Good News From The War On Terror 4/19-21
Coalition forces detain 22 suspected terrorists
BAGHDAD – Coalition forces targeted associates of al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders during operations in northern Iraq Saturday and detained 22 suspected terrorists.
In Bayji, Coalition forces coordinated three operations targeting individuals believed to conspire with an AQI leader in the area who is known for coordinating bombing attacks. One suspect who attempted to evade the ground force was injured in the operation and was taken to a military medical facility. Coalition forces captured two wanted men and detained 12 additional suspected terrorists.
During two operations in Mosul targeting associates of AQI senior leaders, Coalition forces detained seven suspected terrorists, including one who was believed to have hidden a senior terrorist leader in his house.
Coalition forces find and clear two AQI IED weapons caches in Jazeera Desert
BALAD, Iraq – Coalition forces discovered and destroyed two al-Qaeda in Iraq weapons caches during a reconnaissance patrol in the Jazeera Desert, recently.
The two caches included more than 125 improvised explosive device components, such as blasting caps, batteries, pressure plates, cordless phone chargers, IED trigger circuits, steel IED canisters, copper plates and springs.
These are the second and third weapons caches found in the Jazeera Desert in less than a month.
Both caches were destroyed.
Coalition Forces capture suspected Iranian-trained Special Groups criminals
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces captured a suspected Iranian-trained Special Groups commander and three other suspected criminals Sunday during operations in the Kadamiyah district of Baghdad.
The targeted individual allegedly conducted attacks against Iraqi security and Coalition forces and was involved in extra-judicial killings in Baghdad. Reports also indicate the wanted individual was an associate of several senior-level criminal element leaders involved in attacks on Coalition forces.
Intelligence led Coalition forces to the targeted individual’s location. En route, Coalition forces came under attack by small arms fire from unknown assailants. After arriving at the targeted individual’s location, Coalition forces came under attack from rocket-propelled grenades. Close air support was called to eliminate the hostile threat.
After successfully apprehending the targeted individual and three other suspected criminals, Coalition forces departed the area. As they departed, Coalition forces came under an enemy ambush by small arms fire. To eliminate the hostile threat, air support was called in again, killing three criminals.
Four terrorists killed in Coalition operation north of Baqouba
BAGHDAD – Coalition forces conducted an operation north of Baqouba Sunday targeting wanted individuals believed to be housing foreign terrorists in the area, killing four terrorists and detaining four suspects.
Intelligence reports indicated a foreign terrorist bed-down location was in the area. As the ground force approached the objective, they received machine gun fire from two locations. Responding in self-defense, Coalition forces returned fire and called for supporting fixed-wing aircraft, which identified the enemy positions and engaged them. When enemy fire stopped, Coalition forces moved forward to secure the buildings. One building caught fire, and secondary explosions from inside indicate it housed heavy weapons and ammunition.
Four terrorist gunmen were killed in the engagement, and one was wounded. Coalition forces moved more than 35 women and children from the buildings to safety during the operation, but several were wounded, and two children were killed. Two women and two children who were wounded were treated on site by Coalition forces, and three wounded men and one wounded girl were transported to a military medical facility.
Coalition forces coordinated with local authorities prior to the operation, but some individuals on site claimed to be members of a Sons of Iraq group. However, during questioning, some detainees admitted they had weapons forbidden for SOI groups, including rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns.
Coalition forces detained four suspected terrorists during the operation. During questioning, two individuals admitted to being members of al-Qaeda in Iraq, and several residents said more terrorists had been staying in an area nearby. Several residents also said their husbands and uncles had been murdered by AQI terrorists, and some of the murdered residents had their throats slit.
MND-B Soldiers kill 12 criminals
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers killed 12 criminals and detained three in separate events in Baghdad April 20.
At 6:40 a.m., MND-B Soldiers witnessed five individuals emplacing an improvised explosive device in the Adhamiyah district. The Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment engaged the criminals as they were emplacing the IED. The IED detonated during the engagement killing three and wounding one.
Also in Adhamiyah at approximately 8 a.m., the 1st Bn, 21st Inf. Soldiers engaged and killed seven criminals carrying three PKC machine guns, three AK-47s and a rocket propelled grenade launcher. A Stryker element supporting the mission killed two more criminals carrying AK-47s on a nearby rooftop.
In another incident, Soldiers with the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment detained two men in possession of various illegal weapons and bomb making material at approximately 4 a.m. in the East Rashid district in southern Baghdad.
BASRAH – The Iraqi Army discovered a large weapons and munitions cache in a house located in the Al Hyyaniyah area of Basrah April 19.
Soldiers from the 1st Iraqi Army discovered the cache during the search phase of Operation Charge of the Knights. The cache consisted of a large number of weaponry with Iranian markings.
The cache included a 240 mm high-explosive war-head and approximately 160 mortars. Some of which were less than 12 months old.
The cache also contained approximately 25 artillery shells, more than 20 complete improvised explosive devices, large quantities of IED components, several explosively formed projectiles and dozens of grenades and fuses. Also included was more than 20 blocks of plastic explosives, homemade anti-personnel mines packed with ball bearings, hundreds of meters of detonation cord, improvised rocket launching rails, and thousands of rounds of small-arms ammunition.
Operation Charge of the Knights is ongoing with the Iraqi Army working in conjunction with the Iraqi Police to maintain pressure on Special Groups and criminal elements by denying them sanctuaries and safe havens through Basrah and Iraq.
Coalition forces detain 19 in Mosul, Bayji
BAGHDAD – Coalition forces detained 19 suspected terrorists during operations targeting associates of al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders in the northern part of the country Saturday and Sunday.
Coalition forces targeted associates of AQI leaders during four operations Saturday and Sunday in Bayji. The ground force detained 12 suspected terrorists, including two individuals wanted for their association with an AQI leader who is believed to oversee terrorist attacks in the Tigris River Valley between Bayji and Tikrit.
During operations in Mosul Saturday and Sunday, Coalition forces used information from operations April 3 and 4 to target individuals believed to conspire directly with AQI senior leaders. The ground force detained three suspected terrorists. In another operation in the city, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual, who is allegedly closely tied to a senior AQI leader, and one other suspected terrorist.
Sunday, Coalition forces detained two suspects during an operation targeting an AQI terrorist who conducts bombings against Coalition and Iraqi Security forces.
