Good News From the War On Terror 4/18-4/20
OPERATION EAGLE LIGHTNING NETS TERRORISTS, WEAPONS CACHES AND IEDS
BAGHDAD – Coalition and Iraqi forces detained 33 suspected terrorists, discovered six weapons caches and five improvised explosive devices during a combat operation in the Shaka area, just south of Baghdad, Monday.
Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) and the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi army Division participated in the operation, dubbed Operation Eagle Lightning, as part of an effort to disrupt anti-Iraqi forces within the Shaka area and to deny enemy forces safe haven within that area.
The six caches consisted of a 14.5mm anti-aircraft gun, 250 14.5mm rounds, a sniper rifle, five empty artillery canisters, an artillery round, a canister with homemade explosives, five IEDs, eight rocket propelled grenade launchers, 200 loose rifle rounds, an RPG launcher, three ski masks, three magazine racks, two AK-47s, two flak vests, 12 AK-47 magazines, a grenade, a large caliber weapon with ammunition and an insurgent propaganda videotape.
During the operation a total of 33 suspected terrorists were detained.
Of the five IEDs, one was discovered to be an anti-tank mine.
The contents of the cache were destroyed during a controlled detonation conducted by the Explosive Ordnance Team.
The detainees were held for further questioning.
FIVE KILLED, 30 DETAINED IN RAID NEAR FALLUJAH
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Five terrorists were killed, four suspected terrorists were wounded and 26 more were detained Wednesday morning during an operation near Karmah, a rural area northeast of Fallujah.
Coalition Forces raided a group of buildings known to be used by terrorists and found explosive materials in one of the buildings. A helicopter used precision-guided munitions to strike the contents of the building. Secondary explosions at the site confirmed the material inside was explosive.
During the operation, Coalition Forces were engaged by a group of armed men and returned fire in self-defense, killing five and wounding four.
The wounded were taken to military medical facilities for treatment.Twenty-six additional suspected terrorists were detained during the operation. Women and children were present, but no civilians were injured in the operation.
"Terrorists continue to operate among women and children, putting innocent Iraqis in danger," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
SUSPECTED CHLORINE-BOMB TERRORISTS DETAINED
BAGHDAD, Iraq - One terrorist was killed and eight suspected terrorists linked to al-Qaeda foreign fighters and improvised explosive device networks were detained Wednesday in two separate Coalition Forces raids.
One armed terrorist was killed and Coalition Forces detained five suspected terrorists west of Taji. The suspected terrorists are believed to be tied to al-Qaeda in Iraq and a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device network known to use chlorine in its attacks. They are also allegedly involved in facilitating foreign terrorist movements.
"This capture disrupts a threat to the people of Iraq as well as Coalition Forces," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson "Terrorists continue to disregard the safety of all Iraqis, and we will persist in dismantling their networks that undermine the security of the Iraqi people."
In Mosul, three suspected terrorists with ties to the al-Qaeda in Iraq network were detained.
ANA AND US SPECIAL FORCES PUMMEL TALIBAN FIGHTERS IN SANGIN
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Four Taliban fighters attacked a combined Afghan National Army and Coalition forces combat patrol in the northeast corner of the Sangin District area, Helmand Province, with small arms fire just before nightfall yesterday.
1st Kandak, 209th ANA Corps soldiers combat advised by U.S. Special Forces, quickly identified the enemy threat and begin engaging with direct and indirect fire. ANA and Coalition forces later detained three Taliban fighters after conducting a search of the enemy position.
The combined ANA and Coalition forces then received intelligence about enemy activity involving an estimated 40 Taliban fighters.
After maneuvering to gain contact with the enemy force, U.S. Special Forces requested Coalition air support to engage the Taliban fighters as they were attempting to establish ambush positions.
Approximately 24 Taliban fighters were killed and four vehicles destroyed during the prolonged seven-hour battle.
Two Coalition forces members were wounded during the engagement and were medically evacuated to a nearby treatment facility. They were treated for their minor injuries and are listed in stable condition.There were no injuries to Afghan civilians reported.
“Afghan National Army and Coalition forces have broken the spirit of the Taliban fighters in Sangin District,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force- 82 spokesperson. “The Afghan populace, ANA, and Coalition forces will no longer tolerate heavy-handed and terrorist tactics from Taliban fighters.”
CHLORINE TANKS DESTROYED, TERRORISTS KILLED IN RAIDS
BAGHDAD - Coalition Forces further disrupted terrorist cells using improvised explosive devices Friday morning when eight terrorists were killed and 41 suspected terrorists were detained during operations around Iraq.
Near Mahmudiyah, Coalition Forces detained eight suspected terrorists.
Another raid uncovered a building containing seven tanks of chlorine, which Coalition Forces destroyed.Seven armed terrorists were killed after they fired upon Coalition Forces entering a building. Forces on the scene detained 15 suspected terrorists who are allegedly tied to al-Qaeda in Iraq.
One armed terrorist was killed when Coalition Forces entered a building in Baghdad to conduct an operation to disrupt the Baghdad vehicle-borne IED network. Six suspected terrorists were detained, and Coalition Forces found VBIED components in the building.Another operation in Baghdad netted two individuals with suspected ties to the Baghdad IED network. Near Mosul, Coalition Forces detained 10 suspected terrorists in two separate operations to disrupt the al-Qaeda network in northern Iraq.
"Terrorists continue to endanger the Iraqi people and security forces by using explosives, and we will continue to disrupt their networks across the country," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
MND-B SOLDIERS ATTACKED FROM MOSQUE; TWO INSURGENTS KILLED
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers came under small arms from a mosque in a southwestern Baghdad neighborhood April 20. Two insurgents were killed in the firefight.
An element from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division came under attack from small arms fire at approximately 9:45 a.m. The gunshots came from the site of the Husayniayh al-Bayaa Mosque.
Additional Soldiers arrived to assist, cordoning off access roads and securing the area. Aviation support also arrived at the scene of the fighting, but did not engage any targets.
After two insurgents were killed in the incident, Soldiers searched nearby buildings and found chemicals in a house believed to be bomb-making materials. One suspect was detained from the search.
Iraqi Army troops from the 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment, 2nd Iraqi Army Division entered the mosque at approximately 2:30 p.m. No other suspects or weaponry was uncovered from this search. No U.S. troops entered the mosque.
There were no U.S. or coalition casualties taken from this engagement.
