Good News From The War On Terror 12/17
Extremists lose ground in Arab Jabour
BAGHDAD – Coalition Forces discovered two weapons caches in Hawr Rajab and Adwaniyah Dec. 11.
In Hawr Rajab, Soldiers with 5th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, located a rocket weapons cache while conducting a patrol west of Patrol Base Stone.
The cache consisted of 21 60 mm mortars and one 107 mm rocket.
The cache was destroyed via a controlled detonation by an explosive ordnance disposal team.
In Adwaniyah, Soldiers from Battery B, 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., located another cache while conducting a patrol north of Patrol Base W-1.
The cache consisted of two 15-pound bags of unknown bulk explosives, one 60 mm mortar tube, five rocket-propelled grenade rounds, one 120 mm mortar, six 80 mm mortars, one 100 mm mortar, two 9 mm handguns, one 7.62 sniper rifle, 50 pounds of 7.62 rounds, two boxes of DSHKA heavy machine gun rounds and one M-240B machine gun.
An EOD team conducted a controlled detonation of the munitions. The M-240B, two 9 mm hand guns and sniper rifle were taken to PB W-1 for investigation.
MND-Center Soldiers secure caches, detain 2 suspected AQI operatives
BAGHDAD – Coalition Forces in Arab Jabour and Al Buaytha detained two suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq members and destroyed four weapons caches Dec. 14.
First Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division has been conducting increased offensive operations against AQI for the past week.
The four caches found Dec. 14 included anti-tank mines, a variety of mortars, homemade explosives, mortar tubes, copper wire and numerous boxes of ammunition.
Additionally, Concerned Local Citizens identified two Iraqi males as members of al-Qaeda. The suspected al-Qaeda members were detained by the CLCs and turned over to 1-30th Inf. Regt. Soldiers at Patrol Base Murray.
Arrests dent extremist cash flow
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad forces arrested two men suspected of financing extremist activities and another suspected of killing Coalition Soldiers in the Doura region of the Rashid District Dec. 14.
While on a routine census mission, Troop A, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., arrested a middle-aged man believed to be an al-Qaeda financier an East Rashid neighborhood.
The man allegedly had numerous al-Qaeda extremists routinely visit his home and pay him for anti-Coalition and anti-Iraqi activities.
In an early morning raid in western Doura, “Warriors” from Destroyer Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Inf. Div, attached to Task Force Dragon, detained another man sources believe works for AQI as a financier and emplacer of improvised explosive devices.
Additionally, Soldiers from Baker Company, 2-12 Inf., captured a man who is believed to have attacked Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces, shot at aircraft and is allegedly responsible for the deaths of four Soldiers.
Coalition forces disrupt al-Qaeda operations; five terrorists killed, 11 detained
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed five terrorists and detained 11 suspects during operations Sunday and Monday targeting al-Qaeda in central and northern Iraq.
During continued efforts to disrupt terrorist operations in the Diyala River Valley Monday, Coalition forces conducted an operation north of Muqdadiyah targeting associates of an al-Qaeda in Iraq cell leader operating in Shirween. Reports indicate the target building is used as a terrorist safe house and associated with the group recently involved in several fire fights with Coalition forces.
During the operation, Coalition forces confirmed the presence of the wanted individuals in the target area and supporting aircraft engaged the armed men. The ground force was then engaged by enemy fire and returned fire in self-defense. Once the enemy fire ceased, the ground force assessed five terrorists were killed during the operation. One suspected terrorist was also detained on site.
In Mosul, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to be the former leader of the terrorist network operating in Fallujah, and an associate of the terrorist network in Karmah. The individual reportedly has close ties with the leader of the network, who has a history of involvement in extremist activity, and a reputation for fear and intimidation practices among the local populace. In addition to the wanted individual, the ground force detained one suspected terrorist.
During operations south of Samarra and southwest of Hawaji, Coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists while targeting associates of the networks operating north of Baghdad and in Hawija.
