Coalition forces carried out an air strike on a senior Taliban commander south of Sangin, Helmand province Sunday, Aug. 29.
The target of the operation, Qari Hazrat, an insurgent commander who had been conducting hit and run attack in the Sangin and Qaleh Ye Gaz areas against Afghan and coalition forces, was killed in the strike, along with three other insurgents.
Hazrat was known to be operating throughout the Upper Gereshk Valley and was in direct command of numerous other lower-level commanders, whom he ordered to conduct attacks against coalition forces.
He was also a facilitator of lethal aid, ranging from IED components to ammunition and heavy weapons. Reliable information indicated this individual had major plans to disrupt the upcoming elections.
Hazrat and his associates were targeted while they were driving down an isolated road in Helmand province.
"We will continue to target and eliminate Taliban commanders until they are all captured or killed and no one is left to fill the void," said U.S. Army Col. Rafael Torres, International Assistance Force Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center director.
Article by ISAF Joint Command