Coalition Forces Kill Terrorists; IED Blast Wounds Civilians

American Forces Press Service

March 15, 2007 – Coalition forces killed four terrorists and detained 11 suspected terrorists during raids over the past several days targeting al Qaeda networks in Iraq, military officials reported. Two armed terrorists began firing on coalition forces this morning east of Balad, officials said. Precision fire from a coalition aircraft killed both terrorists. Forces also detained eight suspected terrorists during the raid.

Elsewhere in Iraq today, an insurgent vehicle bomb struck a bus full of workers at a bus factory.

Iraqi police and soldiers of the 8th Iraqi Army Division reacted quickly to the attack, immediately securing the area and evacuating the casualties to the hospital, officials said. Iraqi officials report that five workers were killed and 22 were wounded.
Soldiers detained three suspected terrorists with alleged ties to al Qaeda suicide-bombing operations in Mosul during a raid yesterday evening.

In another incident, 10th Mountain Division soldiers followed a tip from an Iraqi civilian that led to the arrest of a suspected roadside bomber yesterday.

While searching the house believed to be the insurgent's hideout, soldiers found eight local nationals. One was arrested, and the others are being held for further questioning, officials said.

Also, coalition forces engaged and killed terrorists who were planting roadside bombs in Mosul on March 12.

Soldiers saw two men digging a hole, placing munitions and laying wire next to a main road, officials reported. Coalition helicopters immediately responded, engaging the terrorists with rocket fire. Both suspects were killed before they could detonate the bomb.

It was the second incident in four days in which terrorists were caught or killed in the act of placing roadside bombs, officials said.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

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