Coalition Forces Kill, Detain Terrorists

American Forces Press Service

June 13, 2007 – In operations throughout Iraq over the past three days, coalition and Iraqi forces killed nine terrorists and detained 76 suspected terrorists, military officials reported. During operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq and the Baghdad car bomb network today, coalition forces killed two terrorists, detained 13 suspected terrorists and discovered a cache of weapons.

In an incident yesterday, coalition forces observed two terrorists emplacing improvised explosive devices in Baghdad and raided their bed-down location. As coalition forces approached the building, the two terrorists disregarded the interpreter's instructions and approached the ground force. Coalition forces engaged the two men, killing them.

Inside the building, coalition forces discovered a fully assembled IED. As they were disabling the IED, a person appeared and rushed toward them. Coalition forces, perceiving a possible explosive threat, engaged the individual with small-arms fire, killing her.

Also on the scene, coalition forces detained three suspected members of the Baghdad car bomb network, which is responsible for conducting attacks on Iraqi civilians, as well as Iraqi and coalition forces. The ground force also destroyed two vehicles at the site that the terrorists used to transport personnel and explosives.

Based on information from the suspects, coalition forces moved to a follow-on location and found a cache of weapons and explosives, including chemicals used to build IEDs. An explosives team safely destroyed the materials on site.

During two coordinated operations near Fallujah, coalition forces raided a series of buildings linked to the activities of al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders. Eight suspected terrorists were detained for their connection to the al Qaeda senior leader network.

In an operation in Tarmiyah yesterday, coalition forces captured one suspected terrorist who is believed to be a personal companion of a religious emir within the al Qaeda network.

During a raid in Mosul yesterday, coalition forces detained one suspected terrorist for his ties to a suspected terrorist. Coalition forces tracked the suspected terrorist from after his accomplices where captured and he fled from Kirkuk to Mosul.

"We have disrupted the indiscriminate and deliberate attacks terrorists conducted against innocent Iraqis, and we'll continue to target al Qaeda in Iraq's leadership and operatives," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.

In another Mosul operation, coalition forces killed a senior terrorist leader yesterday morning while targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network.

Kamal Jalil Bakr 'Uthman, also known as Sa'id Hamza, was known to be the al Qaeda in Iraq military emir of Mosul. Intelligence reports indicate he planned, coordinated and facilitated suicide bombings in the Mosul area. Also, he facilitated the movement of more than 100 foreign fighters through safe houses in the area, and orchestrated attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.

Coalition forces targeted 'Uthman yesterday as part of their operations to disrupt the al Qaeda in Iraq senior leader network in Mosul. As they entered his residence, 'Uthman rushed into another room and reached under a mattress. Coalition forces reacted to the hostile threat, engaged 'Uthman and killed him. The troops later found a suicide vest under the mattress.

Coalition forces had detained 'Uthman during an operation in August 2006. He was released from the Iraqi judicial system in April 2007, and intelligence reports indicate he was planning a six-vehicle suicide bomb attack to avenge his detention.

"We have taken another very dangerous terrorist off the streets of Iraq, and we will continue to deplete the senior leadership of al Qaeda in Iraq," Garver said.

Meanwhile, the newly formed Diyala Operations Command in Baqouba reported today that Iraqi Army troops and U.S. soldiers of the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, killed five extremists, wounded eight and arrested 15 others during operations throughout Baqouba yesterday.

The engagement in Old Baqouba also netted two caches and a car bomb.

Another gunman was killed when coalition forces engaged his sniper position in the neighborhood of Mufrek, in Baqouba.

The car bomb had a rocket-propelled grenade inside, and according to local citizens, was rigged to explode. Two extremists were arrested in the immediate area after testing positive for explosives.

Four other suspected insurgents were arrested June 11 by soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Divisions 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron. The individuals were trying to evade the coalition patrol when they were stopped and searched. Inside the vehicle, they had two AK-47s, one pistol and two full magazines, and could not produce permits for the weapons.

Elsewhere, Iraqi security forces successfully prevented a car bomb attack on a coalition forces combat outpost in Khan Bani Sa'ad, located in Diyala province, yesterday.

"I could not be more proud of the Iraqi security forces today," said Lt. Col. Marshall Dougherty, commander, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. "Troop B, 2-1 CAV lives and works in the combat outpost with the Iraqi army soldiers."

Iraqi soldiers received a tip and description of a potential car bomb and engaged the vehicle with small-arms fire as it approached the outpost, causing the vehicle to detonate prematurely before it reached the outer perimeter.

