Good News From The War On Terror 11/13
Coalition forces disrupt al-Qaeda networks; one killed, 14 detained
BAGHDAD, Iraq – One terrorist was killed and 14 suspects were detained during Coalition operations Tuesday, while targeting al-Qaeda in central and northern Iraq.
Coalition forces conducted an operation in Mosul targeting an alleged terrorist leader in the city. The targeted individual has reportedly been involved in the planning of attacks against Iraqi and Coalition forces, to include several suicide car-bombing attacks, and the purchase of various weapons and explosives.
As Coalition forces approached the target building, they immediately received enemy fire from the ground floor and roof of the building. Responding in self-defense, Coalition forces engaged the terrorists. As a result of the engagement, a fire erupted in the courtyard and quickly spread to the kitchen. At that time enemy fire ceased. Coalition forces continued to follow the armed men who fired from the roof and subsequently detained one suspect.
After the fire was out, the ground force entered the building and found that one terrorist had been killed during the engagement. Upstairs they found one woman had been killed and one child was injured as a result of the fire. The child received medical care on site, but later died while being transported to a military medical facility.
During an operation southeast of Baghdad, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual and three other suspects while targeting associates of a terrorist network operating in Arab Jabour. Reports indicate the targeted individuals are intimately involved in the planning and direction of terrorist operations in the area.
South of Bayji, Coalition forces detained nine suspects during operations targeting an alleged terrorist weapons facilitator. The target replaced the former al-Qaeda in Iraq leader for the border region who was killed during a Coalition forces operation Sept. 11. The targeted individual reportedly facilitates the movement of funds for senior facilitators operating in and outside of Iraq.
Local children find mortar, Concerned Local Citizens find caches (Hawr Rajab)
FORWARD OPERATING BASE Kalsu, Iraq – Three weapons caches were found in separate incidents in the Hawr Rajab and Arab Jabour regions Nov. 11.
Concerned Local Citizens in Hawr Rajab located a cache consisting of one 155mm mortar and one 130 mm mortar round.
The CLCs brought the ordnance to Paratroopers of Troop B, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska, who were conducting a roadside security mission.
Local children in Arab Jabour discovered a 57 mm mortar, which they brought to Soldiers of Company B, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., Fort Stewart, Ga.
The third cache was discovered in Arab Jabour by Soldiers of Company A, 1-30th Inf. Regt. while conducting operations in the area.
The cache consisted of one 120 mm mortar and one 125 mm mortar.
1-15th Inf. Regt. detains 10, kills one extremist (Al Bawi)
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, conducted an air assault early Nov. 11 near Al Bawi, resulting in 10 suspected extremists detained and one killed.
During the air assault, Company A Soldiers cleared 17 buildings of weapons and military paraphernalia. All detainees were brought in for questioning.
The 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March.
Seven extremists captured in night raid (Jisr Diyala)
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Scouts from the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment’s Time Sensitive Target platoon, arrested seven extremists during a night raid near Jisr Diyala Nov. 8.
The team cleared four buildings looking for the extremists. At the last building, the Soldiers burst into a room while the suspected insurgents were conducting a meeting.
Leaders from the 3-1st Cav. Regt. considered one of the detainees a highvalue individual due to his leadership position in a local extremist cell.
In addition to the arrests, the scouts seized a pistol, improvised explosive device-making materials and several cell phones.
Cell phones are commonly used as detonation devices for IEDs.
Iraqi Special Operations Forces detain extremist leaders in Baghdad
BALAD, Iraq – Iraqi Special Operations Forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, detained two extremist leaders Nov. 11 in southwest Baghdad during operations targeting criminal networks operating against Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces.
The individuals were detained on suspicion of involvement in criminal networks operating in the neighborhood of Al Amil. One suspect is believed to lead several criminal cells and is reportedly involved in mortar attacks against Coalition Forces.
He is also suspected of involvement in several bank robberies which are used to fund his network’s activity.
The second suspect is a cell leader within the network.
He and his cell are reportedly responsible for improvised explosive device attacks against Iraqi and Coalition Forces. He is also believed responsible for the kidnapping and murder of 15 Iraqi civilians.
Six suspected militants detained in Wardak Province
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan and Coalition forces conducted an operation Monday to detain Taliban facilitators operating in Wardak Province.
The combined force of Afghan and Coalition members conducted a search of compounds in the Nerkh District where Taliban facilitators were indicated to be gathering resources to aid in extremist activities.
During the search, six individuals were detained, who intelligence reports indicated as having links to Taliban extremists. The individuals will be questioned about their involvement in facilitating operations as well as other extremist activities.
ANSF, Coalition forces kill Taliban insurgents in Oruzgan Province
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition forces engaged and killed a large group of insurgents near the Deh Rawod District, Oruzgan Province today.
The combined force was conducting a reconnaissance patrol when a large group of insurgents engaged the patrol with small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. The Taliban fighters attempted to break contact and moved into a nearby compound causing women and children to flee the area.
Shortly after the combined force determined the enemy’s positions, four separate precision air strikes effectively eliminated the insurgents who were trying to reinforce the enemy positions.
ANSF and Coalition forces assaulted the positions, conducting a thorough exploitation of the engagement area.
