KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan and Coalition forces killed one al Qaeda member and detained 13 other suspected terrorists Aug. 15 during an early morning operation conducted in Khowst Province near the village of Ya’Qubi .Need to work on achieving the reciprocal of that killed/captured ratio.
The purpose of this operation was to capture a known al Qaeda facilitator considered a significant threat to Afghan and Coalition forces. Credible intelligence linked the targeted terrorist to weapons and explosive smuggling in the Khowst Province.
Upon arrival at the compound, the assault force requested a peaceful surrender of people within the compound. Most of the people surrendered to the assault force at that time. During a routine search of the buildings within the compound, a man disguised as a woman resisted capture and was subsequently shot and killed.
Was this the AQ facilitator the raid was aimed at? Does he get delivered to his virgins in a burka?
Numerous detonators and other bomb-making materials were discovered during the operation. Inside the two buildings housing this material, there were more than 60 women and children.
Lions of Islam hide behind their women and children.
The weapons cache was moved outside the compound and subsequently destroyed. No Afghan or Coalition forces were injured during the operation. “It is a known extremist tactic to surround themselves with women and children and put them in harm’s way,” said Col. Thomas Collins, Coalition spokesman. “Al Qaeda and other extremist organizations don’t care who they endanger. Their aim here was to surround their bomb-making operations with women and children, knowing the Coalition takes extreme caution to avoid injuring civilians.”
