Daily Security Brief: January 23, 2012

ISLAMABAD: Four suspected militants were killed and a fifth injured when a US drone fired missiles into Pakistan border, on Monday.

The attack took place in the Datakhel area near Miranshah, the main town in the restive region, a local official told Pajhwok Afghan News on condition of anonymity. The unmanned spy plane fired missiles into a house and a vehicle, the official said, without disclosing the identities of the victims.

According to Naseer Azam Mehsud, a local journalist, the first strike hit the vehicle, killing two people. The second attack that came moments later targeted a house, killing three people and injuring a fourth.

The US aircraft continued to hover over the area for some time, creating great panic among residents, Mehsud said.

—Qaisar Yosufzai

mas/ma/mud

KABUL: An explosives-laden car was found on the Kabul-Jalalabad highway in the Sarobi district of central Kabul province, police said on Monday.

Parked inside the Khaki tunnel at Mahipar Pass, the vehicle was meant for use in attacks on convoys of vehicles carrying logistic supplies for foreign troops, the 101st Asmayee Police Zone chief said.

Brig. Gen. Mohammad Zahir told Pajhwok Afghan News intelligence operatives defused the explosives. Six mortar shells, five kilograms of explosives and other ammunitions had been placed in the car.

Zahir said no arrest had been made in connection with the car, which was taken to the 101st Asmayee Police Zone headquarters.

–Khwaja Basir Ahmad

frm/ma/mud

KHOST: Two suspected militants were killed in a NATO-led airstrike and two policemen injured in an explosion in southeastern Khost province, officials said on Monday.

An International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helicopter struck two men planting roadside bombs in the Qarghandi area of Sabari district late on Sunday night, an Afghan army officer said.

Maj. Saat Gul Hotak, the 203rd Military Corps spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News three suspected rebels were detained along with weapons and explosives during an operation in Sabari and Domanda districts.

Elsewhere in the province, two policemen sustained injuries in a roadside bomb explosion, said Brig. Gen. Sardar Mohammad, the provincial police chief. The blast took place at around 9:30am in the Orzai area of Ismailkhel district.

But Dr. Hidayatullah Hamidi, acting director of Khost Civil Hospital, said they had received five injured policemen from the area. Four of the injured were referred to a US health facility in the Saharabad area.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed a number of security personnel were killed in the blast. However, he would not give specific casualty figures.

—Hidayatullah Khosti

mrh/mud

MAIDAN WARDAK: A Taliban-designated judge was among five militants killed during a joint operation by Afghan and foreign troops in central Maidan Wardak province, the alliance and local officials said.

The operation in the Syedabad district targeted a group of insurgents planning to ambush a joint patrol of Afghan and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops, the NATO-led force said in a statement.

It added the dead militants included a shadow judge, named Farid, accused of involvement in various insurgent activities. The joint force suffered no casualties and some weapons and ammunitions were also seized from the militants.

Syedabad district chief, Dr. Fazal Karim Muslim, told Pajhwok Afghan News Farid was among five Taliban killed in the operation in the Badadak village.  The operation in Tawda Chena and Badadak areas also resulted in the seizure of four Kalashnikovs, a machine gun and a rocket launcher, the 203rd Military Crops said.

—Mohammad Farid Karimi

mm/ma /mud