Operations Net 22 Suspects in Iraq; Seven Killed in Bombings

American Forces Press Service

April 1, 2007 – Recent military operations resulted in the death of one terrorist and the detention of 22, while car bombings in Iraq yesterday killed seven Iraqi civilians, military officials said. Near the Syrian border today, coalition forces killed one armed terrorist and captured two suspected terrorists with alleged ties to an al-Qaeda foreign fighter facilitation network. In Baghdad, two more foreign fighter facilitation network suspects were detained.

During an operation March 29 in Arab Jabour, coalition forces detained one suspected terrorist and destroyed a weapons cache found in the man's vehicle. The weapons consisted of a Soviet DShK anti-aircraft machinegun and several small-arms weapons.

In Mosul, coalition forces detained six suspects with alleged involvement in the distribution of bomb-making material. Four others were detained with alleged ties to al Qaeda operations.

Yesterday, south of Fallujah, coalition forces captured five suspects with reported links to foreign fighter facilitation and terrorist financing operations.

In Sadr City yesterday, Iraqi forces, with coalition advisors, detained two suspected terrorists during an evening raid targeting insurgent forces.

As ground forces approached the targeted area, they began taking enemy fire. Ground forces called for air support, and coalition aircraft suppressed the enemy fire. One building received minor damage during the air strike.

Despite reports from individuals and some media organizations, military officials said yesterday that coalition forces were not involved in air strikes March 30 over Sadr City.

A Military Transition Team from 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, received a report yesterday from the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Babil province that an explosion occurred at a gas station in the center of the city of Hillah, two blocks north of the Iraqi Police headquarters building. Two civilians were reported killed, and 21 were wounded in the blast.

Another car bomb exploded in Sadr City yesterday, killing five Iraqis and wounding 15 near the Al Sadr hospital.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

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