Enemy Fighters Killed, Girl Wounded in Afghanistan Operations

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13, 2008 - Coalition and Afghan troops killed five enemy fighters, detained three suspected terrorists and treated a teenage girl injured by a militant grenade attack during recent operations in Afghanistan, military officials said.

The 14-year-old Afghan girl was seriously injured when a Taliban militant threw a grenade into her home yesterday in Oruzgan province's Khas Oruzgan district. Coalition forces took the girl to a U.S. base, but later transported her to another facility for additional treatment. Her injuries include an amputated right thumb, partially amputated fingers, multiple shrapnel wounds and internal bleeding, officials said.

In other news, Afghan and coalition forces killed five enemy fighters after the militants attacked an Afghan security forces base yesterday in Helmand province's Nahr Surkh district. The militants directed small-arms, rocket and mortar fire at the base. A coalition quick-reaction force repelled the attack with small-arms and aviation-weapons-team fire, officials said.

In Paktika province's Orgun district Aug. 11, coalition and Afghan forces captured three suspected terrorists. The militants reportedly are couriers between foreign fighters and terrorist networks in the province, officials said.

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