Afghan and coalition forces killed 11 militants, detained suspected militants, and netted drugs and weapons in operations over the past week in Afghanistan, military officials reported.

In Lowgar province’s Baraki District today, Afghan and coalition forces conducted a raid to find and detain a suspected Taliban weapons smuggler. The suspect is believed to be tied to a commander responsible for attacks on Afghan civilians.

During a compound search, the forces asked the building occupants to leave. The occupants of one of the compounds failed to comply. The forces entered the compound and saw several men hiding behind women. The forces moved the women to a safe area and detained six suspected militants. They also found an explosive device, which they safely removed. The forces protected 25 women and 12 children during the operation.

Also today, Afghan and coalition forces conducted an assault on two compounds to disrupt the Haqqani terrorist network in Paktia province’s Zadran District, south of Kabul. The combined force searched the compounds. Two suspected militants were detained with no shots fired. The forces protected four women and eight children during the operation.

In operations yesterday:

– In Kandahar province’s Maywan District, west of Kandahar, Afghan special operations and coalition forces conducted an operation to disrupt a foreign fighter and weapons smuggling network in western Kandahar. Upon arrival, the forces asked noncombatants to leave the buildings. The forces killed five militants who maneuvered on them during the operation. The forces also detained three suspected militants and protected 19 women and 38 children during the operation.

– Afghan and coalition forces conducted a raid to disrupt the Haqqani terrorist network in Khowst province. The forces detained four suspects and seized an AK-47 assault rifle, a pistol and 15,000 Pakistan ruppe, which is about $200. Five women and 10 children were protected during the operation.

In March 14 operations:

– Afghan and coalition forces conducted operations against militants suspected of making bombs in Lowgar province, southwest of Kabul. The forces received information that the militants were staying on a compound in Charkh District. Upon arrival, the forces asked noncombatants to leave the area. Armed militants engaged the forces. Five enemy combatants were killed in the firefight. The forces also seized and destroyed multiple weapons and grenades. Eight women and nine children were protected during the operation.

– In Kandahar province, west of Kandahar, Afghan special operations forces and coalition forces conducted a raid on a compound used as a storage area and staging site for Taliban operations against coalition forces in Zhari and Panjwayi Districts. Led by a civilian’s tip, the combined force arrived at the targeted compound and encountered and killed an armed enemy combatant. The forces also detained 10 suspected militants and destroyed 176 pounds of a potentially explosive material used in the production of homemade bombs. The forces protected 19 women and 29 children during the operation.

– Afghan army commandos, aided by coalition forces, netted drugs and weapons during a search of an enemy compound in Helmand province’s Nawa District. The commandos seized 20 pounds of black tar heroin in a drug lab, as well as an AK-47 with magazines. Following the search, the villagers told the commandos that the Taliban had been demanding money, food and water from them.

– In Oruzgan province’s Tarin Kowt District, Afghan national police, aided by coalition forces, found and destroyed an improvised explosive device cache that contained five large containers of homemade explosives and more than 10 107 mm rockets. Later that day, one of the ANP vehicles struck an improvised explosive device. The police officers inside the vehicle sustained minor injuries and were able to continue their mission. No other injuries were reported.

In March 11 operations:

– Afghan national police arrested two men suspected of attempting to assassinate ANP officers in Paktia province’s Chamkani District. The militants were targeting police officers in response to the arrest of one of their comrades.

– Also in Chamkani District, a man brought a family member to the national police, informing them that a relative of his had been studying in Pakistan and was prepared to be a suicide bomber. The family member told the ANP he wanted to prevent further bloodshed in the country.

DVIDS

ISAF countered three attempts by insurgent forces to attack ISAF bases in Bermel district, Paktika, Nov. 27.

ISAF soldiers first saw two insurgents positioning rockets in preparation for an attack. The ISAF troops fired six artillery rounds at the location.

Within an hour, eight rockets were fired at the ISAF base. In response, ISAF fired four artillery rounds at the insurgents inside of Pakistan. Military observers watching the impact of the rounds reported secondary explosions.

