Coalition Forces Kill, Detain Terrorists in Iraq

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2006 – In separate operations throughout Iraq this week, coalition forces killed seven terrorists and captured 10 suspected terrorists, military officials in Iraq reported. Coalition forces killed two suspected terrorists, two women and one child while conducting a raid northwest of Baqubah today. They also detained four suspects. Twenty-three people were injured in the assault, including several women and children. All of the injured received immediate medical treatment on site by a coalition medical expert, and those needing further treatment were taken to a nearby military facility.

The raid was targeting terrorists associated with senior al Qaeda in Iraq network members who have been targeted in previous coalition operations and have been linked to several attacks against Iraqi citizens, officials said. Intelligence also indicates that the targeted terrorists have extensive links to foreign fighters in the area. The target area consisted of a block of buildings. As the troops began to secure the area, they received small-arms fire from the roof of one of the initial target buildings, and the terrorists attempted to reposition themselves between and on top of adjacent buildings.

After the target block was contained, several men were seen moving around on the rooftops. The ground force twice gave verbal instructions for all occupants to exit the target buildings, but the instructions were ignored. Aerial fires were placed on the building and then halted. A third attempt to call the occupants out of the buildings then failed before force was escalated. The troops secured the area using a combination of aerial and ground fire.

Elsewhere, coalition forces killed one terrorist and captured five others while detaining four suspected terrorists during raids in Samarra yesterday. Credible intelligence linked the targeted terrorists to numerous senior al Qaeda in Iraq leaders, including one who was captured July 19 and has since admitted to ordering hundreds of attacks against Iraqi citizens. The security forces targeted multiple locations in the immediate area.

During the operation, an assault force found multiple weapons and fragmentary grenades on the targets. All ordnance was destroyed on site. Supporting aircraft destroyed one building with a kinetic strike after identifying it as a logistical support base for insurgents that contained food, medical supplies, firing ports and spider holes to support a defense of the site. Though numerous women and children were on site, none were harmed.

In a separate operation, coalition forces killed four terrorists in a raid southeast of Baghdad July 19. The raid targeted al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists known for coordinating car bomb and rocket attacks against Iraqi civilians. These individuals are reported to have significant links to several high level al Qaeda in Iraq leaders, U.S. officials said.

Upon arriving at the target, coalition forces saw the terrorists throwing items out the vehicle. The security forces made multiple attempts to stop the terrorists' vehicle, culminating in warning shots near the vehicle. The terrorists refused to stop and, as coalition forces approached, began to retrieve items from behind the seats. Coalition forces then engaged and killed them.

As part of Operation Together Forward, Iraqi security forces working with Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers from 4th Brigade Combat Team detained a known terrorist during a combined security operation in the Bayaa district of southern Baghdad on July 18.

Acting upon intelligence gathered from another known terrorist and leader of an armed militia operating in western Baghdad, Iraqi security forces detained Saad Jiniyah in the Hayy Aamel neighborhood of Bayaa. Jiniyah is a known member of an armed militia operating illegally in western Baghdad, officials said. He is suspected of kidnapping and torturing Iraqi citizens and instructing his armed militia to operate illegal checkpoints in the Bayaa district, searching cars and murdering Iraqi citizens who oppose the militia.

Iraqi security forces captured Jiniyah after receiving small-arms fire from the rooftops around his location. The security forces quickly engaged and neutralized the threat, wounding one gunman during the fight. The militia member was taken to the nearest hospital and is in stable condition. No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured in the operation.