Two coalition soldiers received minor wounds and were treated at the scene. Immediately following the explosion, Iraqi troops worked with Iraqi police to secure the area and collect evidence.

In another operation, Iraqi forces detained 15 suspects linked to the terrorist criminal network of al Qaeda in Iraq June 11 in western Mosul.

Working on tips from local Iraqi citizens, Iraqi forces successfully raided the targeted buildings and detained the 15 suspects without incident.

Iraqi forces also seized three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9 mm pistol, 13 cell phones and 20 cases of hydrochloric acid.

In other developments, soldiers from the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, and the Iraqi National Police detained four men and confiscated bomb-making materials and rifles following a raid in northern Jisr Diyala June 11.

The 3-1 Cavalry's Troop A and Time Sensitive Target Platoon soldiers worked with an Iraqi National Police platoon, called the Lions of Wassit, to search locations insurgent forces were using as meeting sites and cache sites.

The unit conducted several raids to collect information and disrupt enemy activities preventing extremists from engaging Combat Outpost Assassin and Forward Operating Base Rustamiyah. The 3-1 Cavalry is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.

A failed truck bomber, wounded in his attempt to destroy a coalition battle position, was treated, evacuated and is providing information to those he tried to kill, officials reported.

The driver of the truck bomb aimed at destroying Patrol Base Warrior Keep near Sadr al Yusufiyah on June 10 was wounded in the upper right leg, rendering him unable to activate his initiation switch or his explosive vest.

Alert soldiers from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, manning the weapon systems at the patrol base, determined his hostile intent and opened fire with an M-240B machine gun and M-4 assault rifles, foiling the attack.

Soldiers from the patrol base then detained the man. Seeing that the man was wounded, they rendered aid and evacuated him to the 31st Combat Support Hospital. Coalition medical personnel continue to provide the man medical care. The man will be held for further questioning and prosecution.

Meanwhile, insurgents detonated a car bomb, damaging a bridge north of Baqouba in Diyala province June 11, rendering it unusable.

The blast destroyed the east-bound lane of the bridge and left the west-bound lane standing, but impassable.

A Georgian unit was present in the vicinity of the attack, and one soldier suffered minor injuries. A coalition forces' explosive ordnance detachment cleared the area and determined the source of the explosion to be a car bomb with a large amount of explosives.

"This is another extreme act of hatred by terrorists intent on harming the people of Diyala province," said Lt. Col. Quinton J. Arnold, deputy brigade commander for 3-1 Cav. "Iraqi security and coalition forces will continue to work jointly with the citizens of Diyala to eliminate these cowardly acts of hatred."

In another act of terror, criminal militias, attempting to attack the district joint security station in Baghdad's Sadr City district with a 120 mm mortar round, missed and damaged a nearby apartment building June 11.

Iraqi police and coalition forces heard the explosion and quickly investigated to render aid to any victims of the attack. No one was injured in the blast, which damaged the roof of the building and landed in a room below.

"This is another example of why the people of Sadr City are tired of the criminal militias and the violence they bring in their homes," said Lt. Col. David Oclander, the executive officer for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, which operates in the area. "We are communicating daily with all residents of Sadr City to reject this violence, which only causes their own suffering."

Iraqi army forces have detained a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq sniper allegedly responsible for the death of a U.S. soldier and other attacks against coalition forces, officials reported.

With coalition forces present as advisors, Iraqi soldiers detained their primary sniper suspect in the Jolan district of Fallujah during a raid June 10. Insurgent propaganda and numerous identification cards were also seized during the operation.

The suspect, who is alleged to be a member of an al Qaeda in Iraq sniper cell operating out of Fallujah, is believed to have killed a U.S. soldier from a rooftop during a 2006 attack on coalition forces in Fallujah. He is also the primary suspect in a sniper attack against a coalition forces tractor-trailer that occurred in Fallujah earlier this year.

Elsewhere, paratroopers operating near the cities of Zukaytun, Iskandariyah and Musayyib south of Baghdad detained 24 insurgents and arrested three June 10 and 11.

Paratroopers from 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, also secured three AK-47s and 15 ammunition magazines, one 9 mm submachine gun, $2,000 worth of dinar, four sets of body armor, one bag full of numerous fake identification cards, various Iraqi police, Iraqi army, and Hillah SWAT camouflage uniforms, six cellular phones, one 9 mm submachine gun, 500 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, several sets of load-bearing equipment and two computers.

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

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