Good News From The War On Terror 3/31-4/2
Iraqi Army, MND-B Soldiers kill 7, detain 4 criminals
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Army and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers engaged and killed 7 criminals in separate engagements March 30.
At approximately 12:10 p.m., Soldiers from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, were conducting a route clearing operation when the vehicle they were traveling in was struck by an improvised explosive device in eastern Baghdad.
After the IED strike, Soldiers were attacked by small-arms fire as they secured the damaged vehicles and prepared to move. Soldiers returned fire and killed five criminals. No Soldiers were injured.
Two other vehicles were also struck by IEDs within ten minutes of the first strike.
At approximately 6:45 p.m., Iraqi Army soldiers from 7th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division were attacked by small-arms fire in southeastern Baghdad. The Soldiers returned fire and killed two criminals and detained four others.
BAGHDAD – Coalition forces killed three terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda in Iraq and uncovered two dozen weapons caches during a five-day operation targeting bomb-making cells in the Diyala River Valley.
Coalition forces discovered 12 house-borne improvised explosive devices (HBIED) and anti-aircraft weapons while patrolling an area near Khan Bani Sa’ad Mar. 23 to 28 that had been used as a safe area by terrorists.
During the operation, one terrorist was observed hiding in an area of reeds. The assault force repeatedly instructed the individual to come out but he refused to comply with the ground forces’ instructions. Perceiving hostile intent, the ground force engaged the terrorist and killed him. Another suspect, hiding in a similar area, was detained when he followed instructions to surrender.
Surveillance teams observed two armed men digging in the road. Intelligence indicated the men were digging up a weapons cache and they were removing weaponry from the cache when, perceiving hostile intent, Coalition forces engaged and killed the terrorists. Two other suspected terrorists were wounded in the gun battle and were detained, treated on site and then taken to military medical facilities for further treatment.
Residents of the area told the ground force that al-Qaeda in Iraq had forced Shia families out of their homes and advised other locals to stay out of the houses. Other residents reported family members had been murdered within the previous 24 hours. Residents also guided Coalition forces to the body of an alleged terrorist and said many more bodies were buried in the area.
The HBIEDs had each marked on the outside with a bloody handprint or other markings. Coalition forces moved residents to a safe area and called in supporting fixed-wing aircraft to destroy the booby-trapped houses.
Hidden near one fighting position, Coalition forces found anti-aircraft weapons, ammunition and vehicles with mounts for the weapons. In another area, terrorists had hidden vehicles prepared as car bombs and placed two IEDs along the road.
Coalition forces also discovered weapons caches, bunkers and hidden fighting positions, some of which were reinforced with concrete. The caches contained rockets, mortar rounds and launching devices, bomb-making materials, weapons and ammunition. The ground force also found several Iraqi police and military uniforms, body armor, license plates and other documents. A Coalition explosives team safely destroyed the caches on site.
Iraqi Special Operations Forces kill 14 criminals in Basra
BALAD, Iraq – Iraqi Special Operation Forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, killed 14 criminals March 31.
The operation was directed by senior Iraqi leaders in the port city of Basra.
The ISOF planned and conducted the mission to capture and arrest the criminals in an abandoned school.
According to recent intelligence information, these criminals planted improvised explosive devices along the roads leading to the school.
They also set up defensive fighting positions around the facility.
The school was a staging point for armed assaults against Iraqi Security Forces as well as a storage facility for illegal weapons, ammunition and explosives.
The ISOF received small arms fire throughout the operation. Both ISOF and U.S. SF returned fire while a Coalition aircraft provided additional requested close-air support. During the operation, 14 armed individuals were killed.
While clearing buildings next to the school, ISOF also found and released six ISF members who were being held at the compound.
15 caches, IED factory discovered in northern Iraq
TIKRIT, Iraq – Iraqi Army and Coalition force Soldiers discovered 15 weapons caches and an improvised explosive device factory in northern Iraq April 1.
The weapons and ammunition discovered included one 155mm and three 120mm rounds, one 122mm Illumination round, 14 107mm rockets, 58 82mm and 12 60mm mortars, along with other small-arms munitions.
More than 60 pounds of explosives and improvised explosive device making materials were also discovered among the caches, while the IED factory contained more than 3,500 pounds of additional explosives.
The caches were found in both Diyala and Salah ad Din Provinces, and the IED factory was discovered in Ninewah.
Coalition forces detain 12 suspected terrorists
BAGHDAD – Coalition forces detained a dozen suspected terrorists today while targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq operations, including the propaganda and suicide bombing networks.
Coalition forces captured three suspected terrorists, two of whom are believed to facilitate the movement of foreign terrorists into Iraq, during operations in Baghdad and Qayyarah. East of Taji, Coalition forces targeted al-Qaeda in Iraq – or AQI – senior leaders and detained two suspected terrorists.
Coalition forces targeted the same Baghdad car-bombing network targeted during operations Tuesday and captured two more suspected terrorists. Farther north, Coalition forces continued operations against the AQI propaganda network. Two suspected terrorists were detained in Mosul, and three were detained northwest of Samarra.
