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Taliban Commanders Killed Near Shindand (including hostage swap-ee)
 BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Coalition and Afghan National Security Forces have received intelligence which indicates over 10 Taliban commanders were among those killed during fighting in the village of Parmekan, 23 kilometers (14.26 miles) south of Shindand, Herat Province, on April 27 and 29. One of the senior Taliban commanders reportedly killed was from Helmand Province and recently released with four other Taliban members in exchange for an Italian journalist who was taken hostage two months ago. ?Homing device implanted before release? Two other senior Taliban commanders, believed to have been killed in the battles, were known enemies of the Afghan government for the past three years. Reporting and intelligence suggests that most of the senior Taliban commanders and sub-commanders entered the Zerkoh Valley to reinforce enemy fighters in the village of Parmekan at the conclusion of the first battle against Coalition and Afghan National Police forces. They were later killed during the second battle.
If we got TEN Taliban leaders, the fluffy ducklings around them may have been civilians, but were most assuredly NOT innocent. ... both Combined Joint Task Force-82 and NATO's International Security Assistance Force are working with the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to make inquiries into the incident. Coalition and Afghan National Army Forces value the life of all Afghan civilians while Taliban fighters have been known to use Afghan civilians as human shields when attacking Coalition and Afghan National Security Forces, said Maj. Christopher Belcher, a CJTF-82 spokesperson. The lengthy battle against the Taliban fighters is an indication of the precautions taken by Coalition and Afghan National Security Forces to positively identify enemy fighters and prevent the harm to any innocent Afghan civilians who did not vacate the area. Posted by: Glenmore 2007-05-06 |
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