ANSF, Coalition forces arrest two IED-cell leaders

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan National Security Forces, advised by Coalition forces, disrupted two major insurgent rings by arresting key facilitators responsible for improvised explosive device attacks against civilian and military targets Dec. 24.
The combined operations, led by Afghan National Police and Afghan Border Police units, were conducted in Kandahar and Paktya Provinces.
The first operation involved tracking and arresting an insurgent in Chamkani District, Paktya Province.  The insurgent was suspected to be involved in a number of attacks against ANSF and Coalition forces operating in the area.
 “One individual is a suspected insurgent facilitator, believed to be responsible for coordinating IED attacks and insurgent activity directed against ANSF personnel over the past year” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesman. “The successful ANP operation should go a long way in disrupting insurgents’ operations in the immediate Chamkani area.
“This arrest will also serve to dramatically increase force protection in the area, especially for ANP and ABP vehicles which have been the primary target of the insurgent IED attacks,” he said.
The ANP and ABP are making great strides in their development and have led to greater security in the region.
 “This was one of the first joint planned and executed ANP/ABP operations conducted in this area,” said Belcher. “Taking this suspect off the streets will make life much safer for residents in the Chamkani area.”
The district sub-governor was impressed with the operation and praised the efforts of the ANSF to enhance security.
ANSF and Coalition forces were also instrumental in removing another dangerous criminal from the streets in Kandahar Province in a second operation. The second individual, believed to be responsible for the IED strikes in Tsagay and Khakrez in November, was arrested by ANSF and Coalition forces Dec. 24.
He is also suspected of being a leader of a cell responsible for placing IEDs in five other villages in the region.
“Taliban extremists are deliberately forcing civilians into situations where they are either killed by the insurgents, or are at risk of being placed in harm’s way during ANSF security patrols,” said Belcher. “This shows that insurgents don’t have any respect for the villagers in this area.”