South of Balad Sunday, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to be directly associated with the leader for the al-Qaeda network operating north of Baghdad. The network is responsible for car-bombing and improvised explosive device attacks in the area and is involved in extortion, intimidation, weapons trafficking and the facilitation of foreign terrorists. In addition to the wanted individual, the ground force detained two suspects on site without incident.
Coalition forces identify dead, detained Taliban leaders
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Coalition forces positively identified two Taliban leaders who, in recent weeks, have been killed and one leader who has been detained.
Mullah Faizullah, a Taliban commander and the Taliban’s deputy shadow governor for Helmand Province and Mullah Tor Jan, a mid-level Taliban commander, were both killed during airstrikes in the southern part of the country.
Mullah Morad Khan was detained during a Nov. 23 operation in the Shajoy district of Zabul Province.
Faizullah was a Taliban commander and the Taliban’s deputy shadow governor for Helmand Province.
He was believed to have been associated with an unsuccessful missile attack on a Coalition forces’ helicopter. Faizullah was also the head of the Taliban commission for Helmand province and associated with foreign weapons facilitators and the illegal transport of weapons systems into Afghanistan.
Coalition forces targeted a building on a compound in the Musa Qaleh district of Helmand Province where Mullah Faizullah and several insurgents were hiding during the course of operations, Dec. 9. Precision munitions were used to destroy the building Faizullah was in killing him as well as the other insurgents.
Jan was a mid-level Taliban commander responsible for the Musa Qaleh district who was actively involved in insurgent operations in several other districts as well.
He was believed to have planned and led attacks against Afghan and Coalition forces in Musa Qaleh and Now Zad districts. He was also involved with weapons and narcotics smuggling.
Coalition forces targeted a building on a compound in the Musa Qaleh district of Helmand province where Jan and several insurgents were hiding during the course of operations, Dec. 7. Precision munitions were used and the building Jan was in was destroyed, killing him as well as other insurgents.
Multiple secondary explosions were reported indicating the presence of a sizeable weapons cache.
Khan was detained by Coalition forces during an operation to disrupt Taliban foreign fighter and weapons facilitation operations in the area.
Khan is a Taliban commander who is responsible for the placement of improvised explosive devices and planning attacks on Coalition forces in collaboration with several other Taliban commanders in the Zabul area. Khan had nearly 100 insurgents under his command, who conducted attacks along Highway 1 near Qalat.
Documents found during the course of the operation indicate Khan was an associate of Mullah Shafiq Asif, a former Zabul Taliban commander detained by Afghan and Coalition forces during a May 22 operation.
The documents include personal letters and multiple “safe passage” notes including one signed by Mullah Shafiq that states, “To all Taliban and mujahaddin, Mullah Morad Khan is our agent, please do not give him a hard time.”
ANSF find weapons caches, suspected insurgents in Nangarhar
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan National Security Forces, assisted by Coalition forces, arrested two suspected Taliban insurgents in Nangarhar Province and discovered two weapons caches during routine security patrols in the villages of Ragham and Desarak also in Nangarhar Province, Dec. 14.
ANSF forces planned and executed the missions after receiving credible information of possible ammunition caches in their area.
The ANSF located and searched the suspected area where they found and recovered approximately 70 85mm recoilless rifle rounds in the Rodat District village of Ragham.
In Desarak Village, Achin District, Coalition forces confiscated several rocket-propelled grenades, 82mm mortar rounds, and 85mm recoilless rifle rounds.
Afghan citizens receive compensation for their efforts through the Small Rewards Program when they facilitate the recovery and turn-in of armament caches.
Afghan National Police arrested two suspected insurgents in Nangarhar Province in other operations. The ANSF, with Coalition assistance, arrested two men with possible ties to the transfer of improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers and associated materials in the province.
The detainees are suspected of being members of the Taliban, operating as facilitators in the emplacement and detonation of improvised explosive devices and facilitating the movement of suicide bombers.
