Good News From The War On Terror 7/20
Iraqi, Coalition Forces, detain Al-Qaeda leader in Mosul
BAGHDAD – Members of the 2/2nd Iraqi Army Battalion, Ninewa SWAT, with Coalition Forces as advisors, detained an alleged battalion commander for an al-Qaeda affiliated group in western Mosul July 19 during an intelligence driven operation.
Iraqi Forces also detained a second individual who allegedly controls 20 fighters who build and emplace improvised explosive devices in western Mosul. Five other suspected terrorists who were present during the operation were also detained.
The primary suspect is believed to be a former regime Army officer who controls six other emirs throughout Mosul. He reportedly is the liaison between the west side of the al-Qaeda affiliated group’s commander and other battalion commanders.
Iraqi Forces detained the targeted individuals without incident. They also seized extremist propaganda, a cell phone, forged identification cards and an Iraqi passport.
One insurgent killed, 9 others detained in Baghdad raid
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Special Operations Forces and Coalition Forces killed one al-Qaeda insurgent and detained nine others suspected of insurgent activities during an early morning intelligence driven raid in western Baghdad, July 19
Iraqi and Coalition Forces received enemy-fire while conducting their raid on a local residence. Iraqi forces killed the insurgent and carried out the mission.
Iraqi and Coalition Forces also detained nine individuals who were at the objective location.
The primary targets of this operation are alleged to be responsible for conducting small-arms fire and improvised explosive device attacks on Coalition Forces and local Iraqi civilians in the western Baghdad area. They are also believed to be responsible for the kidnapping and execution of two Iraqi Soldiers.
Weapons stockpiles destroyed near Iranian border
FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq — Iraqi border guards led Coalition Forces to two weapons stockpiles near the Iranian border, a sign they are taking steps to secure their nation.
Iraqi border guards from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Region Department of Border Enforcement led members of U.S. Border Transition Team 4321, known as Team Nomad, to a stockpile of 35, 122mm rounds July 13, during a patrol in Dehnuk, Iraq, near the Iranian border.
The weapons were staged to be sold or moved to insurgents, according to Col. Mark Mueller, team leader for BTT 4300. Weapons are often collected at one location and then smuggled into al Kut, he said.
The Iraqi border guards led Team Nomad to a second weapon stockpile July 14 along the Iraq/Iranian border.
The stockpile consisted of six 122mm rounds, five RPG-7 grenades, 10 81mm mortar rounds, and six 60mm mortar rounds.
All of the weapons are believed to be leftover from the Iran and Iraq War and were destroyed during control detonations by the Khazakstani Explosive Ordnance Team, Coalition partners also serving at FOB Delta.
BTT 4321, from Fort Riley, Kan., is part of Task Force Shocker based at FOB Delta.
Coalition Forces Capture High Value Terrorist with Ties to IRGC-QF
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured a suspected terrorist with close ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) in a raid Thursday in Kharnabat near Baqubah.
No shots were fired when Coalition Forces conducted a raid to capture or kill a highly-sought operative with connections to senior leaders of the IRGC-QF. The captured terrorist is suspected of facilitating the transport of weapons and personnel from Iran into Iraq. The captured terrorist is also believed to have facilitated the flow of deadly Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFPs) into Iraq from Iran to be used against Coalition Forces.
During the raid, Coalition Forces confiscated a large sum of U.S. currency, weapons and photographs of juveniles with weapons.
MND-B aircrews kill three insurgents
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Multi-National Division - Baghdad attack helicopter crews killed three insurgents who were transporting weapons from a mosque and destroyed two enemy vehicles west of Baghdad at approximately 10:30 a.m. July 18.
The Apache crews from 4th “Guns” Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, were called in after receiving reports of insurgents carrying weapons outside of a mosque.
The Apache crews observed insurgents putting weapons into a cargo truck. The pilots engaged the vehicle as it was traveling, destroying the vehicle and killing three insurgents.
