Thursday, July 13, 2006

Coalition Helicopter Crashes in Iraq; Terrorists Killed, Captured

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2006 – A Multinational Division Baghdad AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter crashed southwest of Baghdad today, U.S. military officials reported. The two pilots survived and were transported to a Camp Taji medical facility. The aircraft was conducting a combat air patrol. The cause of the incident is unknown, officials said. A MNDB quick reaction force and a downed aircraft recovery team secured the area. Additional information is being withheld pending investigation.

In other new from Iraq, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained five suspected terrorists and discovered two caches containing bomb-making materials yesterday in Baghdad. Three of the suspects are believed to be foreign fighters, officials said. Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, uncovered 130 mm mortars, 57 mm anti-aircraft rounds, 20 and 30 mm anti-aircraft rounds, as well as several other bomb-making materials.

Also, coalition forces killed a terrorist and detained seven others following a small-arms firefight outside the Al Abbas Mosque in central Baghdad July 11. Following the firefight, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division soldiers and Iraqi policemen from 6th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, cordoned off the mosque and questioned the imam about the gunmen.

The Iraqi commander of responded to the scene and spoke to the imam. Following their conversation, the imam agreed to cooperate with the U.S. soldiers and turned over rifles, machine guns, a rocket-propelled grenade, and the body of the dead terrorist. The soldiers also found rifles and machine guns in a vehicle used by the terrorists. No coalition or Iraqi security forces were killed or injured in the incident.

In a separate incident, Iraqi and coalitions forces detained nine terrorists in Baghdad on July 11. Iraqi soldiers from 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, Iraqi policemen, and U.S. soldiers from Multinational Division Baghdad's 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, captured the terrorists, who are believed to have been preparing for an attack in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Ameriya, officials said.

After receiving a report from an Iraqi army commander that men with mortars were seen near the Maluki Mosque, soldiers from 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, were informed that Iraqi police were attacked by small-arms fire as they came upon the terrorists while on patrol. Four police officers were killed and eight were wounded. Two police trucks and a civilian truck were also burned in the firefight, U.S. officials said.

Later, a firefight began in an area several blocks north as 8th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, soldiers pursued eight terrorists. One terrorist was killed as soldiers returned his fire. The soldiers from followed two more terrorists to another building located several blocks east, where the soldiers discovered six more terrorists. A cordon was set around the area, and Iraqi soldiers and police and U.S. soldiers searched the building.

The soldiers found a wounded terrorist and eight others attempting to provide aid. A U.S. Army medic provided first aid to the wounded man before he was detained for questioning. Iraqi authorities took the wounded man and the eight others into custody.

Also on July 11, an Iraqi civilian was rescued from his kidnappers by soldiers of 9th Iraqi Army Division, and Multi-National Division Baghdad's 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during an unplanned cordon-and-search operation in Masara village, in the northwestern area of Baghdad. The kidnappers were captured during the operation and are in custody. No injuries or damage to MNDB personnel or equipment were reported.

In addition, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers recovered a makeshift bomb south of Baghdad on July 10. The soldiers observed two suspicious men digging on the side of the road and sent a quick reaction force to the location. Before they arrived, MNDB soldiers observed the suspicious individuals enter a van and speed off. When the soldiers, from 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, arrived on the scene where the van was initially spotted, they found makeshift bomb-making materials.

Later that day the van was spotted by coalition helicopters patrolling the area. The soldiers responded and cordoned off the area. An explosive ordnance disposal team was called to the area to conduct a controlled detonation to destroy the van. No injuries or damage to MNDB personnel or equipment were reported.

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