Dec. 26: Operational Update
NEWS RELEASE ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan  
2009-12-CA–082
KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 26) – An Afghan-international security force killed a Taliban commander responsible for planning attacks against joint security forces and buying weapons and IED components in Wardak today.
A joint security force went to a compound outside the town of Pirdad, in the Nerkh district after intelligence sources confirmed militant activity. When the joint Afghan-international force approached the compound, the Taliban commander ran to a building, later identified as a mosque, a kilometer away. The Afghan security force surrounded the mosque and called for him to exit peacefully and when he didn’t, the Afghan security force entered the mosque. The Taliban commander opened fire with his AK-47 while in the mosque and was killed by the Afghan security force. The Taliban commander was heavily armed with grenades and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
The Taliban continue to violate the sanctity of mosques as protected places. The Afghan-international force does everything possible to avoid fighting in or around any known mosque.