We’ve noted several times at The Long War Journal that al Qaeda embeds trainers from the Shadow Army (or Lashkar al Zil) into Taliban units to increase their effectiveness. An International Security Assistance Force press release provides another example of an al Qaeda trainer embedded with the Taliban in Ghazni province:

In another operation, an Afghan-international security force killed several enemy militants and detained a sought after al-Qaida IED facilitator and another militant in Ghazni province while searching a compound suspected of militant activity. This facilitator is reported to have supplied IEDs to other militant elements operating in the area and kept direct contact with local al-Qaida and Taliban leaders.

The joint force targeted the compound on the southern side of Ghazni City where intelligence sources reported the al-Qaida facilitator to be located. The joint force shot and killed the enemy militants after they demonstrated hostile intent. The compound was searched without further incident. One of the detainees was identified as the al-Qaida IED facilitator.

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By Bill Roggio
November 19th, 2009