Good News From The War On Terror 8/26
11 terrorists killed, six suspects detained in Coalition operations
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed 11 terrorists and detained six suspected terrorists during operations Sunday targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders and their networks in central and northern Iraq.
Coalition Forces killed a targeted foreign terrorist facilitator and five other terrorists during an operation west of Baghdad. Intelligence reports indicate the facilitator provided three suicide bombers to al-Qaeda in Iraq for an upcoming attack in an unknown location. As Coalition Forces approached the hostile buildings, they immediately received small arms fire and defended themselves by returning fire, killing one terrorist. Three armed men ran into a nearby palm grove, and Coalition Forces called in close air support to contain the hostile threat. Two of the armed men engaged the ground forces and were killed when Coalition Forces returned fire. The third terrorist was killed by fire from the aircraft defending the ground forces against the hostile threat.
When the assault force approached the target buildings, they saw two armed men inside. Responding to the threat, Coalition Forces engaged the two armed terrorists, killing them. The ground forces also discovered bomb-making materials, a bomb-making manual, extremist propaganda, Syrian money and weapons. An explosives team destroyed the bomb-making materials on site.
Two coordinated raids north of Taji targeted associates of the al-Qaeda in Iraq emir of the northern belts around Baghdad. Using information from an operation Aug. 6, Coalition Forces moved in on members of a terrorist operations cell there. As the ground forces secured the building, three men refused to comply with the interpreter’s instructions and maneuvered into a palm grove. Coalition Forces received small arms fire from the area and, responding in self-defense, returned fire and called close air support to help contain the enemy. One armed terrorist was killed by aircraft fire, and two armed terrorists were killed by ground fire.
In the second raid, ground forces moved to secure the target building and found the occupants uncooperative. When the assault force entered the building, a man appeared from beneath several blankets and lunged at the assault force. Coalition Forces, responding to the hostile threat, engaged the man, killing him. The ground forces detained one suspected terrorist for his alleged ties to al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders.
Iraqi and Coalition Forces conducted an operation south of Hawija targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq emir of the area, who is believed to have ties to several terrorist groups and be responsible for attacks on Coalition Forces. Ground forces secured the buildings at the scene, but one man refused to comply with Coalition Forces’ instructions. The man approached the assault force and motioned as if he was reaching for a weapon. Coalition Forces, responding in self-defense against the hostile threat, engaged the man, killing him.
Another operation targeting senior leaders of al-Qaeda in Iraq occurred south of Baghdad. The ground forces targeted the terrorist leader of the Arab Jabour region and one of his associates who is responsible for car bombing operations in the area. Coalition Forces detained five suspects for their alleged ties to the terrorist leaders.
1-15 Infantry finds, destroys large enemy cache
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq — Task Force Marne troops conducted a mission to disrupt terrorist activity and succeeded by destroying a large cache of munitions and improvised explosive device-making materials Aug. 23.
The cache contained 268 bomb-making items, including four tubes of C4, a powerful, military-grade explosive. Also found in the cache were two five-gallon jugs of homemade explosive material; two mortar charges; five mortar fuses; 20 blasting caps; five pressure activators, crush-wire detonator switches; and 50 microchip transistors and 30 circuit boards.
Thompson said the discovery will adversely affect enemy operations in the Salman Pak area.
The 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.
