Good News From The War On Terror 7/22
Coalition Forces kill one terrorist, detain 14 suspects
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed one armed terrorist and detained 14 suspected terrorists during operations around the country Sunday targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq network.
Coalition Forces conducted a raid north of Baghdad targeting an al-Qaeda in Iraq emir and his associates. As ground forces began their operation, they received small arms fire from the building they were entering and another building nearby. Coalition Forces, acting in self-defense, returned fire. As the ground forces secured the area, they found one armed man who was killed in the engagement.
Coalition Forces detained one suspected associate of the targeted individual. Both are allegedly involved with the Baghdad vehicle-borne improvised explosive device network.
In Mosul, the al-Qaeda in Iraq religious adviser for the city surrendered himself to Coalition Forces during an operation. The suspected terrorist is believed to issue fatwas regarding anti-Coalition activity as part of his involvement with al-Qaeda in Iraq. One other suspected terrorist was also detained.
During another raid in Mosul, Coalition Forces detained three suspected terrorists with alleged ties to the al-Qaeda in Iraq emir of northern Iraq.
A raid northeast of Fallujah netted five suspected terrorists for their alleged association with the al-Qaeda in Iraq emir of eastern Anbar province. During the operation, Coalition Forces also discovered a weapons cache containing rocket-propelled grenades.
Coalition Forces detained three suspected terrorists during a raid near Yusifiyah targeting a member of a local al-Qaeda in Iraq cell.
Coalition Forces Detain Two Suspected Weapons Smugglers
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained two suspected terrorists that may be affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) from Iran in a raid Sunday near the Iranian border East of Baghdad.
No shots were fired as Coalition Forces conducted a dynamic raid to capture or kill suspected terrorists with connections to senior leaders of the IRGC-QF. The two detained suspects were secured from a rural farm compound before dawn. A number of weapons were confiscated during the raid. The suspects may be associated with a network of terrorists that have been smuggling Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFPs), other weapons, personnel and money from Iran into Iraq.
Iraqi Army, Coalition Forces detain suspected Al Qaeda cell leader near Taji
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Army Forces, with Coalition Forces as advisors, conducted a helicopter assault raid July 20 detaining a suspected Al Qaeda in Iraq leader suspected of numerous crimes including a recent attack that destroyed a bridge on a primary Iraqi transportation route.
Iraqi Soldiers detained their primary suspect without incident in a remote area northwest of Taji.
The detained individual is the suspected leader of an Al Qaeda cell in the Qaryat al Majarrah region and recently claimed responsibility for a May 27 suicide truck-borne improvised explosive device attack that destroyed the a key bridge over the Danat Nazim al Majarrah Canal, a main Iraqi supply route in the Habbaniyah area.
He is also allegedly responsible for facilitating foreign fighters and the planning and execution of multiple improvised explosive device attacks in Ramadi and other areas. The insurgent leader and his cell are also suspected of murdering and intimidating Iraqi citizens, conducting oil smuggling operations, and committing a string of highway robberies in an effort to fund al Qaeda activities.
The capture and detainment of this alleged cell leader will greatly inhibit Al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist activities in Western Iraq and reduce attacks in Ramadi and surrounding areas.
In a separate operation, two other individuals with suspected links to terrorist groups were detained during an operation outside Karmah. Iraqi and Coalition Forces also seized a large quantity of materials for making IEDs. The materials were destroyed with a controlled detonation in a safe area after ensuring all civilians were moved a safe distance away during the detonation.
