Afghan, Coalition force Clears Enemy Safe Haven in Baghlan
ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan 2010-12-S-153 For Immediate Release Download PDF   KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 14) – Afghan and coalition forces conducted another deliberate clearing operation aimed at disrupting the Taliban’s freedom of movement in northern Afghanistan.   The joint security force is continuing their efforts to disrupt enemy safe havens, where Taliban leaders use villages throughout the area to conduct operational planning and facilitate their attacks. This operation focused on an area near Jon Naw village in Dahanah-ye Ghori district.   “Afghan and coalition forces continue operations to eradicate Taliban from their safe havens making areas safer for the people of Afghanistan,” Lt. Col. Patrick Hynes, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center director said. “This operation is an example of what the military alliance has promised – we will continue to maintain pressure on the insurgents throughout the winter months and deny their ability to reconstitute in their traditional safe havens.”   Afghan and coalition forces cleared 29 buildings suspected of insurgent activity in the area. Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all occupants to exit the compounds peacefully before the joint security force cleared and secured the area.   A coalition precision air strike was conducted on an enemy fighting position after receiving heavy machine gun fire. The security force called in the airstrike on the building in order to eliminate the threat and protect the populace after determining there were no other options to neutralize the threat. The security force confirmed the targeted building was the only structure destroyed and no civilians were harmed.   Sporadic effective gunfire from insurgents throughout the operation resulted in coalition forces killing more than 10 insurgents. The security force also found and destroyed multiple automatic weapons and a hand grenade at the scene.