Regional Command South

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (September 9, 2011) – Soldiers from the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, along with Afghan Border Police, conducted a search operation in the Wonake Valley, southern Kandahar province Sept. 3-5, detaining six people and seizing a cache of weapons and rocket-propelled grenades as well as improvised explosive device making materials in the process.

The 72-hour operation, Viper Slam, was aimed at bringing stability to the region’s residents by reducing the amount of IEDs planted by anti-coalition force operatives. Along with five detainees, Soldiers also brought in a person of interest for questioning. The task force believes the person of interest was heavily involved in IED-planting operations.

The operation consisted of Soldiers from the 2nd Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment, 163rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 530th Engineer Company, and more than a dozen Afghan Border Police. As it increases in number, the Afghan National Security Force will take over the executions of military operations, while coalition force acts as advisers and mentors.

The Wonake Valley is located about 12.5 miles north of Spin Boldak.