Troops kill 60 Afghan rebels, make biggest drugs bust

Source: AFP

Troops killed 60 militants and seized their largest-ever drugs haul in a just-ended operation that smashed an insurgent hub in southern Afghanistan, the military said on Saturday. The four-day operation was in Helmand province where a British soldier was killed in a separate incident on Friday, officials said.

The operation ended overnight when air strikes destroyed 92 tonnes of drugs and masses more heroin-processing chemicals and bomb-making materials collected in the sweep of Marja, southwest of the provincial capital Lashkar Gah.

"A total of 60 militants were eliminated as they mounted an ineffective and uncoordinated defence against friendly forces," a joint US and Afghan military statement said, issuing a final tally. The statement said the troops had also "seized the single-largest drug cache by Afghan-led forces in Afghanistan to date".

They moved all "friendly elements" from a bazaar in the area at midnight Friday, it said.

"With the area cordoned off, precision air strikes destroyed the narcotics, bomb-making materials, weapons and munitions discovered during the operation," it said.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h5ZfZl5rzfAYmm77kcR7fi4BXM5w

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Afghan, coalition forces claim 60 militants killed in operation

Source: CNN International

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The operation, which started earlier this week, seized about 92,271 kilograms of narcotics.

The haul included 16,850 kilograms of black tar opium, 201 kilograms of processed heroin and 75,000 kilograms of poppy seeds, the release said.

Heroin-processing materials such as ammonium chloride, activated charcoal and soda ash were also found, according to the release.

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"The commandos and their coalition partners relentlessly penetrated an area militants and criminals considered a safe-haven, again proving they will not be denied access to any area in this country," said Col. Greg Julian, a spokesman for the U.S. Forces-Afghanistan.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/23/afghan.fighting/index.html

Video of this story: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/23/afghan.fighting/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

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"With the area cordoned off, precision air strikes destroyed the narcotics, bomb-making materials, weapons and munitions discovered during the operation," it said.


No doubt it took cooperation
They were tipped off.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3889567