Good News From The War On Terror 4/27-4/28
TWO SUSPECTS DETAINED BY AFGHAN, COALITION FORCES
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Two suspects were detained during an operation early this morning by Afghan and Coalition forces in the Nangarhar Province.
Credible evidence led Coalition forces to the compound, suspected of harboring militants responsible for recent improvised explosive device activity in the Bati Kot area.
“These IED cells are a blight on Afghanistan,” said Army Maj. Christopher Belcher, a Coalition spokesman. “They kill indiscriminately and put peaceful Afghans at risk.”
During the operation, one suspect resisted and was subdued by Coalition forces. No shots were fired and no one was seriously injured.
FIVE SUSPECTED TALIBAN KILLED, FIVE DETAINED IN COALITION RAID
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Coalition forces killed five armed militants in an early-morning raid on a compound in the Qalat district of Zabul province April 27. Five others were subdued and taken into custody.
Credible information led the Coalition to the compound suspected of sheltering local Taliban leadership connected to Mullah Dadullah Lang. These militants are suspected of weapons smuggling and planning attacks on Coalition forces and peaceful Afghans in the area.
During the operation, armed militants attempted to engage the Coalition forces with automatic weapons and were quickly killed. The compound was thoroughly searched and forces discovered numerous AK-47’s and rocket propelled grenades in the compound and in adjacent caves.
The weapons were destroyed in place.
“We will continue to work relentlessly to eliminate the source of terrorism,” said Army Maj. Christopher Belcher, Coalition spokesman. “The Taliban are on the run.”
The remainder of the inhabitants: some women, children and elderly were not harmed in the raid.
No Coalition members were injured as a result of the operation.
US, IRAQI RAID IN MAHMUDIYAH NETS IRANIAN-MARKED ROCKETS, MORTARS
Mahmudiyah, Iraq – A U.S. and Iraqi raid in a Mahmudiyah apartment complex detained eight suspected extremists and discovered three caches containing mortar systems, rockets and ammunition April 22.
Soldiers of 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, from Fort Drum, N.Y., discovered the caches at about 6:30 p.m. local time.
Coalition forces have found many weapons caches in the Mahmudiyah area, but most rocket and mortar rounds found there have been deteriorated and apparently intended for use in improvised explosive devices.
In contrast, the 60mm and 82mm mortar systems, three 107mm rockets, three 60mm and three 82mm rounds found in the latest cache were nearly new.
Soldiers of the unit examined the weapons, which were stamped with recent dates and Iranian markings.
Also found was bulk ammunition for a PKC machine gun.
The munitions were seized for further investigation.The detainees were taken into Iraqi Army custody for further questioning.
IRAQI ARMY-LED MISSION NETS LARGE CACHE
BAGHDAD - Iraqi troops from the 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, together with a military transition team from the Multi-National Division - Baghdad discovered a large weapons cache in Baghdad's Ghazaliya district April 26.
The Iraqi troops acted on a tip and found the cache in the Shulla neighborhood, in the northwestern portion of the Iraqi capital.
Following a cordon and search of the area, the Iraqi troops found 127 mortar rounds, more than 200 pounds of TNT, 10,000 PKC rounds, 10 mortar tubes, 15 hand grenades, 13 rifles, including two M16s, 150 fuses and three anti-tank mines.
The Iraqi Army troops also detained seven suspected insurgents in the operation.
COALITION, AFGHAN FORCES DETAIN THREE SUSPECTED MILITANTS
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan and Coalition forces discovered several automatic weapons and detained three adult males at a suspected militant safehouse today. The early-morning raid was conducted in the Gubuz district of the Khowst Province.
“The detainees are to be questioned in order to determine their identities and their affiliation with violent extremists in the area,” said Army Maj. Christopher Belcher, a Combined Joint Task-82 spokesperson.
Credible intelligence indicated the safehouse is a refuge for militants connected to the Haqqani network. These extremists and their facilitators operate in Khowst Province, attacking Coalition forces and peaceful Afghans.
No shots were fired and there were no injuries reported during the operation.
TALIBAN KILLED, BUILDINGS DESTROYED IN EARLY MORNING FIREFIGHT
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan – Afghan and Coalition forces killed 10 Taliban militants and destroyed two buildings in an air and ground engagement early this morning in Helmand Province.
There were no Coalition casualties in the firefight.
A Coalition convoy was ambushed by Taliban militants in the vicinity of Gereshk. Coalition forces fought back from the ground and employed close air support to destroy the buildings from which enemy forces were firing.
“Taliban forces clearly lost this engagement, and will continue to lose throughout Afghanistan,” said Army Maj. Christopher Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesperson. “Peaceful Afghans are beginning to realize how harmful the Taliban are to their way of life, and they will no longer tolerate these criminals in their midst.”
MARINES DESTROY TRUCK BOMB NEAR KARMAH
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq - A truck bomb loaded with explosives was destroyed by Coalition aircraft with precision guided munitions four kilometers east of Karmah, just after midnight April 27.
Marines from Regimental Combat Team 6 detained a suspected terrorist in the course of routine combat operations, approximately 20 kilometers northeast of Fallujah. During questioning, the man provided the location of a dump truck rigged with explosives.
After confirming the location of the truck, the Marines identified eight 55 gallon barrels, the contents of which were unknown, wrapped with detonation wire and explosives. Marines immediately established a security cordon and evacuated the citizens in the surrounding area.
