Good News From The War On Terror 9/2
Coalition forces detain seven suspected weapons facilitators
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces captured seven suspected weapons facilitators during a pre-dawn raid Sunday in Qasarin.
Coalition forces conducted the raid to capture seven suspected weapons distributors that may be connected to various Special Groups operating in and around Baghdad. Those detained are suspected of being responsible for distributing deadly explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) and other weapons flowing from Iran into Iraq. Coalition forces believe information provided by these detainees may lead to more detentions of persons affiliated with weapons smuggling networks.
Several structures searched during the raid revealed numerous weapons and associated ammunition, rocket propelled grenade components, and electronic devices suspected to be EFP components. Various documents and photographs were also found and confiscated for further analysis.
Iraqi Security Forces, Coalition detains 16 suspected extremists
MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq — Coalition and Iraqi Forces detained 16 suspected extremists during a combat air assault operation in Mahmudiyah Sept. 1.
Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., and the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division detained the suspected terrorists during Operation Eagle Chickmauga, an operation intended to deny the enemy safe haven within the area.
The operation was targeted against Shia extremist groups in the Mahmudiyah area.
While searching houses in the area 59 Iraqis were questioned, but 16 were detained.
14 terrorists killed, 6 suspects detained near Muqdadiyah
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed 14 terrorists and detained six suspected terrorists during an operation north of Muqdadiyah Aug. 29-31 targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq operatives and bed-down locations.
While in the target area, Coalition forces heard a blast from a nearby road. The ground forces investigated and found that an improvised explosive device had detonated; ground troops also found a trigger wire leading into a nearby house. Previous intelligence indicated the house was a safe house for foreign terrorists. Inside, Coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists.
Another Coalition forces patrol discovered a terrorist safe house with locks on the outside. Inside were two men who had been bound and beaten. At the house, Coalition forces also found bomb-making materials, extremist propaganda and attack planning materials. Coalition forces called in an air strike to destroy the explosives and the terrorist jail.
The ground forces continued their patrol and received heavy small arms fire from a nearby palm grove. Responding to defend their force from the enemy, Coalition forces returned fire and called for close air support to engage the armed men. After suppressing the enemy fire, the ground forces assessed eight terrorists were killed in the engagement. The ground forces found a nearby bed-down location with extremist propaganda, maps marking planted bombs, military-style assault vests, radios, weapons, mortar rounds, rocket-propelled grenades, first aid materials and an ambulance.
As Coalition forces moved forward on their target, an armed man charged toward the assault force, which responded by engaging and killing the armed terrorist. The ground forces encountered more small arms fire and returned fire in self-defense. Coalition forces assessed five terrorists were killed in the engagement. Four suspected terrorists were detained in the area.
Intelligence reports and Iraqis living nearby indicated a mosque in the area was controlled by al-Qaeda in Iraq. Local residents also said al-Qaeda brought in a new imam each week and held terrorist meetings after mosque ceremonies. Coalition forces investigated the area and discovered a command trigger wire leading from the mosque to a hole in the road created by an IED detonation. A village elder led a ground element into the mosque, where they took great care in securing the building before departing. Coalition forces found extremist materials in the courtyard.
Coalition Forces liberate nine Iraqis, kill eight terrorists
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed eight terrorists, detained four suspected terrorists and liberated nine Iraqi hostages during operations Sunday to further secure Baghdad and the northern belt around the city.
Coalition Forces raided a building where terrorists were holding illegal terrorist court proceedings in Tarmiyah. Al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders imposed vigilante law on residents in the Tarmiyah area, often executing them for violating the terrorist group’s rules. Coalition Forces found nine Iraqis inside the building, some who had been there for 30 days, bound and awaiting sentencing by the illegal court system. The former hostages were examined and found to be in relative health.
After liberating the hostages, Coalition Forces moved to secure another building nearby. Surveillance elements observed five men armed with rifles and machine guns maneuver into tactical positions in a nearby palm grove. Defending against the hostile enemy force, Coalition Forces engaged the armed men and called in close air support. Two of the armed terrorists were killed by ground fire, while three were engaged and killed by the aircraft. In the palm grove, Coalition Forces discovered a bed-down location with two suicide vests and other weapons.
Inside one of the buildings, Coalition Forces found 12 tons of ammonium nitrate soaked in propellant, ten drums of petroleum, bomb-making materials, weapons and extremist media. The building also had a complex tunnel system beneath it. Coalition Forces destroyed the volatile explosive materials on site.
Coalition Forces also targeted an al-Qaeda in Iraq cell leader near Salman Pak. As the assault force secured the area, they observed a man with a pistol draw his weapon. Coalition Forces responded by engaging the armed man, killing him. The assault force also engaged and killed two armed men who moved into position against them. The ground forces detained four suspected terrorists for their alleged ties to the terrorist cell.
Seven detained in raid southeast of Baghdad
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Task Force Marne Soldiers netted seven detainees during an air assault raid, Aug. 31, in the Tigris River Valley southeast of Baghdad.
Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, were brought to the target by helicopters from the Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division as part of Operation Marne Husky.
This air assault mission was the fourth in a series of air insertions dubbed Falcon Fury.While the detainees are being held for questioning, four tested positive for explosives residue on their hands indicating they had recently handled explosives. Two are also being held for questioning after having been found in possession of illegal weapons.
Marne Husky is a combined air and ground campaign led by the CAB. It is designed to disrupt insurgents’ ability to flee to the Tigris River Valley after Marne offensives in the Arab Jabour and Salman Pak areas.
