Good News From The War On Terror 2/26-27
Iraqi Police find more than 500 munitions in cache
BAGHDAD – Iraqi police manning a checkpoint near Jurf as Sakhr, Iraq, discovered a large weapons cache with more than 500 munitions Feb. 22.
The cache contained 240 60 mm mortars, 189 100 mm mortars, 107 fuses, three 82 mm rockets and two 88 mm mortars.
The IPs spotted three masked individuals digging approximately 250 meters from the checkpoint. The policemen yelled at men and moved toward the location. By the time they arrived at the site, the individuals had fled. Further investigation yielded discovery of three cache sites.
Soldiers from 3rd Platoon, Company A, and an explosive ordnance disposal team worked with the IPs to prepare the site for disposal. After the initial blast, approximately 60 more rounds of miscellaneous ordnance were unearthed.
Coalition forces kill 7 terrorists in firefight near Khan Bani Sa’ad
TIKRIT, Iraq – Multi-National Division – North Soldiers killed seven terrorists during a firefight east of Khan Bani Sa’ad, Iraq, in the early morning hours of Feb. 25.
Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., were ambushed while conducting an operation to capture a known al-Qaeda in Iraq operative. When the Soldiers closed within 30 feet of the target house, they came under attack by small arms fire and grenades. Three MND-N Soldiers were injured in the initial attack.
The troops, shielding the wounded with their bodies, returned fire, killing three terrorists. A scout weapons team observed several more fighters fleeing the target house and engaged them with rockets, killing four.
Two suspected AQI were detained, including the targeted AQI member.
Coalition forces disrupt Special Groups criminal network, detain one suspect
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces detained a suspected Special Groups member during operations to disrupt criminal element networks early Wednesday in Baghdad.
Coalition forces were targeting Iranian-backed Special Groups criminal networks involved in attacks on Iraqi and Coalition forces.
Intelligence led ground forces to the target area where they detained one suspected criminal without incident. The suspect's identity is still being determined.
Coalition targets al-Qaeda in Iraq networks; one killed, nine detained
BAGHDAD – Coalition forces killed one terrorist and detained nine suspects today during operations to disrupt al-Qaeda operating in central and northern Iraq.
North of Tarmiyah, Coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists including an alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq leader involved in the facilitation of finances for the northern belt network. The network is responsible for the majority of car-bombing and improvised explosive device attacks in the area and is involved in extortion, intimidation, weapons trafficking and the facilitation of foreign terrorists. The suspect is reportedly directly associated with AQI's northern belt senior leader and obtains funds by selling vehicles.
During an operation southwest of Mahmudiyah, Coalition forces targeted an alleged associate of the southern belt AQI network believed to be involved in rigging house-borne improvised explosives devices. One terrorist was killed by supporting fixed-wing aircraft during the operation. As the ground force cleared the area, two suspected terrorists were detained without incident.
In northeast Mosul, Coalition forces captured two alleged associates of an AQI senior leader. The suspects are believed to be relatives of a senior AQI leader and involved in terrorist activity in the region. In addition to the wanted individuals, Coalition forces detained three other suspected terrorists on site.
BAGHDAD – Iraqi security forces, with U.S. Special Operations forces advising, detained nine suspected terrorists in separate operations Feb. 24 and Feb. 25.
In Al Hawad, south of Mosul, soldiers from 2nd Iraqi Army Division detained five suspected members of a terrorist cell Feb. 24. The suspects are believed to be responsible for improvised explosive device attacks against Iraqi and Coalition forces. According to intelligence reports, they are also allegedly involved in a campaign to intimidate Iraqi citizens.
In Balad, Iraqi special operations forces detained a suspected terrorist Feb. 25 in an operation targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq activities. The suspect is believed to be responsible for improvised explosive device attacks against Iraqi and Coalition forces, as well as weapons trafficking in the region.
In Kubaysah, an Iraqi special weapons and tactics team detained three suspected terrorists in an operation to halt an insurgent cell believed to be responsible for attacks against Iraqi and Coalition forces.
ANA commandos arrest suspected insurgents in Khowst
KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army commandos from the 203rd Kandak, assisted by Coalition forces, arrested 17 suspected insurgents near Tirzaye and Sabari Districts, Khowst Province, Feb. 24.
Intelligence, provided by Afghan citizens, led the combined force to several compounds suspected of housing the militants. The detainees are suspected of being members of the Taliban, operating as facilitators in the emplacement and detonation of improvised explosive devices in Khowst.
Elsewhere, the Afghan National Army’s 201st Kandak, assisted by Coalition forces, responded to a report of an IED placed along a well-traveled road in Tarin Kowt, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan.
Afghan National Police secured the area to protect the civilian population and the ANA moved in to verify the location and type of IED. The ANA destroyed the IED in place.
