3 insurgents killed in Afghan operations

Afghan army and the NATO-led coalition forces have killed three insurgents and detained several suspects during operations across the country, as the joint forces continue to press the militants, the coalition said Thursday. "An Afghan and coalition security force killed Taliban leader, Mahjur, along with one other insurgent, during a security operation in Nari district, Kunar province, Wednesday," the coalition or International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement. Mahjur was responsible for planning attacks against government officials, Afghan and coalition forces. He acquired and facilitated the movement of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) components, weapons and ammunition utilized in attacks in the province 185 km east of Kabul. In addition, one insurgent was killed and one was detained in a separate operation in Alingar district in Laghman province 90 km east of Kabul on Wednesday, the statement added. Separately, the joint forces during a security operation in search of a Taliban facilitator arrested 15 insurgents in Bati Kot district of Nangarhar province, earlier Thursday. The facilitator is responsible for manufacturing and emplacing IEDs throughout Nangarhar province, some 120 km east of Kabul. "Afghan and coalition officials confirmed today that a Haqqani leader was arrested during an operation in Pul-e Alam district, Logar province, Monday. The leader purchased weapons and ammunition for insurgents, and was directly involved in planning and coordinating attacks against Afghan and coalition forces," the statement added. The Taliban, who ruled the country before they were ousted by U. S.-led invasion in late 2001, renewed armed insurgency, staging ambushes and suicide attacks, killing combatants as well as civilians. Currently there are more than 100,000 NATO-led forces, with 68,000 of them Americans, stationed in the country to stop the Taliban from returning to power.