Suspected Taliban insurgents killed during standoff in eastern Afghanistan

Suspected Taliban insurgents killed during standoff in eastern Afghanistan

2010-10-11 17:34:46 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- Two suspected Taliban insurgents were killed on Sunday during a standoff in eastern Afghanistan, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said on Monday. Several others were arrested in another operation.

ISAF said the standoff took place as Afghan and coalition forces targeted a Taliban mid-level leader who is involved in ambush operations in the Jaghuri district of Ghazni province. The alliance said it had received intelligence information, leading the force to a remote compound in Rashidan district.

"As the security force approached the targeted compound, they observed two individuals run to a nearby outhouse and by the time the security force arrived, the individuals had barricaded themselves in the outhouse," ISAF said.

ISAF said it attempted multiple call-out attempts for the suspected insurgents to leave the outhouse. However, ISAF said, the security force assessed hostile intent and killed the individuals.

"The joint security force cleared and secured the targeted compound and after initial questioning of the residents at the scene, detained one suspected insurgent," ISAF added.

During a separate operation in Nimruz province, in southern Afghanistan, an Afghan and coalition force detained several suspected insurgents while targeting a Taliban facilitator who allegedly planned and facilitated attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

The operation took place at a remote compound in the Khash Rod district of Nimruz province, where Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call on the occupants to exit the building. After initial questioning of the residents at the scene, the security force detained five suspected insurgents.

The security force also discovered multiple grenades and a pistol along with a significant amount of Iranian currency at the scene, ISAF said.

Also on Monday, a construction contract worker who was working on a project at an ISAF combat outpost was killed when his vehicle struck an insurgent-placed IED. It was not immediately killed if the worker was targeted for his links to ISAF.

"The Taliban continue to indiscriminately kill innocent Afghan civilians," said U.S. Army Colonel Rafael Torres, director of the ISAF Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center. "Our thoughts and concerns are with the victim's family. We'll work with our Afghan partners to find those responsible for this attack and bring them to justice."

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