In a third event, insurgents fired three rockets at the ISAF base. ISAF soldiers returned fire with 12 artillery rounds in response. Observers confirmed three secondary explosions and several killed insurgents.

ISAF closely coordinates its actions with the Pakistani Military.

One Afghan security guard received minor wounds from the insurgents’ attacks. There were no ISAF or civilian casualties.

ISAF

NATO forces defend Pakistani border post!

Insurgents attempted to attack an ISAF base twice October 11 and failed both times.

During the first incident, three insurgents were spotted as they prepared for a rocket attack. In self defence, two ISAF bases fired a total of seven sets of artillery rounds at the insurgents’ location inside Pakistan. The Pakistani military later confirmed the attack had killed two insurgents.

Within an hour of the attack, insurgents were identified as preparing to rocket attack a nearby Pakistan Border Point. In defence of the Pakistani military, ISAF fired four sets of artillery rounds at the insurgents’ location inside Pakistan. The attack caused three secondary explosions. The Pakistani military later confirmed the attack killed three insurgents.

ISAF

ISAF, in support of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, conducted a precision air strike against a known Taliban leader, killing him and some of his followers in Uruzgan August 12.

Mullah Akhtar Mohammed has been directly involved in the planning of attacks against district centres and the coordination of suicide bombers which have resulted in the deaths of innocent Afghans.

“This operation shows that ISAF can strike against the insurgency leadership who threaten innocent Afghans and attack ISAF forces,” said Brigadier-General Richard Blanchette. “He commanded large numbers of insurgent fighters and committed atrocities against Afghan Police officers who worked to improve the safety and stability of their country.”

Following a comprehensive assessment, ISAF can confirm that no innocent Afghan civilians were injured during this operation. There was no damage to infrastructure.

This successful operation represents yet another disruption to the insurgents’ network in southern Afghanistan and ISAF is proud to be helping to provide a safer and more stable future to the local population.

ISAF

We, the leaders of the former captive nations from Eastern Europe and current members of the European Union and NATO– Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland – are extremely concerned about the actions of the Russian Federation against Georgia.

We strongly condemn the actions by the Russian military forces against the sovereign and independent country of Georgia.

Following the unilateral military actions of the Russian military forces, we will use all means available to us as Presidents to ensure that aggression against a small country in Europe will not be passed over in silence or with meaningless statements equating the victims with the victimizers. To this end we intend to urge our governments to take the following positions in discussions and to raise these concerns in the European Union and the North Atlantic Council:

* Can the current Russian authorities be called adequate strategic partners of the EU;
* Can the family of European democratic countries pursue a mutually beneficial dialogue with a country that uses heavy military armour against an independent country;
* It is pointlessness to continue a “visa facilitation” program with a country that does not meet even the minimal requirements set by the EU and which uses visa facilitation to issue Russian Federation passports to foreigners and then abuses this EU given privilege to claim intervention rights such as “we are protecting Russian citizens” in South Ossetia.
* The actions of the Russian Federation in Georgia should influence the talks with the Russian Federation, including negotiations on the new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

We underline the obvious bankruptcy of Russian “peacekeeping operations” in its immediate neighbourhood. The Russian Federation has overstepped a red-line in keeping the peace and stability in the conflict zone and in protecting Russian citizens outside its own borders.

The EU and NATO must take the initiative and stand-up against the spread of imperialist and revisionist policy in the East of Europe. New international peacekeeping forces should be created as the current setting proved to be ineffective.

We regret that not granting of the NATO’s Membership Action Plan (MAP) to Georgia was seen as a green light for agression in the region.

We believe that the EU and NATO as the key organizations for European and Transatlantic stability and security should play a leading and crucial role in securing freedom, security and prosperity of countries not only in the EU but also in the neighboring European area.

It a litmus-test for the credibility of the EU and NATO to solve the conflict in its immediate neighborhood and to prove for all EU and NATO members, aspirant countries and democratic partners that it is worth being members and partners of these organizations.

This Declaration is open for the accession by the leaders of other democratic countries.

President of the Republic of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves
President of the Republic of Latvia Valdis Zatlers
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus
President of the Republic of Poland Lech Kaczyński

Georgian Daily