Good News From The War On Terror 11/22-23
Coalition forces target al-Qaeda propaganda, foreign terrorist networks; one killed, 10 detained
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed one terrorist and detained 10 suspects Thursday during operations targeting al-Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq.
Coalition forces targeted al-Qaeda propaganda cells during operations in Samarra. As the ground force approached the targeted building, they called for the building's occupants to come out, but no one complied. One individual took a defensive position by the door and engaged Coalition forces. Responding in self-defense, the ground force returned fire, killing the terrorist. While securing the area, the ground force detained two suspects and found a weapons cache, which was safely destroyed by a Coalition air strike.
During operations in Hawija, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to be the foreign terrorist leader in Arab Jabour, and who is allegedly associated with senior terrorist leaders in the Southern Belt. During the operation, the wanted individual identified himself to the ground force and was subsequently detained, along with one other suspect.
In other operations in Mosul, Coalition forces targeted a northern al-Qaeda in Iraq security leader, believed to be involved in kidnappings and assassinations. Coalition forces detained two suspected individuals during the operations. Coalition forces also detained four suspects during operations targeting associates of a former al-Qaeda media leader near Khan Bani Sad.
Two al-Qaeda members killed in attack at Hawr Rajab
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Iraqi Army Soldiers and Concerned Local Citizens in Hawr Rajab repelled an attack by approximately 15 members of al-Qaeda in Iraq Nov. 22 killing two members of al-Qaeda and wounding an unreported number.
Al-Qaeda began the attack with small arms fire and mortars early that morning, targeting an IA checkpoint. Small arms fire continued throughout the morning against IA and CLCs in Hawr Rajab.
CF, supporting the Iraqi Army, called in an air weapons team, consisting of Kiowa Warriors with 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade to engage a van that was transporting four al-Qaeda members involved in the attack.
The van was also transporting a DSHKA high caliber machine gun and a mortar system. Two al-Qaeda members were confirmed killed and two others wounded by the attack helicopters.
Coalition Forces then deployed a U.S. Air Force F-16, which dropped a 500- pound bomb on the van destroying it and all of its contents.
During the defense of their checkpoints, the IA and CLCs sustained casualties.
They continued to stand their ground, and al-Qaeda broke off the attack after being unable to overrun the IA and CLC checkpoints.
Iraqi Forces, U.S. Special Forces detain two extremists, uncover large weapons cache (Balad)
BALAD, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, detained two suspected extremists and uncovered a large weapons cache in two separate operations Nov. 20 and 21.
In the city of Diwaniyah, an Iraqi Emergency Response Unit detained two alleged members of an extremist group; the suspects are believed to be involved in gathering information for targeting Iraqi and Coalition Forces for ambushes and improvised explosive device attacks.
In another operation, 3rd Iraqi Army Division Soldiers uncovered a large weapons cache during a routine patrol northwest of Tal Afar. The cache included 4,200 pounds of home made explosives, four sets of Iraqi military uniforms, 12 82mm mortar rounds and 10 hand grenades.
In a third operation Nov. 21, 5th Iraqi Army Division and U.S. Forces came under sniper fire while attempting to clear villages in the vicinity of Abu Khamis of al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists.
Iraqi and U.S. Forces responded to the attack, killing two terrorists.
CF, Concerned Local Citizens remove caches, unexploded ordnance from Arab Jabour
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Coalition Forces and Concerned Local Citizens worked together to remove a total of five caches and three unexploded ordnances from Arab Jabour Nov. 19-20.
CLCs reported two UXOs and a cache Nov. 20 to Soldiers from Company D, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, out of Fort Stewart, Ga.
The cache consisted of 41 100mm projectiles, five 120mm mortars and one 120 mm illumination mortar.
Soldiers with Company C, 1-30th Inf. Regt. discovered two caches, one Nov. 19 and one the following day, while conducting operations in support of Operation Centurian V.
Those caches collectively contained three grenades, one 100mm mortar, one 120mm mortar, one 122mm mortar, five 60mm mortars, four 57mm projectiles, one 125mm tank round, 45 rounds of 7.62 ammunitions, one AK-47 magazine, five pounds of propellant and 300 plastic explosive detonators.
Soldiers of Company A, 1-30th Inf. Regt., also supporting Operation Centurian V, discovered a cache and one UXO Nov. 19 and another cache the following day.
The caches discovered by Co. A contained a total of 10 feet of time fuse, 22 blasting caps, one mortar primer, four pounds of PE-4, a type of C-4, explosives, five pounds of propellant, five feet of fuse cord, one fuse, one camcorder, one cell phone, two Iraqi calling cards, batteries, four CDs, two washing machine timers, five dual tone multi-frequency boards, a spool of crush wire, a notebook with writing and a video tape.
All ordnances were destroyed in controlled detonations by an explosive ordnance disposal team while the other items were taken back for further investigation.
Coalition forces target al-Qaeda propaganda cell; seven detained
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces detained seven suspects Friday during operations targeting al-Qaeda networks southeast of Samarra.
In three coordinated operations, Coalition forces targeted al-Qaeda in Iraq's media network southeast of Samarra. One of the targeted buildings is believed to be used as a propaganda production facility and meeting location for senior leaders. Coalition forces detained seven suspects during the operations without incident.
Iraqi Emergency Response Unit detains 5 extremists in Daghgharah
BALAD, Iraq – An Iraqi Emergency Response Unit, advised by U.S. Special Forces, detained five suspected extremists during an early morning operation Nov. 22 in Daghgharah, Iraq.
The operation, conducted north of Diwaniyah, targeted an extremist cell reportedly involved in improvised explosive device attacks against Iraqi and Coalition Forces in Diwaniyah and Hillah. This cell is also believed to gather intelligence for attacks against Iraqi and Coalition Forces as well as the transport and storage of weapons and IEDs.
The capture supported the 8th Iraqi Army Division’s Operation Lion Pounce, an on-going operation to disrupt extremist groups operating in Diwaniyah and surrounding region.
