BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Coalition forces conducted an operation Thursday in Helmand Province to disrupt Taliban weapons facilitator operations which resulted in the deaths of 23 militants and the detention of 11 people.
      Coalition forces, acting on accurate intelligence reports, conducted a search of compounds in the Garmsir District for Taliban weapons facilitators indicated to be conducting a weapons transfer in the area. Several armed militants threatening Coalition forces were engaged and killed during the course of this operation.
      A vehicle indicated as a covert Taliban weapons transport also exploded near the compound area. Multiple secondary explosions occurred indicating the presence of an unknown amount of explosive material in the vehicle. The cause of the explosion is unknown at this time.
      Coalition forces continued their search and found and detained 11 individuals that intelligence sources indicated as having possible connections to Taliban weapons facilitators in the area. The deatinees will be questioned as to their involvement with facilitation operations as well as other extremist activities.
      Coalition forces also recovered several weapons with associated ammunition. All were destroyed on-site to prevent their use by extremist forces.
      Some damage occurred to buildings on the compound during the course of operations.
      “As a result of the Coalition forces operation, the loss of personnel, weapons and explosive material to the Taliban is a severe blow which will negatively impact their [the Taliban’s] ability to equip its extremist forces and improvised explosive device operations,” said Maj. Chris Belcher, Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman.