Troops Conduct Ops in Afghanistan's Helmand, Khowst Provinces

May 6, 2008

Coalition forces killed an undetermined number of militants and detained 29 in Afghanistan's Helmand and Khowst provinces over the past two days.

U.S. Marines assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, attached to the International Security Assistance Force conduct operations in Garmsir District, Helmand province, Afghanistan, May 1, 2008.

In Helmand province, coalition forces were conducing searches of several compounds in the Reg District yesterday when militants engaged them with small-arms fire.

Coalition forces returned fire, killing an undetermined number of attackers and later detaining 22 militants accused of conducting anti-government operations. The soldiers also found several AK-47 rifles, ammunition vests, ammunition, mines, artillery shells, bomb-making materials and grenades. They were destroyed or removed.

In Khowst, Afghan and coalition forces killed several militants and detained seven more during a joint operation May 2.

Afghan and Coalition forces searched compounds in Sabari District targeting a Haqqani network militant cell building and planting improvised explosive devices. The targeted cell is known to have been involved in the March 3 car bomb attack against the Sabari District Center that killed two coalition soldiers and injured dozens.

The forces discovered grenades, ammunition and ammunition vests in the compounds.