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KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 13) – A combined Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search of a Taliban leader in Almar district, Faryab province, Wednesday.  The targeted leader is an explosives expert with ties to suicide-attack networks known to target Afghan government officials. He is suspected of planning a suicide-bomb attack that killed an Afghan security official in October 2011.

Numerous armed insurgents fired at the security force during the operation. Responding to the immediate threat, the security force engaged and killed several insurgents.

Multiple weapons, chest racks, grenades, rocket-propelled grenades and explosives were confiscated during the operation and will be destroyed at a later date.