ISAF and Afghan special operations forces have carried out two more raids in the Afghan north against the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Yesterday, ISAF targeted the “head governing official for insurgent operations” who trains both the Taliban and IMU in the district of Burkah in Baghlan. From the ISAF press release:
An Afghan-led combined security force detained multiple suspected insurgents during a security operation targeting an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in Burkah District, Baghlan province, yesterday.
The leader was recently appointed head governing official for insurgent operations in the district, and supports both Taliban and IMU networks by facilitating and training insurgents.
And two days ago, special operations forces targeted an IMU facilitator based in Baghlan who directs attacks in Takhar. From the ISAF press release:
In Pul-e Khumri District, Baghlan province, an Afghan-led security force detained two suspected insurgents during a security operation targeting an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan facilitator, yesterday. The facilitator is directly involved in attack planning and movement of fighters in Takhar province.
The IMU continues to be a top priority for Coalition and Afghan forces. Of the 12 raids against terror groups directly allied with al Qaeda (excluding the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and HIG) that were reported by ISAF since the beginning of June, 11 targeted the IMU. Five of those raids took place in Kunduz, four in the neighboring province of Baghlan, one in Balkh in the northwest, and one in Zabul in the southeast.
For more information on the IMU and recent raids, see LWJ report, Special operations forces capture burka-clad Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in Afghan north.
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The Taliban claim that during the raids over the course of a week the US lost over 50 soldiers trying to enter the fields surrounding the compounds where the “mujahideen commanders” were staying.
The Americans then began bulldozing civilian houses to more easily reach the compounds of the commanders. They then dropped “massive chemical weapons bombs” on the commanders compounds, “leaving 1 commander martyred and 2 other mujahids wounded besides leaving along with 18 civilians martyred”.