News reports provided by ISAF Joint Command regarding operations conducted in the following provinces: Helmand, Herat, Wardak, Konar, Nangarhar and Paktika.
Air Support was called in during operations in Helmand (insurgent attack successfully repelled) and also in Herat (UN's operations center attack). In Wardak, troops are investigating the possibility of civilian deaths related to a fire fight sparked by an IED explosion. A 4 day operation in Konar has wrapped up as troops sought out and cleared insurgents from 3 villages in the Darah-ye Pech District. Multiple weapons caches were also discovered and destroyed.
Helmand Province
International Security Assistance Forces repelled an insurgent attack while conducting a dismounted patrol in Sangin District of Helmand province Saturday.
Insurgents used small-arms fire in the attack. Coalition forces identified the insurgent firing position and returned fire.
During the ensuing fire fight, the ISAF troops called in air support to suppress the enemy fire. The resulting close-air support and ground force fire fight killed several insurgents.
Initial reports indicate that all rounds were observed striking their intended target, causing no damage to local buildings and no civilian casualties.
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Herat Province
The International Security Assistance Force condemns this morning’s [Saturday's] insurgent attack against a United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan operation center in Herat District, Herat province.
According to the United Nations, the attack did not disrupt the UN activities and no UNAMA personnel were injured. In the attack, two Afghan security officers were wounded.
“We strongly condemn this unprovoked attack,” said Brig. Gen. Josef Blotz, ISAF spokesman. “The UN operates in Afghanistan to bring peace, development, and humanitarian aid. This attack demonstrates the insurgents’ disregard for the well-being of Afghans.”
The United Nations has already pledged to continue operating with Afghan authorities in western Afghanistan to aid the Afghans in need.
“In the past months, UNAMA has led exceptional efforts to improve health, education, governance, and infrastructure programs in western Afghanistan,” said Blotz. “It is heartening to see these activities continue in the face of insurgent aggression.”
Afghan National Security Forces responded to the attack, and ISAF provided air support.
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Wardak Province
Two Afghan civilians were possibly killed when insurgents attacked a coalition patrol in Maidan Shahr District, Wardak province Saturday.
A coalition unit was on a patrol when they were attacked by insurgents with an improvised explosive device. The coalition forces stopped the patrol to investigate the explosion and clear the area of any more IEDs.
Once the patrol stopped, they began receiving small-arms fire from an unknown number of insurgents. The patrol returned fire.
During the attack, three Afghan citizens on a motorcycle entered the engagement area. Two of them fell off the vehicle and were taken away by local villagers. Their condition could not be verified by coalition forces before they were taken away.
Coalition and Afghan National Security Forces are investigating the incident.
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Konar Province
Soldiers from 2nd Company, 1st Commando Kandak, partnered with U.S. Special Forces and Task Force Bulldog, killed 13 insurgents and recovered and reduced four weapons caches during combat operations in Darah-ye Pech district, Konar province Oct. 16-20.
The four-day operation was to clear known insurgent strongholds in Tsam, Chenar Now and Matanga villages of Darah-ye Pech District.
Upon landing Saturday, the Afghan-led force observed a military-aged male burying a rucksack near a building. After further inspection of the compound, the first cache was discovered.
The cache was destroyed the following morning, at which time the combined force sustained substantial small-arms fire, which continued over the next three days.
On Wednesday, coalition aviation assets engaged a group of armed men maneuvering toward high ground, killing 13 insurgents with precision-guided munitions.
During the course of the operation, an additional three caches and three persons of interest were discovered as the partnered-force moved through Shuryak Valley.
The persons of interest have been turned over to Coalition forces for further questioning.
In total, the caches contained three cases of DSHK ammunition, more than 500 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, four hand grenades, loaded AK-47 magazines and detonation cord. All were destroyed on site.
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Nangarhar Province
A coalition patrol discovered a large weapons cache in the Khugyani District of Nangarhar province Friday.
The cache consisted of: 50 recoilless rifle rounds, 10 82 mm mortars, fuses and numerous machine gun rounds.
An explosive ordnance disposal team disposed of the rifle rounds at the site. The mortar rounds were taken to a nearby coalition facility.
Paktika Province
An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader, involved in direct fire, indirect fire and improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, during an overnight operation in Paktika province.
Based on intelligence reports, the security force targeted a compound in Shomali Zanki in Yahya Kheyl District to search for the targeted individual. Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all occupants to exit the buildings peacefully, and then the joint security force cleared and secured the area.
After initial questioning at the scene, the security force identified and detained the targeted individual along with four of his associates.
The assault force did not fire their weapons and they protected the women and children for the duration of the search.
Delivering Hope through unshakeable Faith in his ability to keep on running marathons, MGySgt White is nearly at the culmination of this year's marathon training. In just one week he will run the MCM 2010 marathon, yet is only at 21% on his fundraising goal. Can you help him help others? Here is his original story on why he started running and beat the odds.
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