Eurasia Press & News
KABUL, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) — The U.S.-led Coalition forces killed several militants and detained seven others in an operation Wednesday in unrest southern Afghan province of Helmand, said a Coalition statement released here on Thursday.
During a search of compounds in the Garmser District, the Coalition forces encountered armed militants in multiple buildings on the compounds, the statement said.
“During the engagement, militants maneuvering on the Coalition forces were engaged with and killed by accurate, conventional munitions,” said Maj. Chris Belcher, a Coalition spokesman, “Precision munitions were also used to kill several other militants who were attempting to use a tree line outside one of the compounds as cover to engage Coalition forces.”
Continuing their search of the compounds, the Coalition forces found and detained seven individuals, who intelligence sources indicated as having possible connections to foreign fighter and weapons facilitators in the area, said the statement.
Coalition forces also recovered several weapons and associated ammunition that were destroyed to prevent further use by extremist forces, it added.
Some 55,000 foreign troops are being deployed in this war-torn country for keeping security and fighting terrorism.
Militancy-related violence and conflicts have killed around 5,600 people since January this year, hitting a record high since 2001.
