June 26: Afghan-ISAF Operations in Logar, Zabul
ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan  2010-06-CA-105  For Immediate Release

 An Afghan-international security force killed several insurgents with a precision airstrike in Zabul Province last night in continuing operations aimed at dismantling IED cells operating in the Mizan and Tarnak Wa Jaldak districts.   The cells are directly responsible for multiple IED attacks along Highway 1, also known as ring road, resulting in the death or injury of Afghan civilians and Afghan and international forces.   The combined security force verified insurgent activity, and after careful planning in order to avoid civilian casualties and mitigate collateral damage, called in the airstrike on the insurgents in the remote area outside the village of Mianehshakh in Tarnak Wa Jaldak district.   After the air strike the combined security force went to the area and found IED materials including multiple blasting caps and an IED initiator, multiple automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades and launchers. The weapons were destroyed at the scene.
 According to a recently released U.N. report, there was a 94 per cent increase in IED attacks in the first four months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.   "These incidents highlight the insurgents for what they really are. They use cowardly tactics to protect themselves, and to attack Afghan civilians and Afghan and international forces. Their indiscriminate use of IEDs means that nearly one third of all casualties caused by the devices are innocent civilians," said Col. William Maxwell, ISAF Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center director.   "With each insurgent Afghan and international forces capture we are one step closer to making Afghanistan safer for its people," added Maxwell.