The aircrews also observed an armed insurgent get into a silver sedan. Once the insurgent left the vehicle, the aircrews received clearance from the ground unit to engage the vehicle and destroyed it.
3 terrorists killed, 44 suspects detained in Coalition operations
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed three terrorists and detained 44 suspected terrorists during operations around Iraq Friday targeting terrorist leaders and their operational cells.
Coalition Forces conducted a broad operation south of Baghdad, raiding 10 buildings in search of a terrorist who is reportedly a Shari’a judge and cell leader for al-Qaeda in Iraq. As the ground force approached the first target, a Coalition security team saw two armed men taking up tactical positions against the force. Coalition Forces, reacting appropriately to the hostile threat, engaged the two armed men, killing them.
As Coalition Forces secured the series of buildings, they detained 16 suspected terrorists who are believed to have ties to the targeted individual.
Coalition Forces raided five buildings in the city during a raid targeting an al-Qaeda in Iraq cell leader there. As the ground force cleared the buildings, one man armed with an automatic weapon attempted to maneuver into a position to assault the force. Coalition Forces, reacting appropriately to the hostile threat, engaged the man, killing him.
The ground force detained 10 suspected terrorists on the scene for their alleged involvement with the al-Qaeda in Iraq cell.
Also in Baghdad, Coalition Forces targeted and captured two suspected terrorists allegedly involved in terrorist media operations. Intelligence reports indicate the two individuals work with media cells in Baghdad and Baqubah. Two additional suspects were detained during the raid.
Coalition Forces captured a suspected bombing cell member in Baghdad. The individual is allegedly part of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device network operating in the capital city.
Coalition Forces captured an alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq financial emir and four of his associates during a raid east of Ramadi. Intelligence reports indicate the targeted individual is also a close associate of an al-Qaeda in Iraq emir and recently returned from Syria, where he allegedly facilitated the supply of weapons to terrorists in Iraq.
In Mosul, Coalition Forces detained eight suspected terrorists during three coordinated raids targeting the al-Qaeda emir of Mosul, who is also believed to be the al-Qaeda in Iraq deputy emir of northern Iraq.
Rocketman, assistant captured during Marne Avalanche
KALSU, Iraq – Iraqi soldiers and U.S. paratroopers captured the ringleader of a cell responsible for conducting rocket attacks on the people and security forces of North Babil, July 18.
Soldiers of the 8th Iraqi Army Division and Paratroopers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 501st Airborne, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, conducted an air assault and joint raid as a part of the ongoing Operation Marne Avalanche and captured the rocket cell leader and another member of his team.
The joint force also captured nearly 130,000 Iraqi dinar, six AK-47 assault rifles with 16 loaded magazines, an Uzi submachine gun with two loaded magazines, a bolt-action sniper rifle with 95
BAGHDAD — Soldiers from the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment detained one of the Multi-National Division-Center’s most wanted insurgents, along with four other individuals early Friday morning near Jisr Diyala.
Leaders from 3-1 Cav. gained intelligence early Friday morning that the known insurgent and a number of his associates were within their area of operations.
Soldiers conducted a surprise raid and captured the individual with no U.S. forces injuries or damage to equipment, by surrounding the house following a 2-mile walk into the suspected insurgent’s neighborhood. It was well-known to the Soldiers that the individual was on the look out for Army aircraft and would move if he heard helicopters approaching.
The detained “high-value individual” is believed to be responsible for the recent increase in explosively formed projectile improvised explosive devices and indirect fire attacks against Coalition Forces east of Baghdad. He is also suspected of intimidating Iraqis that work with U.S. forces, as well as, kidnapping and murdering rivals of his cell.
In addition to his terrorist activities, the detainee is a member of an organized crime network in the Mada’in Qada, which is part of the Baghdad province. Coalition Forces believe the detainee has extorted the local population through his water distribution company and gas station enterprises.
The 3-1 Cav. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team and is from Fort Benning, Ga. The unit deployed to Iraq in March 2007.
