Good News From The War On Terror 7/25
IA, ISF, U.S. Special Forces detain key rogue Jaysh al-Mahdi suspect in Southern Iraq
BAGHDAD – Elements of the 3rd Division of the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Security Forces, with U.S. Special Forces as advisors, detained a key member of a rogue element of the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia July 23 during an intelligence driven raid in al-Imam near al-Hillah.
The targeted individual is reportedly in charge of a JAM political wing in Al Imam responsible for emplacing improvised explosive devices and explosively formed penetrators along supply routes targeting Iraqi and Coalition Forces, causing the deaths of several Coalition Forces.
The assault team located, identified and detained the primary target without incident or resistance. Iraqi Forces also seized JAM propaganda, cellular telephones, one AK-47 rifle and numerous documents.
20 suspected al-Qaeda terrorists detained
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained 20 suspected terrorists during raids Wednesday targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq key leadership and operatives throughout Iraq.
During early morning raids in the northern city of Mosul targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq key leadership, Coalition Forces detained three suspected terrorists. One of the three individuals detained during the operation is assessed to be the al-Qaeda in Iraq administrative emir for Mosul.
Coalition Forces detained 10 suspected terrorists during operations in Tarmiyah. The 10 individuals were detained for their association with a known al-Qaeda in Iraq key leader who coordinates vehicle-borne improvised explosive device operations and attacks throughout Baghdad.
In a series of coordinated raids in Samarra, Coalition Forces detained six suspected terrorists. During one operation, five individuals were detained for their association with key al-Qaeda in Iraq leadership in central Iraq known to be involved in the movement of foreign terrorists into Iraq. During a separate operation in Samarra, Coalition Forces detained one suspected terrorist who is assessed to be a close associate of the Baghdad al-Qaeda in Iraq leadership.
In the capital city, Coalition Forces detained one suspected terrorist while targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq’s network in Baghdad.
Mortar tube, cache seized in south Baghdad
BAGHDAD — Multi-National Division – Baghdad troops seized a large cache consisting of mortar tubes, munitions and significant amounts of homemade explosives in the southern portion of the Iraqi capital July 23.
Troops from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, attached to the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, discovered an 82mm mortar tube, along with 260 82mm mortar rounds, 11 120mm mortar rounds, 120 blocks of homemade explosives amounting to more than 31 lbs., and numerous components for explosively-formed penetrators and other improvised explosive devices in the eastern portion of the Rashid District, near the Tigris River.
Cache found, three detained in Adhamiyah
BAGHDAD — Multi-National Division – Baghdad troops uncovered a weapons cache and detained three suspected insurgents July 23 in the eastern Baghdad Adhamiyah District.
Elements from the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment uncovered the cache and detained the suspects during a search of Adhamiyah neighborhoods. The unit found a cache consisting of eight mortar rounds, five rocket-propelled grenade launchers, three RPG rounds, seven grenades and 1,800 rounds of small arms ammunition.
INSURGENTS SUFFER HEAVY LOSSES IN HELMAND PROVINCE
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan National Security Forces, advised by Coalition forces, successfully defeated a Taliban ambush in Helmand province today.
An unknown number of Taliban insurgents engaged an ANA led patrol four kilometers northeast of Gorazon, a village in Helmand province. The insurgents attacked from three separate compounds near Gorazon with 107 mm rockets, heavy machine guns, mortars, RPGs and small-arms weapons.
The ANSF and Coalition forces immediately returned fire and called in c lose air support to destroy the positively-identified enemy fighters within the compounds.
Coalition aircraft dropped a total of three bombs, each on a separate compound, during this encounter. The ANA-led patrol killed more than three dozen insurgent fighters with accurate small-arms and mortar fire and precision air strikes.
INSURGENTS FAIL AGAIN IN AMBUSH OF ANA, COALITION FORCES
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Elements of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 209th Afghan National Army Corps, advised by Coalition forces, along with a squad of Afghan National Police were ambushed by an unknown number of insurgents while conducting a combat patrol near the village of Sarizkay, Kandahr province this morning.
The ANA-led patrol was about to pass through the village when the Taliban attempted the ambush . ANA and Coalition forces repelled the attack with small-arms fire and requested Coalition close air support to destroy the enemy positions. Coalition aircraft dropped a total of four bombs and made several strafing runs on positively-identified insurgent positions. Several insurgents were believed killed during the skirmish.
One ANP officer was wounded and one ANP ambulance was destroyed in the engagement. No civilian casualties or collateral damage was observed by the combined force.
Intelligence suggests that Taliban forces are likely attempting to reassert their presence in northern Kandahar after their recent defeats from ANA and Coalition operations in the area during the past several weeks.