Iraqi Forces, U.S. Special Forces detain 36, destroy three large weapons caches
TAJI, Iraq – Two companies from the 5th Iraqi Army detained 36 suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists and destroyed two weapons caches during an operation Aug. 31 near Muqdadiyah.
The suspected terrorists are linked to an Aug. 21 attack on 5th Iraqi Army Soldiers resulting in nine killed. Al-Qaeda in Iraq uses the villages in the Hamrin Ridge area as safe havens, conducting improvised explosive device attacks and weapons smuggling in the area.
Due to the large amount of weapons and explosives found inside two houses and in three nearby vehicles, forces conducted controlled detonations to destroy this cache. Forces found a second cache containing 255, 120mm artillery rounds and called in close air support, destroying the cache with proportionate fire from an F-16 Fighting Falcon.
In addition, four vehicles, one motorcycle, explosives, four rockets, three antitank mines, artillery rounds, four AK-47 assault rifles, radios and various propaganda documents were seized.
In a separate mission, Iraqi Security Forces conducted an operation near Tal Afar that resulted in the destruction of a large cache of explosives and supplies allegedly belonging to al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists.
The cache was destroyed in a controlled detonation. Items that were destroyed included mortar rounds, detonation cord, timed fuses, blasting caps, flares, radios, smoke grenades, TNT, and electrical wire.
Suspected insurgents command and control headquarters destroyed southwest of Kandahar City
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan –Afghan National Security Forces, advised by Coalition Forces, conducted a cordon and search operation of an insurgent command and control headquarters southwest of Kandahar City, Afghanistan, early this morning.
Credible intelligence led the ANSF and Coalition forces to two compounds in Ashoqeh Village, 17 kilometers (10.2 miles) southwest of Kandahar City. Intelligence suggested that the compounds, comprised of seven buildings, contained multiple insurgent leaders responsible for the deaths of Afghans and Coalition forces during IED attacks and ambushes along Highway 1, west of Sanjaray. One of the insurgents is suspected of being a Taliban leader who has facilitated IED related attacks against ANSF and Coalition forces in the Kandahar City area.
This area was the scene of ISAF Operation Medusa last year. Operation Medusa cleared insurgents from the villages south and west of Kandahar City. Local residents had been seen leaving the area for the last few weeks and intelligence has suggested that insurgent commanders were attempting to reestablish their control in the area.
The cordon and search operation last night started with ANSF attempting to search the first of the two compounds. Insurgents attacked the ANSF-led force with small-arms and machine gun fire as they prepared to enter the first compound. ANSF and Coalition forces returned fire and called for Coalition close air support. An initial assessment revealed that 11 insurgents were killed in this compound from both small-arms fire and the close air support. Also found in the compound was bomb making material, including TNT, several heavy machine guns, an RPG and rounds, small arms ammunition and three video cameras. In addition, during the initial engagement a suicide bomber blew himself up, causing no ANSF or Coalition injuries.
The ground force then moved toward the second compound, approximately 70 meters (210 feet) to the west, when they were engaged again by machine gun fire. Because of the volume of fire from this compound, the ground forces directed close air support to engage the compound. Massive secondary explosions were observed after the aircraft engaged the compound. Fourteen enemy fighters were estimated killed in the second compound. A total of 25 insurgents were estimated killed during the course of the evening’s operations.
ANP detain Taliban leader, 10 insurgents in Khowst Province
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan National Police, advised by Coalition forces, detained a Taliban leader and 10 other insurgents in the Sabari District, Khowst Province during an operation early this morning.
The combined force air assaulted into three separate locations approximately 11 kilometers (6.6 miles) from a nearby Coalition forces base and conducted cordon and search operations. The ANP effectively used the element of surprise and were able to secure all three locations without firing a shot.
Mohammed Ali Jan, the overall target, was detained at his home near Yaqubi village by the Afghan-led forces and provided no resistance. The ANP also arrested 10 other suspected insurgents before heading back to their base.
Mohammed Ali Jan is a Sabari District insurgent financier. Credible intelligence suggests that he replaced Nazir Khan after Khan was detained in April.
ANP, Coalition forces defeat enemy ambush in Sha Wali Kot district
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan National Police officers, advised by Coalition forces, defeated an attempted ambush by insurgents while conducting a combat patrol in Mir Amad Kalay Village, Sha Wali Kot district, Kandahar Province early this morning.
The ANP-led force was patrolling north of Kandahar, in their continuing effort to rid the province of Taliban, when they were attacked by a small Taliban force.
The ANP repelled the ambush with small arms and crew served weapons and pursued the enemy fighters attempting to flee in two vehicles. The pro-IRoA forces eliminated one of the vehicles before breaking off the counterattack.
As the ANP continued their patrol through Mir Amad Kalay Village, they came under additional fire from insurgents located within the village. The insurgents were engaged and eliminated with small arms and crew served weapons.
The location of today’s failed ambush attempt is 53 kilometers (31.8 miles) from the location of another military defeat for the Taliban which occurred Aug. 28. In that battle, over 100 insurgents were killed south of Chenartu Village when they attacked a combined force of ANSF and Coalition soldiers from fortified positions while the pro-IRoA forces were patrolling the area.
An estimated half-dozen insurgents were killed in the engagement. One Coalition forces service member was wounded and no ANP or civilian casualties were reported.
Sept. 1 airpower summary: Tankers keep missions flying
