One Afghan civilian and two Afghan national police were killed following a vehicle borne improvised explosive device attack in Spin Boldak district, Kandahar province, Jan. 9.
Afghan national security and International Security Assistance Forces responded to the scene of the blast to look into the incident.
“This is the second insurgent act of terror in Spin Boldak district over the past three days,” said U.S. Army Col. Rafael Torres, ISAF Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center director. “As insurgents deliberately conduct attacks against Afghan National Security Forces as well as the Afghan population, they show their complete disregard for human life.”
More than 15 insurgents were killed, several wounded and numerous others detained by Afghan National Security and International Security Assistance Forces in southern and eastern Afghanistan during separate clearing operations over the past 24 hours.
In Helmand province, an Afghan national army and ISAF patrol spotted several armed insurgents displaying hostile actions in Marjah district. The joint forces engaged the enemy position with small arms fire, wounding one insurgent.
Later, the combined patrol was engaged by insurgents and, after gaining positive identification, returned fire supported by a precision air strike, killing several insurgents. Ground forces, moving towards the enemy position, also detained numerous insurgents.
In the same province, during a separate clearing operation, an ISAF patrol was engaged by insurgents with small arms fire in Now Zad district. After gaining positive identification, coalition forces returned fire with small arms fire and anti-armour missiles, killing several insurgents.
In Sangin district, an ISAF patrol spotted several insurgents placing an IED. After gaining positive identification, coalition forces engaged the enemy position with small arms fire, killing one insurgent.
In the same area, coalition forces from an ISAF combat outpost also observed several insurgents placing an IED and requested air support. After gaining positive identification, the air weapons team engaged the enemy position with effective fire, killing two insurgents.
In Maiwand district, Kandahar province, two insurgents were killed when the IED that they were placing in a historical IED site exploded. The Afghan National Police patrol observed the blast and also detained one suspected insurgent.
In Kunar province, an Afghan national army and ISAF patrol declared an imminent threat from insurgents moving into an historical fighting position in Bar Kunar district. Combined forces engaged the enemy position with effective and accurate anti-armor missiles fire, killing several insurgents.
During a separate clearing operation, an ISAF patrol declared an imminent threat from several insurgents digging in the road of a historical IED site in Khugyani district, Nangarhar province. After gaining positive identification, coalition forces called for air support. The air weapons team on scene engaged the enemy position, killing one insurgent.
Also today, Afghan national security forces and ISAF discovered several caches in southern and eastern Afghanistan.
A combined patrol found a weapons cache in Mizan district, Zabul province consisting of three rocket-propelled grenades warheads, 11 RPG boosters, three AK-47s, 100 7.62 mm rounds, nine full AK-47 magazines and four chest racks.
In Paghman district, Kabul province, coalition forces found a large weapons cache consisting of 40 boxes of rockets and several 82 mm mortar rounds.
Initial reports indicate no civilians were injured and no damage was reported during the clearing operations. The weapons from all provinces were confiscated and will be destroyed.
Article by ISAF Joint Command