Less than five days after he helped stop one of the largest insurgent attacks on Kabul since October, a member of the Afghan National Army 6th Kandak commando unit was recognized for his bravery by the ANA Chief of Staff. For his bravery and actions that day, General Bismillah Khan Mohammadi presented 1st Lt. Mentaz with a promotion and the Baryal Medal 1st State during the a commando graduation ceremony at Camp Morehead.

An Afghan-international security force searched a compound north of the village of Nakhonay, in the Panjwa'I district of Kandahar and detained insurgents. The joint force also found multiple weapons, including automatic rifles, a hand grenade and Taliban propaganda. Also in Kandahar last night, an Afghan-international security force searched compound north of the village of Khenjakak, in the Panjwa'i district and found a building with extensive IED components, including high explosives.

ISAF forces operating in the Nawah-ye Barakzai district of Helmand province yesterday engaged a number of insurgents with small arms fire after being fired upon. The insurgents broke contact and fled the area on motorcycles. Three children were seriously injured in the firefight. ISAF forces broke contact with the insurgents, provided immediate medical attention and transported a 5 year old boy and a 6 year old girl to a nearby medical facility.

The Afghan national army's 2nd Kandak completed a successful mission at Forward Operating Base Sperwan Ghar, Jan. 13. Soldiers patrolled through villages near the FOB and checked compounds for insurgents and explosive devices that could harm civilians or coalition forces. "We received intelligence on enemy activity around the area," said ANA Capt. Shafi Feela. "We planned a two-day mission to sweep through the villages and find any enemies or enemy equipment." ANA and ISAF soldiers found a number of IEDs.

An Afghan-international security force searched a compound in the village of Qal-eh-ye-Bara, in the Qarah Bagh District of Ghazni province. During the operation the joint force responded to an imminent threat and killed insurgents and captured another. In Kandahar today, a joint security force stopped a vehicle near Maiwand village in the Maiwand District. While searching the vehicle and a nearby compound, the Afghan-international security force found three men, including one with fragmentation wounds he was unable to explain, who were attempting to bury a handheld radio.

An Afghan-international security force stopped a vehicle in an area east of the village of Hajji Ooddust, in the Panjway District of Kandahar yesterday.

Iraqi Security Forces arrested 13 suspected terrorists Monday during three joint security operations conducted in Baghdad and northern Iraq targeting several suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) members. In southeastern Baghdad, ISF and U.S.

Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. Air Operations in Afghanistan: Chahar Bagh An Air Force MQ-9A Reaper operator provided armed overwatch and reconnaissance for friendly ground forces. The pilot observed suspicious activity in the vicinity of friendly forces and requested confirmation of position coordinates.

An Afghan-international security force searched a compound outside the village of Baghak, in the Jeldek District of Zabul province last night and detained a pair of suspected militants while searching for a Taliban IED cell leader. In Ghazni last night, a joint security force searched a compound in a rural area west of the town of Nyazullah, in the Waghaz district. As the joint force entered a building in the compound, an insurgent threw a grenade and the Afghan-international security force returned fire killing an insurgent.