Good News From The War On Terror 5/21
KALSU, Iraq — Paratroopers found and destroyed seven improvised explosive devices in the northern Babil province, south of Baghdad, Sunday.
While conducting security patrols in the area, the paratroopers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division were able to find the IEDs before they could be used against Coalition Forces or Iraqi Security Forces, helping to secure the region.
All of the devices were either destroyed in place or taken by explosive ordnance disposal teams for further investigation prior to destruction.
Locals stash dangerous cache, rid streets of weapons, munitions
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division discovered a large weapons cache during a security patrol May 16. The cache was found in eastern Baghdad.
To their surprise, the cache was not found in an insurgents hiding area, but in a large container left by Coalition Forces to be used as an amnesty box. The container was empty when the unit departed the area, and local residents started stock-piling munitions they found on the streets or within their neighborhood.
Inside the container Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 61st Cavalry Regiment, based out of Fort Carson, Colo., found two anti-tank mines, one anti-personnel mine, five rocket-propelled grenades, three 125mm artillery rounds, two 155mm artillery rounds, one 152mm round, one 122mm round; three 120mm mortar rounds; three 82mm mortar rounds, six 60mm mortar rounds, one rifle grenade, one 57mm rocket, one recoilless rifle round, one improvised explosive device and assortment of small arms ammunition and grenades.
Soldiers kill insurgent and seize deadly weapon
AL TARAQ, Iraq – Coalition Forces took an insurgent and his weapon off the streets of Al Taraq, Iraq during a combat operation May 19.
Soldiers from Fort Drum, N.Y.’s, 1st Platoon, Company A, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) thwarted a possible sniper attack while looking for evidence of three missing U.S. Soldiers who were abducted by insurgents May 12.
MND-B Soldiers find sizeable cache, detain one suspect near Al Hamdanyia
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers found a large weapons cache and detained one suspect May 19 near Al Hamdanyia, Iraq.
While on a patrol, Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment discovered a component often used for improvised explosive devices and traced it to a house which the troops subsequently searched. During the search, they uncovered the weapons cache. A suspect was found with the cache and detained.
The find yielded two AK-47 assault rifles, 1,000 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, several magazines, a video camera, six propane tanks and many components used in the making of roadside bombs.
An hour after finding the cache, the troops also found an IED near the site. The suspect is being held for further questioning.
Iraqi Army Forces detain 16 suspected Al Qaeda terrorists near Samarra
BALAD, Iraq – Iraqi Army Forces detained 16 members of an alleged terrorist cell during early morning raids in Samarra May 20. The targeted individuals are alleged to be members of an Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) foreign fighter cell which is involved in anti-Iraq forces training activities in the Samarra area.
Iraqi Forces seized a number of weapons and other materials including:
•Two sniper rifles •One RPG with various rockets •Four AK-47 Assault Rifles •One 9mm pistol •60 ammunition magazines •Six cell phones •Body armor •ID cardsThe interdiction of the terror cells should result in a reduction of attacks and illegal checkpoints against Coalition and Iraqi Forces as well as residents in the area.
No Iraqi or Coalition Forces were injured during this operation. Coalition Forces served as advisors during this operation.
3 SUSPECTED AL-QAEDA CELL LEADERS, 9 OTHERS DETAINED
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured three suspected al-Qaeda cell leaders during raids Monday morning in continued operations to thwart terrorist attacks in Iraq.
Coalition Forces raided a building in western Baghdad searching for leaders within the al-Qaeda in Iraq network. The ground force detained three suspected terrorists, one of whom is allegedly a commander of a group that conducts assassinations and vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks in the capital city.
A suspected commander of an IED cell in Mosul and an alleged senior cell leader there were detained during Coalition Forces operations in the area. Intelligence reports also indicate the alleged senior cell leader formerly led a sniper cell.
Acting on information from successful raids on May 15, Coalition Forces targeted an area northeast of Karmah to further disrupt the al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leader network there. Four individuals with suspected ties to the network were detained in the raid.
Coalition Forces detained three suspected terrorists south of Fallujah for their alleged involvement with a regional al-Qaeda in Iraq commander.
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Five Iraqis who were held captive and tortured by terrorists were freed Monday morning during a Coalition Forces raid on the site where they were imprisoned.
Coalition Forces targeted the building northeast of Karmah during continued operations to disrupt the al-Qaeda network operating in the area. After a thorough search of the building, ground forces found a padlocked room. Inside were four men and a boy who had been kidnapped and severely beaten with chains, cables and hoses. The four captives also showed signs of torture, and the boy stated the terrorists had hooked electrical wires to his tongue and shocked him.
Coalition Forces evacuated the five individuals and provided treatment for their injuries. The hostages indicated their captors were foreign fighters who spoke with different accents. The hostages, who are from different tribes, will be turned over to their respective tribal leaders for repatriation.
