November 3rd, Afghanistan

President Barack Obama recently announced that he was determined to "finish the job" in Afghanistan, and aides signaled to allies that he would send as many as 25,000 to 30,000 additional American troops there. Obama will formally announce his decision in a national address at 8 p.m. Tuesday from the Military Academy at West Point. As casualties mount on both sides, 2009 is shaping up to be the deadliest year yet for coalition troops - twice as deadly as 2008. American and Afghan officials have been encouraged by the recent rise of independent anti-Taliban militias in Afghanistan, even though their emergence is recent and supporting them raises fears of the consequences of arming and training Islamic militants.


Helmand Province
Afghan and coalition forces targeting the Taliban district leader for Musa Qal’ah, who also acts as an improvised explosive device expert and facilitator, detained two suspected insurgents and killed one during an overnight operation in Helmand province.
The targeted individual leads his own personal network of IED experts, supplying Taliban senior leaders in the area with lethal IED technology and training.
Intelligence tips led the security force to a compound in Kajaki district to search for the district leader. Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all occupants to exit the compound peacefully, and then the joint security force cleared and secured the area.
After initial questioning at the scene, the security force detained two suspected insurgents, one of whom identified himself as an opium farmer.
As the security force was preparing to depart the area, they shot and killed an armed insurgent carrying an AK-47 and grenade, after he threatened the security force.
The security force also discovered and destroyed a pressure-plate IED and multiple grenades at the scene.
The security force protected the women and children for the duration of the search.
Khost Province
In Khost province, a separate joint security force targeting a Haqqani Network facilitator of weapons and IED materials, detained two suspected insurgents during an overnight operation.
Intelligence reports led the security force to a compound in Zambar in Sabari district to search for the facilitator. After an Afghan call-out, the joint security force cleared and secured the area.
After initial questioning of the residents at the scene, the security force detained the suspected insurgents.