Key militants removed from fight

PDF Print E-mail Written by Bagram Media Center Saturday, 21 November 2009 23:10

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Since the middle of August, Afghan National Security Forces with assistance from International Security Assistance Force and Coalition forces have continued to remove militants from eastern Afghanistan, creating a safer environment for the Afghan people.

Between Aug. 20 and Oct. 17, more than 30 key insurgents, mostly Taliban and Haqqani network senior leaders, known for leading the planning and undertaking of deadly attacks directed towards Afghan citizens, Afghan government officials, ANSF and Coalition forces, as well facilitating the trafficking of fighters, weapons, explosives and money to support their terrorist activities, have either been killed or captured.

“We continued to seek out and remove those personnel that pose a direct threat to the Afghan people as they look to build a better future,” said Lt. Col. Clarence Counts, Jr., Combined Joint Task Force - 82 and Regional Command (East) spokesman. “These men have no regard for the Afghan people, often directing their attacks against them, offering nothing but fear and intimidation.”

Some of the militants captured or killed between mid-August and Mid-October include;

Mullah Farid Fazil Lang, an Improvised Explosive Device Cell Commander in Baraki Barak district, Logar province, was killed Aug. 23. Lang planned and participated in attacks directed towards ANSF and ISAF personnel, as well as being involved in the kidnapping of New York Times reporter David Rhodes in November 2008.

Saif ul Rahman, the overall Taliban operational commander in the Kushamond area of Dila district, southwestern Paktika Province was detained, Sept. 22. Rahman conducted numerous attacks against coalition forces to include the use of IED’s.

Khanay Gul Nazir, a Taliban Commander who facilitated other fighters and Taliban leaders with suicide vests, IED’s, safe houses and financing was detained in Logar province, Sept. 4.

Miaki Khan, was detained Sept. 10. Khan, a Haqqani commander near the Khost-gardez Pass, facilitated foreign fighters in Afghanistan.

Karimullah, a Taliban commander in Pul-e Alam district, Logar province responsible for multiple kidnappings, and planning an attack against the Serena Hotel in Kabul, was killed Oct. 9.

Mullah Yasin, the Taliban commander of Shiekabad village in northern Sayed Abed district of Wardak province responsible for IED ambushes along Highway 1, was killed Oct. 8.

Atiqullah, a Taliban commander, mediator and IED facilitator in Pol-e Alam district, Logar province was detained Oct. 1.

Sali Jan, a Haqqani financier and logistics commander in Zormat, Gardez and Gerdai Serai districts, was detained Sept. 5. Jan was in charge of the finances of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan working directly with Sirajuddin Haqqani and was associated with several commanders and fighters throughout the Haqqani network.

Mullah Arif, a Taliban Commander, responsible for multiple kidnappings and their facilitation was killed Sept. 7 in Logar province.

Daulat Khan, a mid level Taliban commander in the Seyyed Khel Village, Besmil District, Khowst Province who directed and facilitated IED attacks against ANSF and ISAF forces in the Khost-Gardez Pass area was detained Sept. 20.

Zubair a known Taliban commander and IED attack facilitator in Sar Howza district, Paktika province was killed Sept. 3. Zubair also planned and coordinated ambush attacks against ISAF and ANSF forces.

Rahim Dad, who facilitated foreign fighters was detained Oct. 5.

Lutfullah, a Taliban IED facilitator in Sayed Abad district, Wardak province was captured Sept. 15.

Karim Shakan a Taliban commander who facilitated the movement and use of IEDs, recuited local Afghans for the insurgency, and preached anti government messages in Kadam village was detained Oct. 6.

Gul Rahim an insurgent commander was detained Sept. 28.

Shir Mohammed a weapons facilitator near Jalalabad in Nangahar province, was detained Sept. 29.

Baram Jan Milgeri was captured Oct. 3. Milgeri served as a deputy Haqqani commander to Baram Jan. Milgeri was involved with the purchasing of weapons and the passing off of information pertaining to ISAF soldiers’ movement in the Khost-Gardez Pass.

