name: Taliban Commander, Two Suspected Insurgents Detained in Zabul
text: Taliban Commander, Two Suspected Insurgents Detained in Zabul
   2010-07-CA-124  For Immediate Release KABUL, Afghanistan (July 20) - An Afghan and coalition security force detained two suspected insurgents including a Taliban commander known to lead numerous fighters in improvised explosive device (IED) attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces in Zabul province last night.  The security force targeted a compound near Daman in Shah Joy district in pursuit of the commander. After the combined security force cleared and secured the compound, they detained the commander and two suspected insurgents after questioning the residents. No shots were fired and women and children were protected throughout the search. The Taliban regularly target Afghan officials chosen by the people to serve them as public servants.  "This proves the Taliban are willing to ignore their own Code of Conduct when they sense that they are losing influence and control. And make no mistake, that is what's happening as more Afghan National Security Forces take to the streets, and more ISAF forces arrive to assist them," said German Army Brig. Gen. Josef Blotz, International Security Assistance Force spokesman during his press conference Sunday. Blotz was referring to guidance to Taliban members released by Mullah Omar, the spiritual leader of the Taliban movement who is hiding in Pakistan.  The recent guidance directly contradicts his instructions last year urging his followers to minimize civilian casualties in an attempt to compete with the ISAF population-centric tactical directives.