Force Arrests Taliban Leader Linked to Camp Bastion Attack

Froman International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 18, 2012 – AnAfghan and coalition security force today arrested one of the Taliban leadersbehind the Sept. 14 Camp Bastion attack, military officials reported.
The Taliban leader was taken intocustody in Helmand province’s Nad-e Ali district following joint efforts byAfghan and coalition forces to track down the Taliban insurgents responsible forthe attack, officials said. No civilians were harmed during the operation.
The Taliban leader is suspected to haveprovided support to the insurgents whose attack killed two InternationalSecurity Assistance Force service members and caused damage to multipleaircraft. ISAF forces killed all but one of the attacking insurgents, who waswounded and is in ISAF custody.
The security force also detained twosuspected insurgents as a result of this operation, officials said.
In other operations today:
-- A combined force arrested the leaderof a Taliban attack cell and seized dozens of improvised explosivedevice-making components in the Nahr-e Shahi district of Balkh province. Thearrested Taliban leader was known as an IED expert and is believed to deployIEDs in frequent attacks in addition to providing them to other insurgentsoperating in the region.
-- An Afghan-led, coalition-supportedforce arrested a Haqqani network leader, detained two other suspects and seizedseveral firearms in the Nadir Shah Kot district of Khost province. The Haqqanileader is suspected of planning and directing attacks throughout the region,often collaborating with senior Haqqani leaders in Pakistan. Prior to hisarrest, he is believed to have orchestrated an IED attack that injured twoAfghan soldiers.
-- A combined force killed an armedinsurgent, detained another suspect, seized firearms and safely destroyedexplosives during a search for a Haqqani leader in the Pul-e Alam district ofLogar province. As the security force approached the leader’s suspectedlocation, an armed insurgent maneuvered from the compound and opened fire onthe Afghan and coalition troops. The security force returned fire, killing thearmed insurgent. No civilians were harmed in the exchange.