Qari Abdul Rahman, an explosives engineer, network financial officer, and suicide IED facilitator operating in Mayden Shahr, Nerkh, and Jalreyz districts, Wardak province was captured Aug. 4.

Mohammad Dawood, a Taliban commander in Gelan district, Ghazni province was detained Sept. 1.

Mullah Karim was detained Aug. 5. Karim facilitated logistics and safe havens for Taliban commanders in Andar district, Ghazni province. He is responsible for IED and direct attacks against afghan and coalition forces.

Matiullah, who was affiliated with insurgents and their activities while serving as an Afghan National Policeman in Parwan province, was detained Oct. 3. Maitullah often gave information about Afghans who worked with their government to Taliban leadership.

Fazil Wahid, a Taliban commander, who led an IED cell in Shuryak Valley, Konar province was killed Oct. 11. Wahid was responsible for conducting complex and IED attacks against Afghan and Coalition forces in the Pech Valley.

Abdul Ghaios, a Salafist sub-commander under Dowron in Konar province was killed Oct. 11. Ghaios was responsible for attacks on coalition bases and conducting election attacks in Konar. He was associated with IED experts Fazil Wahid and Mohammad Anshah.

Sayed Basir, a Taliban sub-commander in Pul-e Alam district, Logar province was detained Oct. 8. Basir was responsible for facilitating vehicle borne IED’s in Logar and Kabul and planing to disrupt the elections by attacking vehicles carrying ballot boxes.

Fraidoon, an IED maker and facilitator to insurgents in Pol-e Alam and Baraki Barak districts, Logar province was captured Oct. 10. Fraidoon and his brothers are responsible for emplacing IEDs in villages of Qala-Sar Sang, Qala-e Abad and Karez-e Qala-e Abad.

Farhad, an IED maker and facilitator to insurgents in Pol-e Alam and Baraki Barak districts, Logar province was captured Oct. 10. Farhad and his brothers are responsible for placing IEDs in villages of Qala-Sar Sang, Qala-e Abad and Karez-e Qala-e Abad.

Fardeen, an IED maker and facilitator to insurgents in Pol-e Alam and Baraki Barak districts, Logar province was captured Oct. 10. Fardeen and his brothers are responsible for emplacing IEDs in villages of Qala-Sar Sang, Qala-e Abad and Karez-e Qala-e Abad.

Gul Na Sim, a supplier of weapons, was detained Oct. 17.

Haji Zalmai, a suicide IED facilitator and explosives expert, in Wardak province, was detained Aug. 17. Zalmai is responsible for suicide attacks, abductions and IED assaults in Kabul Province.

Lias Khan, a Taliban IED facilitator was captured Sept. 10. Khan operated within Achin district, Nangarhar province, selling IED’s to Taliban members from his shop in the Shadil bazaar. He was also a drug smuggler who sold heroin in areas of Pakistan to fund his purchases of IED supplies for the Taliban.

Tela Khan, a member of Taliban leadership for Kadam village and Terezayi district in Khost province was detained Oct. 6. Khan stored weapons and IED making materials, transported Taliban and foreign fighters from Miram Shah, Pakistan to Kadam village, assisted in the training of suicide bombers and hosted insurgent planning sessions at his home.

Sebghatulla, a Hizb-I Islami Gulbuddin commander was killed Oct. 17. Sebghatulla procured weapons and munitions for insurgent activity and was involved in the intimidation of the population in Bagram and Charikar districts of Parwan province as well as Qarabagh district of Kabul. He was closely connected to corrupt government officials in Parwan and was responsible for attacks on Bagram.

Noor Agha, a Taliban IED emplacer and former Mujahidin commander who joined the Taliban insurgency in the Nijrab Valley of Kapisa province was captured Oct. 15.

Marouf Khan, a Haqqani network facilitator operating within an IED cell in Sabari district, Khowst province was detained Oct. 18. Khan was involved in the facilitation of weapons, IED material, and funds for IED cells throughout Sabari district.