An Explosive Ordnance Disposal team determined the safest way to destroy the truck was by precision guided munitions. Marines providing security expanded the cordon and further aided in the evacuation of civilians out of harms way.
Fighter jets from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), in support of RCT-6 ground forces, destroyed the truck, causing minor damage to nearby structures. Coalition Forces in the area are assessing the blast site and damage to nearby buildings to compensate the owners appropriately.
There were no reports of civilian or Coalition Forces injured in the operation.
FOUR SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained four suspected terrorists Saturday morning during an operation in Sadr City targeting a secret cell network that trains terrorists for operations in Iraq.
Intelligence reports indicated a building in Sadr City housed suspected terrorists. Coalition Forces targeted the building in an overnight raid. During the operation, individuals ran out of the building and into other houses on the block. Coalition Forces followed and detained four individuals.
One individual received minor injuries when Coalition Forces used explosives to breach a door, but the injured man was treated on site.
“Terrorists continue to hide among women and children, and deliberately place innocent people in danger,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesman.
17 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED IN IRAQ
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition Forces captured 17 suspected terrorists during a series of overnight raids targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq Saturday.
Coalition Forces detained six suspected terrorists northwest of Karmah.
Intelligence reports indicate they are connected to a group responsible for murders, kidnappings, the manufacture of improvised explosive devices and attacking Coalition Forces.Two suspected terrorists were detained southeast of al Asad, including one individual who is allegedly an intelligence officer for al-Qaeda in Iraq.
Coalition Forces detained two individuals with suspected ties to al-Qaeda in Iraq and the bombing of the Sarafiyah bridge in Baghdad.
In Mosul, four suspected terrorists are in Coalition Forces custody for allegedly distributing arms for al-Qaeda in Iraq and operating a network using vehicle-borne IEDs.
Coalition Forces also detained three individuals in an overnight raid east of Balad.
"We're achieving a deliberate, systematic disruption in the al Qaeda in Iraq network," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
"These operations will slow al-Qaeda's ability to target and harm the people of Iraq."
COMMANDOS, BAGHDAD EAGLES DETAIN SUSPECTED EXTREMISTS, FIND CACHES AND IEDs
BAGHDAD - Coalition and Iraqi forces detained extremists, found weapons caches and improvised explosive devices south of Baghdad Thursday.
Soldiers of 4th Brigade "Baghdad Eagles," 6th Iraqi Army Division and 2nd Brigade Combat Team "Commandos," 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) of Fort Drum, N.Y., detained the suspected extremists and found the caches during routine combat operations.
U.S. Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, detained two suspected extremists after discovering a weapons cache in the vicinity of the detainees' house southwest of Radwaniyah.
In the cache was a bayonet, four bandoleers, two cases of 7.62mm ammunition and 26 AK-47 magazines.
Meanwhile soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 4-6 IA discovered a cache consisting of two Katyusha rockets in Mahmudiyah.Three improvised explosive devices were discovered; two were found by soldiers of 4-4-6 IA near Yusufiyah. The other IED was found by Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd BCT.
The detainees are being held for further questioning.
The contents of the cache were destroyed during a controlled detonation conducted by the explosive ordnance disposal team.
BAQUBAH: LOCAL'S TIPS LEAD TO SUCCESS
TIKRIT, Iraq - Local citizens in Baqubah's Tahrir neighborhood led Iraqi Army, police and Coalition Forces to more than 20 caches and assisted in capturing five suspected terrorists and engagements that left approximately 25 anti-Iraq forces dead.
The most significant cache items, many of which were found due to tips by local citizens, include small-arms weapons, more than 5 mortar tubes, nearly 140 artillery and mortar rounds, more than 10 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, approximately 55 RPG rounds, more than 10,000 rounds of small-arms ammunition, grenades, and improvised explosive device materials to include several hundred pounds of home-made explosives, timers and blasting caps.
Aside from the caches, the security forces have also discovered and cleared more than 20 IEDs emplaced throughout the neighborhood.
"As we continue our aggressive and persistent operations, the discovery of these caches shows that our forces have entered yet another perceived safe haven," said Col. David W. Sutherland, 3-1 Cav. commander and senior U.S. Army officer in Diyala. "The enemy shows nothing but hatred and disdain toward the innocent people of Diyala, and these weapons systems are clear indicators of that."
The ongoing operation will allow the Iraqi Security Forces to maintain a permanent presence in the area while simultaneously providing security for the people of Tahrir.
"As in Buhriz, the citizens of Tahrir are gaining more and more confidence in the Iraqi army and police," Sutherland added. "It is vital that their security forces maintain a permanent presence as they are the true defenders of this country. Together with the ISF, we remain focused on targeting the enemy and disrupting their operations."
KALSU, Iraq - Iraqi army and Multi-National-Division Center Soldiers discovered a weapons cache west of Al Iskandariyah April 27.
Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 8th Iraqi Army Division and Paratroopers with the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, fought anti-Iraqi forces near Abu Shemsi and discovered three weapons caches.
The caches contained one machine gun, one rifle, 75 hand grenades, two mortar tubes, one mortar tripod, three mortar rounds, and one base plate. All of the mortar items were a 120mm weapon system.
The cache was secured for destruction.
