Good News From The War On Terror 7/23
ISF, U.S. Special Forces detain five suspected extremists
TAJI, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces and U.S. Special Forces detained five individuals believed to be conducting terrorist activities in Mosul during an early-morning operation July 21 in the village of Bazran, located in northern Iraq.
With U.S. Special Forces present for support, Iraqi Forces detained the individuals without incident. One other suspicious individual was also detained during the operation.
Iraqi Forces also seized five AK-47 assault rifles, 14 AK-47 magazines, one chest rig, a bayonet, three automobiles, four cell phones, two soldering irons, numerous electronic components and tools, and a variety of compact discs, DVDs, cassettes and video tapes.
IA, U.S. Special Forces detain alleged terrorist finance chief in Ninewa Province
TAJI, Iraq – Elements of the 2nd Iraqi Army Division, with U.S. Special Forces as advisors, detained a high level financier of an Al Qaeda affiliated group in the Nimrud District of east Ninewa Province during an intelligence driven operation July 22.
The targeted individual is alleged to be responsible for financing numerous attacks against innocent Iraqis and Coalition Forces. Those attacks include the May 2006 kidnapping of a Mosul food supply director, a March 2007 IED attack in Kanash Village, and the October 2006 and December 2006 IED and small arms attacks against two Coalition bases.
Iraqi Forces seized $20,000 worth of Iraqi currency and assorted documents and computer equipment during the operation.
Search nets seven terrorist suspects in Bulayj
TAJI, Iraq – Members of the 3/3 Iraqi Army Brigade, with U.S. Special Forces as advisors, detained seven al Qaeda in Iraq suspected terrorists in Bulayj July 22.
One of the alleged operatives is suspected of being a key weapons supplier; arming foreign fighters and other operatives who conduct terrorist attacks for al Qaeda in Iraq.
In addition to the captured terrorists, 77 AK-47 assault rifles were confiscated during the operation.
IA Forces, U.S. Special Forces detain al-Qaida Terrorists linked to U.S. casualties
BAGHDAD – Elements of the 11th Division of the Iraqi Army, with U.S. Special Forces as advisers, detained two terrorists linked to the July 18 improvised explosive device attack that killed four Coalition Force Soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter in eastern Baghdad.
Iraqi Forces detained the two suspected terrorists July 18 during a cordon and search in the vicinity of Antar Square in Baghdad following the IED attack.
The two alleged terrorists are also believed responsible for the kidnapping and murder of an Iraqi judge who worked in the International Zone. They are believed to be part of an Al Qaeda affiliated Islamic State in Iraqi cell that operates the Adhamiyah-Baghdad area.
Soldiers search for missing comrades leads to discovery of weapons caches
QUARGHULLI VILLAGE, Iraq — Coalition Forces discovered three weapons caches in the Quarghulli Village, Iraq, area July 19 as they continued to search for two missing comrades who were abducted by terrorists May 12.
Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., discovered the caches after questioning Iraqis about the whereabouts of the missing Soldiers.
The contents of the caches included a prepared directional blast charge, a rice bag filled with mortar fuses, 10 rocket propelled grenade heads, an 82mm mortar system, a bag of improvised explosive device making materials, four 155mm rounds, an RPG warhead and a bag of pressure plates.
Combined operation nets cache find in Jamia
BAGHDAD — Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers uncovered a cache of improvised explosive device-making material during a combined patrol with Iraqi Security Forces in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Jamia July 21.
Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment and 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division have conducted joint operations throughout Jamia during the past week to reduce the amount of IEDs and homemade explosives in the area. An IED-making cache was uncovered by the clearing team led by 2nd Lt. Mustafa from the 1st Company, 3-5-6th Iraqi Army.
Mustafa’s team located five complete roadside bombs, approximately 200 lbs. of loose homemade explosives and a 155mm artillery shell casing. An explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed the materials to prevent prior to leaving the scene.
BAGHDAD — Multi-National Division – Baghdad troops found a suspected explosively formed penetrator factory in West Rashid District, during an early morning raid July 22.
The “Warlords” of Company A, 1st Battalion, 77th Armored Regiment, part of Task Force 1-18, found a complete EFP, several EFP parts and roughly 300 lbs. of homemade explosives while searching a home. The Soldiers also found a disassembled anti-tank mine, two rocket-propelled grenade sights, 14 copper plates and two video cameras.
Coalition Forces kill 9 terrorists, detain 8 and destroy weapons caches
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed nine terrorists, detained eight suspected terrorists and uncovered weapons caches during an operation near Muqudadiyah July 20-21.
As Coalition Forces arrived in the area, they received small arms fire from near the Tigris River. The ground forces, acting in self-defense, called in close air support to engage the armed terrorists attacking Coalition Forces. One terrorist was killed in the air strike.
Hours later, four armed terrorists engaged Coalition Forces with small arms fire. Coalition Forces, responding in self-defense against the hostile force, returned fire, killing one terrorist and wounding two suspected terrorists. Enemy forces in the area continued to periodically engage Coalition Forces with small arms fire from nearby palm groves. Coalition Forces, taking fire from the armed terrorists, called in another air strike, killing one armed terrorist and wounding two more suspected terrorists. Terrorists continued to engage the ground forces and Coalition Forces returned fire in self-defense, killing five more terrorists and wounding one suspected terrorist. Coalition Forces medics treated the wounded on scene throughout the morning and transported them to a military medical facility for further treatment.
While on patrol, Coalition Forces discovered a group of terrorists emplacing an improvised explosive device. To disrupt the threat of the terrorists’ explosive weapon, ground forces engaged the group and killed one terrorist.
Throughout the operation, terrorists periodically attacked Coalition Forces using small arms and indirect fire. One mortar attack injured seven Iraqi civilians. Coalition Forces medics treated the injured civilians on scene and one was transported to a military medical facility for further treatment.
The ground forces discovered a terrorist safe house hiding a weapons cache. The safe house contained rifles, ammunition, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and rounds, mortars, military-style assault vests, fuses and camouflage uniforms. An explosives team destroyed the cache on site.
Eight suspected terrorists were detained during the operation. One detainee led the ground forces to a cache of RPGs, a sniper rifle, ammunition, mortars and improvised explosive devices ready for use against Iraqi and Coalition Forces. A search of another detainee’s home uncovered two homemade hand grenades, ammunition, a homemade rocket launcher, IED crush wire, intelligence paperwork about the area and al-Qaeda in Iraq media propaganda.
12 al-Qaeda terrorist facilitators captured
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured 12 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq foreign terrorists and their logistics networks around Iraq Monday.
In Mosul, Coalition Forces captured an alleged terrorist safe house owner and operator. He and two other individuals were detained for their suspected involvement facilitating the movement of foreign terrorists into and around Iraq for al-Qaeda operations.
Coalition Forces captured another suspected safe house operator south of Baghdad, who is also believed to be a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq adviser. He and two others were detained for their alleged foreign terrorist facilitation and involvement with al-Qaeda in Iraq.
A raid in Yusifiyah netted another suspected foreign terrorist facilitator and two of his associates. Coalition Forces detained them for allegedly supplying foreign terrorist operatives to an al-Qaeda in Iraq cell.
During a raid in Tarmiyah, Coalition Forces captured an individual they targeted for his association to an al-Qaeda in Iraq meeting July 11. Three suspected terrorists, including the targeted individual, were detained for their alleged efforts to arrange meetings between al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders.
