KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan- Afghan National Security Forces, assisted by Coalition forces, captured seven insurgents Feb. 28 in Surkhagan Village during an air assault mission in Zabul province.
 During the recent operations, Afghan National Army and Coalition forces infiltrated several compounds and cave complexes in search of insurgents, bomb-making facilities and material.
 They found three Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices, IED making materials, storage facilities, ammunition caches and insurgent fighting positions. The combined force called in precision air strikes that  destroyed the cave complex, fighting positions and the ammunition storage areas.
 ANA leadership conducted a shura with the villagers to assure them the area is safer now because the insurgents were captured, which helped neutralize the IED threat. 
 “The ANA mission’s success, degraded the insurgents’ ability to fight, neutralized the VBIEDs and disrupted future insurgent attempts to disrupt peace,” said Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman, a Coalition spokesperson.