NATO Airstrike Kills Afghan Insurgents 09/10 05:36

   KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- An Afghan insurgent commander who was allegedly 
planning bombings in Kabul on the eve of the Sept. 18 parliamentary elections 
and two of his associates have been killed in an airstrike, NATO said Friday.

   The military alliance said in a statement that intelligence sources tracked 
Nur Mohammed and two armed militants to a field in the remote Musahi district 
of Kabul province. Coalition aircraft conducted the airstrike Thursday night 
after ensuring no civilians were present, it added.

   The statement said the senior insurgent commander was planning attacks in 
the capital before the Sept. 18 parliamentary elections. The Taliban has vowed 
to attack polling stations and warned Afghans not to participate in what it 
called a sham vote.

   The insurgents want to topple the pro-Western government in Kabul and drive 
foreign troops from the country, and have boycotted or sought to sabotage all 
aspects of the political process, including elections.

   "This was a very successful strike which stopped a very dangerous individual 
from conducting further attacks against Afghan civilians and Afghan and 
coalition forces," U.S. Air Force Col. James Dawkins said in the statement.

   "The Afghan people deserve to cast their votes without fear of attacks from 
the insurgent groups," he said. "We are continuously tracking them and taking 
action before they're able to carry out their plans."

   The Afghan government and its Western allies hope the elections for the 
lower house of parliament will help consolidate the country's fragile democracy 
and political stability, eventually allowing for the withdrawal of the roughly 
140,000 NATO-led troops in the country.

   But many Afghans and international observers fear the vote could turn bloody 
if the Taliban carry out its threats.

   NATO said a follow-up security force found automatic weapons, grenades and 
material to make improvised explosive devices near the site of the airstrike.


(KA)