Forces Target Taliban’s ‘Next in Line’ in Helmand
ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan 2010-12-S-204 For Immediate Release   KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 18, 2010) – Afghan and coalition forces detained several individuals in their pursuit of Taliban leaders in Afghanistan’s southern provinces during two operations in Helmand and Kandahar provinces yesterday.   In Helmand, Afghan and coalition forces targeted a Taliban leader who, according to intelligence reports, was in line to become the successor of two leaders recently detained, during an operation in Lashkar Gah district.   The team followed leads from the intelligence reports indicating the insurgents’ intent to promote the targeted individual into the Gowaragi area’s vacant leadership position. He recently returned from Pakistan to fill the position and to resume and increase improvised explosive device attacks in the Gowaragi and Nawah-ye Barakzai area.   Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call all occupants to exit the targeted buildings peacefully before conducting a search. The Afghan and coalition forces detained two suspects despite one individual’s attempt to flee. The security team discovered multiple weapons including rocket-propelled-grenade boosters at the scene.   The joint security teams conducted these operations in the hours of darkness to minimize the risk to local citizens. No women or children were injured or detained during these operations.   The security forces conducted the operation without firing their weapons.