ANA, Coalition kill scores of extremist Taliban near Deh Rawod

ANA, Coalition kill scores of extremist Taliban near Deh Rawod
21.09.2007 Elements of the 1st Brigade, 205th Afghan National Army Corps, advised by Coalition forces, defeated an attempted ambush while conducting a combat patrol near Kakrak village, western Uruzgan province yesterday, said in a statement released by Coalition forces today.

The combined patrol was 4 kilometers northeast of Deh Rawod district of Uruzgan when a dozen insurgents were seen emplacing IEDs and preparing an ambush for the patrol, said in the statement.

The ANA-led patrol dismounted from their vehicles and attacked the Taliban with small-arms fire. Within minutes, the insurgents reinforced their positions with more than 50 additional fighters. They struck the ANA patrol with small-arms, machine gun, rocket-propelled grenades and mortar fire from multiple compounds within Kakrak Village.

Coalition close air support was called in to repel the enemy attack. Precision-guided munitions were used on positively-identified Taliban firing positions, some within the various compounds comprising the village.

As the fighting continued, the joint ANA/Coalition force was joined by an ISAF unit. The combined ANA, Coalition and ISAF force continued to return fire with accurate small-arms and crew-served weapons throughout the day. More than three dozen insurgents were killed in the 14-hour battle.

“The Coalition will not sit idly by and allow the enemies of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan continue to seek safe haven in the Uruzgan province,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesman.

“We believe that the extremist Taliban will continue to use the unconscionable tactic of attacking the GIRoA and Coalition forces from areas that contain a large number of non-combatants. We will continue to do our utmost to avoid civilian casualties but, in the end, it is the enemies of peace and stability who must be held accountable for their efforts to endanger the lives and future of the Afghan people.”

One ANSF member was wounded and taken to a local medical center for treatment. No other ANA, Coalition or non-combatants were reported injured or killed during the fighting.

Bilal Basharat

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