Insurgents Pose as Civilian Casualties, as Afghan, U.S. Forces Inflict Heavy Toll on Insurgents in W
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 16, 2010
RELEASE# 019
 

BADGHIS, Afghanistan – Two insurgents posed as civilian casualties and presented themselves to Afghan and coalition forces in Badghis province following an engagement where insurgents had attacked the partnered government force Aug 15.  The operation was a cordon and search mission by joint Afghan-U.S. forces that disrupted insurgent fighters and their weapons and financing network.
The action resulted in more than a dozen insurgent casualties. The two insurgents were taken into custody and their wounds were treated by coalition. No civilians were injured in the engagement.
During the combined force’s operation in and around the village of Tangi Buzbai, Bala Murghab district, the Afghan National Army soldiers from the 207th Corps assisted by a U.S. Marine Special Operations Team were attacked by an unknown number of insurgents using small arms and machine gun fire.  The Afghan-led force responded with small-arms fires and precision guided munitions from Coalition air forces on the insurgent positions.
Damage assessments after the engagement confirmed the more than a dozen insurgents injured or killed during the engagement. Also discovered during the after action assessment was physical information that led to the verification that the insurgents who posed as civilian casualties had indeed been involved in the fighting.
The two men, claiming they were injured during the engagement, approached Coalition forces looking to get medical treatment for their wounds, an MSOT sergeant said; however, they were positively identified by several Afghan sources as being insurgents.
“The two men matched exact descriptions given from the team leader on site during the attacks,” said Marine Sgt. Brian Kester, a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan spokesperson. “The team verified with local elders, provincial and district governors, and ANA leaders, that in fact, the two men were indeed insurgents.”
The ANA soldiers and MSOT medical personnel on scene provided immediate medical treatment to the injured men, and readied them for transfer to a medical facility in the Murghab River Valley for follow-on care and continued custody.

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Insurgents Pose as Civilian Casualties After Attack
 ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan 2010-08-CA-198  For Immediate Release Download PDF    KABUL, Afghanistan (Aug. 17) - Two insurgents posed as civilian casualties and presented themselves to Afghan and coalition forces in Badghis province following an engagement where insurgents had attacked the partnered government force Sunday. The operation was a cordon and search mission by Afghan and coalition forces that disrupted insurgent fighters, along with their weapons and financing network.   The action resulted in more than 10 insurgent casualties. The two insurgents were taken into custody and their wounds were treated by International Security Assistance Force service members. No civilians were injured in the engagement.   During the combined force's operation in and around the village of Tangi Buzbai, Bala Murghab district, Afghan National Army soldiers from the 207th Corps, assisted by a U.S. Marine special operations team, were attacked by an unknown number of insurgents using small arms and machine gun fire. The Afghan-led force responded with small-arms fires and precision guided munitions from coalition air forces on the insurgent positions.   Damage assessments after the attack confirmed the more than 10 insurgents injured or killed during the engagement. During the sight exploitation, physical information was found that verified insurgents who posed as civilian casualties had indeed been involved in the fighting.   The two men, claiming they were injured during the engagement, approached coalition forces looking to get medical treatment for their wounds, a Marine special operations sergeant said; however, they were positively identified by several Afghan sources as being insurgents.   "The two men matched exact descriptions given from the team leader on site during the attacks," said Marine Sgt. Brian Kester, a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan spokesperson. "The team verified with local elders, provincial and district governors, and ANA leaders, that in fact, the two men were indeed insurgents."   The ANA soldiers and special operations team medical personnel on scene provided immediate medical treatment to the injured men, and readied them for transfer to a medical facility in the Murghab River Valley for follow-on care and continued custody.