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U.S., Afghan forces kill suspected militant

An Afghan policeman uses his belt to control the crowd of people trying to get their voter identity cards in Eidga mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday. More than 7 million of an estimated electorate of nearly 10 million have registered to vote so far, despite militant attacks and threats. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Stephen Graham Associated Press
An Afghan policeman uses his belt to control the crowd of people trying to get their voter identity cards in Eidga mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday. More than 7 million of an estimated electorate of nearly 10 million have registered to vote so far, despite militant attacks and threats. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan and U.S. forces killed one militant and captured five others Tuesday, including a brother-in-law of Taliban leader Mullah Omar. An American soldier reportedly was wounded in a separate attack.

On Tuesday night, two rockets were fired into Kabul, blowing a hole in a busy main road and landing near a downtown theater. There were no casualties. Police Chief Gen. Baba Jan blamed “the enemies of Afghanistan and its people” – shorthand here for Taliban militants and followers of warlords opposed to Karzai’s government.

Earlier, President Hamid Karzai tried to quell a threat to upcoming national elections by shifting three militia commanders to different posts. Karzai has said warlords – not the Taliban – are the greatest threat to Afghanistan’s recovery from more than two decades of fighting.

Mullah Amanullah, brother-in-law of the fugitive Taliban leader, was detained near Deh Rawood, Omar’s hometown in Uruzgan province, 250 miles southwest of the capital, Kabul, police chief Rozi Khan told The Associated Press.

Afghan forces, acting on a tip, went to an area called Sangar and stopped Amanullah’s car. Amanullah started shooting, killing a police commander.

Authorities searched the car and found three remote-controlled bombs, a satellite telephone and an AK-47 assault rifle, Khan said.

It was not immediately known whether he had any recent contact with Mullah Omar, who could have a large network of in-laws through his four wives.

Khan said Afghan authorities might hand Amanullah over to American forces.

Uruzgan and neighboring Zabul have been the focus of an insurgency by Omar’s followers since American and Afghan forces deposed the Taliban regime in late 2001.

Gov. Khial Mohammed said one militant was killed and four were captured in Zabul on Monday when U.S. and Afghan troops searched villages for guns and rebels.