Dozens of Militants Killed, Four Detained During Operations in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2008 - at least 40 insurgents during an ongoing operation in Afghanistan's Helmand province yesterday, military officials said.

The fight began when insurgent forces attacked an Afghan and coalition security patrol yesterday in Sangin district. From multiple concealed and fortified positions, the insurgents used small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. The ensuing fight led the combined forces to return fire and call for precision air strikes.

The friendly forces destroyed four insurgent fortified fighting positions, two bunkers, two trench lines, one improvised-explosive-device site, and more than 30 enemy boats, officials said.

Elsewhere, Afghan and coalition forces killed several insurgents while conducting a security patrol in the Shaheed Hasas district in Oruzgan province.

The combined forces noticed several armed militants moving into a fighting position. The militants attacked the patrol with small-arms fire, officials said. The combined forces responded with small-arms fire, killing several insurgents.

No Afghan, coalition or civilian casualties were reported, officials said.

In July 10 operations, four militants were detained during a coalition operation in Ghazni province.

Also July 10, coalition forces searched several compounds in the Andar district targeting a militant involved in transporting foreign fighters in the area. During their search, forces discovered a trap door under which three militants and a child were hiding. The three militants were detained, while the child was returned unharmed to the care of his mother, officials said. A fourth militant was detained during the course of the operation.

(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 101 news releases.)

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