Good News From The War On Terror 3/11-12
Iraqi Police in western Iraq seize 5 major weapons caches, detain 1
HABBANIYAH, Iraq – The Rawah Iraqi Police and the Khalidiyah Iraqi Police and Transition Team and found and cleared 5 major weapons caches and detained one suspect earlier this month.
The Rawah Iraqi Police discovered a weapons cache approximately 7 miles west of Rawah March 7. They were directed by locals on-scene to three more cashes.
The four cashes consisted of 42 PG9 rockets, 28 60 mm mortar rounds, 28 107 mm rockets, 46 82 mm mortar rounds, 1,850 blasting caps, 47 14.5 mm rounds, 2 Sagger guided missiles, 3 Sagger practice guided missiles, 1,079 fuses, 1 tripod, 3 antiaircraft guns, 3 100 mm Heat-T projectiles.
The ordinance was collected and destroyed via controlled detonation.
The Khalidiyah Iraqi Police and Transition Team discovered a weapons cache consisting of 36,300 serviceable blasting caps and detained a suspected insurgent earlier in the month.
The IP transported the blasting caps to the Khalidiyah Police Station’s unexploded ordnance pit for disposition by 1st Iraqi Quick Reaction Force’s bomb disposal company.
The cache consisted of 24,900 non-electric and 11,400 electric caps.
The discovery of this cache eliminated key components capable of producing more than 11,400 improvised explosive devices.
Coalition disrupts al-Qaeda in Iraq networks; five killed, 11 detained
BAGHDAD – Coalition forces killed five terrorists and detained 11 suspects Monday and today during operations to disrupt al-Qaeda networks operating in central and northern Iraq.
North of Ad Dawr Monday, surveillance elements positively identified a group of terrorists attempting to emplace improvised explosive devices in a road and called for a supporting fixed-wing aircraft to attack the time sensitive target, killing three terrorists.
Also Monday, during an operation northwest of Mosul, Coalition forces killed a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leader involved in the city’s AQI network. The suspect was believed to be responsible for vehicle-borne IED operations and is associated with numerous AQI leaders and operatives throughout Mosul. Coalition forces confirmed the location of the wanted AQI leader and a supporting helicopter was called to engage, killing him and another terrorist, and destroying the vehicle they were operating in.
In Mosul today, Coalition forces conducted two operations targeting Saudi foreign terrorists associated with the AQI networks in the west and southeast regions of the city. The ground force detained four suspects during the two operations.
In Bayji today, Coalition forces detained two suspects while targeting an alleged associate of a senior level foreign terrorist facilitator and AQI senior leaders operating inside and outside of Iraq.
During operations west of Samarra and near Tikrit today, Coalition forces detained three suspected terrorists while targeting alleged associates of an AQI leader involved in propaganda operations for the network in al-Anbar Province.
Another two suspects were detained today during an operation in Abu Ghraib targeting an alleged associate of the senior leader for the southern belt AQI network.
Al-Kut ISWAT and U.S. Special Forces destroy van, kill several armed suspects
BALAD, Iraq – U.S. Special Forces, responding to a request for support from Iraqi Security Forces, destroyed a vehicle transporting weapons and explosives during operations March 11 in al-Kut.
The U.S. SF quick reaction force supporting al-Kut ISWAT was attacked in the city by suspected criminal militia fighters.
Al-Kut ISWAT was patrolling in the city when attacked by several enemy fighters armed with assault rifles and at least one RPK machine gun.
At least one ISWAT policeman was injured by the assault. The al-Kut ISWAT requested assistance from a nearby U.S. SF unit which responded with a ground quick-reaction force and called for support from Coalition forces aircraft.
While nearing the scene, U.S. SF unit was attacked by a large number of enemy fighters.
The U.S. SF returned fire, killing several enemy fighters and destroying two vehicles carrying machine-guns.
The suspects in the vehicles were also conducting ammunition and weapons resupply to enemy forces.
Near the scene of the initial attack, U.S. SF observed a van pulling up to several suspects. Some of these suspects were armed.
They were observed pulling a large number of weapons and explosives from the van.
They distributed them throughout the area and an adjacent house. Several suspects were observed placing objects believed to be improvised explosive devices at locations along the travel route for Iraqi and Coalition forces approaching the attack location.
U.S. SF employed a precision munition from a Coalition forces aircraft to destroy the van and prevent the further distribution of weapons and explosives.
Several secondary explosions were observed in the van, indicating that it contained explosives and possible IEDs. Several small secondary explosions were observed in the adjacent house where weapons and explosives had been placed before the airstrike.
Security concerns and the presence of suspected IEDs prevented Coalition forces from entering the area. Armed suspects were observed approaching the scene and evacuating some of the wounded. At least one armed suspect was observed changing clothes before leaving the scene.
