Coalition forces, including Canadians, have completed three operations throughout Kandahar, killing a number of Taliban and seizing large amounts of weapons and narcotics.

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed details of the large-scale operation in a press release Thursday.

Canadian, American, and British troops, alongside the Afghan National Army, were all involved in the operations, which took place in the Kandahar districts of Panjwaii, Zhari and Maywand.

Operation Mutafiq Tander 6, Operation Janubi Tapu 1 and Operation Joosh Karay were synchronized to decrease the insurgents' capabilities and leave them few options for escape.

"Increasingly, the insurgents were simply hiding key equipment and fleeing when Afghan and ISAF forces arrived in their safe havens," Canadian Maj. Fraser Auld, the operations officer for Task Force Kandahar, said in the press release.

"It was critical, therefore, to maximize the element of surprise and to attempt to cut off insurgent escape routes. These operations were designed to do just that."

Canadian soldiers were involved in Operation Mutafiq Tander 6 in Panjwaii district. The mission involved "aggressive patrolling and preventing insurgents from withdrawing into the desert."

Meanwhile, U.S. forces were in Maywand district and "put a blocking force in place to deny the insurgents access to withdrawal routes."

The soldiers also conducted patrols to gain a better understanding of local population patterns and to gather specific information about the nature of the insurgency in the area.

In the north, British forces conducted an air-mobile assault in Zhari district.

"A number of insurgents were killed or captured, and large caches of weapons, equipment and narcotics seized," ISAF said in the press release.

"Each operation was a success in its own right, and their synchronized execution resulted in a disruption that overwhelmed the insurgents in an area where they normally enjoy a degree of freedom of movement."

Lt.-Col. Charlie Stickland, commanding officer of Britain's 42 Royal Marine Commando, said the success of the operations showed the Taliban they wouldn't be allowed to rest in their "safe havens."

"The enemies of Afghanistan were dealt a harsh blow last week as the Afghan and ISAF forces rooted out 600 kilograms of home-made explosives, 3.8 kilometres of command wire, numerous anti-personnel mines, 107 mm rockets, small arms and ammunition, 500 kilograms of hashish, and insurgent notebooks with key data."