Afghanistan Times
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AT-KABUL: The United States (US) and Afghan Special Forces have conducted a joint search operation in eastern Nangarhar province in which at least 20 suspected militants have been detained, Afghan army said on Thursday.
Special US forces and Afghan National Army (ANA) commandos, descended from helicopters carried out search and clearance operation in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province.
The operation was carried out late yesterday in Pir Khil and Khanglian villages of Khogyani district, press office of the 201st Selab Military Corps, based in Nangarhar province said in a statement.
“During the raid, joint forces detained 10 armed militants and 10 suspects.” Afghan and foreign troops have taken the captured militants with them to their bases.
Coalition forces officially changed their combat role to non-combat one in January 2015. Under the new mission code named Resolute Support (RS) more than 10,000 foreign forces, mostly American troops, are here to train, advice and equip Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).
However, American troops still take part in counter terrorism operations in south and east of the country, mostly by targeting militants by their drone strikes and rarely use of soldiers.
Nangarhar in recent months became hotspot of drone strikes in which Taliban fighters and their newly emerged rival group (Daesh) members have suffered heavy casualties.
Most of the US troops’ operations are coordinated by Afghan security forces against the militant groups.
American troops in the so-called “friendly fire” this week bombed an army outpost in Nangarhar’s neighboring province of Logar. Seven soldiers were killed and five more were injured in the strike, which is still under investigation.
