chi 21 years ago juxtaposed on top of it.

Video by U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

Coalition forces destroyed a Taliban bunker complex during an Afghan and coalition security operation targeting a Taliban leader in Panjwa’i District detaining numerous suspected insurgents in Kandahar province yesterday.

The Taliban leader is responsible for improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and weapons facilitation within Panjwa’i, Dand and Zharay Districts. He has direct contact with other Taliban leaders operating in the Kandahar province.

Afghan and coalition forces detained a Taliban leader during a joint security operation in Nangarhar province yesterday.

The targeted Taliban leader operates in the vicinity of Toto village. There are reports he has conducted assassinations of villagers that posed a threat to the security of Taliban operating in the area. He also has first-hand knowledge of planned Taliban attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

Afghan national security and International Security Assistance Forces continued to secure numerous areas in the Gor Tepa region of Kunduz province in ISAF’s Regional Command North, Jan. 5.

Denying insurgents freedom of movement and activity, Afghan National Police and coalition forces conducted operations within the vicinity of Larkhabi, Omar Khal and Shinwar.

An improvised explosive device was identified and detonated safely by security forces near the Isa Kahn checkpoint.