Eight Terrorists Killed, Six Detained in Iraq Raids Today

American Forces Press Service

Feb. 28, 2007 – Coalition forces killed eight suspected al Qaeda terrorists and detained six today in operations northeast of Taji, Iraq.

As coalition forces moved into the area, several armed men in a nearby palm grove reportedly moved toward them. Coalition forces called in close-air support to kill the terrorists. Two suspected terrorists were detained.

Also today, coalition forces captured two suspected terrorists in Amiriyah and two more in Baghdad, all with alleged ties to the al Qaeda.

In operations throughout Iraq yesterday:

-- Samarra Iraqi police and coalition forces captured a suspected insurgent bomber yesterday southwest of Samarra. The suspect was captured during operations targeting an insurgent improvised-explosive-device cell. Iraqi police detained three other suspects for questioning.

-- In southeastern Ramadi, 30 locals and one Iraqi soldier suffered wounds from flying glass and debris from an intentional detonation of recovered explosives yesterday. The wounded were evacuated to a nearby coalition aid station. The more seriously injured were flown to a nearby military hospital. None of the injuries were reported as life threatening. Iraqi and U.S. forces had uncovered 15 bags of explosives and were disposing of them. The resulting blast was larger than expected and shattered glass in surrounding buildings.

Elsewhere in Iraq earlier this week:

-- Paratroopers freed two hostages and uncovered an insurgent safe house and weapons cache south of Baghdad on Feb. 26. Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, found the hostages and safe house near Mahmudiyah. The cache contained three AK-47s, 14 30-round magazines, one 100-round magazine drum, and two fragmentary grenades.

-- In the Wardiyah district of Hillah, an Iraqi SWAT team caught eight suspected members of the Mahdawiyah insurgent group Feb. 26. The suspects are believed to have attacked Iraqi civilians and security forces in the area.

-- In the Ameriya district of Baghdad Feb. 24, soldiers found the largest weapons cache to date in that area. U.S. soldiers in the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, working with Iraqi soldiers in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi army, found the cache in a school near the Fridas mosque. The find uncovered 17 improvised rocket-propelled grenades, 10 Kutusa rockets, five 60 mm mortars, 13 81 mm mortars, one 81 mm mortar tube and two 60 mm mortar tubes.

So far in February, soldiers from Multinational Division Baghdad have found 150 weapons caches and 417 improvised explosive devices.

On Feb. 23 Iraqis celebrated the re-opening of a Yusufiyah mosque. The mosque was closed after an attack by terrorists in October. U.S. soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), and Iraqi soldiers the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and the Iraqi police secured the area for the event. No major violence was reported.

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