Troops Kill Five Insurgents, Capture 36; Weapons Caches Found, Destroyed

American Forces Press Service

July 2, 2007 – Iraqi security forces and coalition troops killed five insurgents, nabbed some three dozen suspects and discovered scores of weapons caches and booby traps in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said. During raids on six buildings in Mosul today, ground forces detained six suspected terrorists. One detainee is an alleged "terrorist mediator" sent by al Qaeda leaders in Syria to settle leadership disputes in Mosul, military officials said.

West of Taji today, coalition forces searched a building for an individual suspected of selling rockets and armored vests to al Qaeda operatives in Iraq. Troops detained four suspected terrorists in the operation, officials said.

"Al Qaeda's network in Mosul is showing signs of great stress, and we will continue to target the leaders and operatives there to ensure a safe future for the people of Iraq," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.

During operations in Iraq yesterday:

-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers killed three insurgents following a roadside-bomb attack in eastern Baghdad's Adhamiyah district. The explosion, which occurred near the Abu Hanifa Mosque, killed an Iraqi citizen.

-- Soldiers from Task Force Steel, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, detained 10 suspected insurgents during a raid near Mahawil. Troops also captured two buckets of ammunition, improvised explosive device-making materials and an instruction manual on IED construction.

-- Coalition forces killed a suspected terrorist and detained eight others near Koresh, a town four miles south of Baghdad. Troops later discovered that the slain terrorist, who had fired upon a coalition member, was wearing a suicide vest and carried two hand grenades, military officials said.

-- During Operation Arrowhead Ripper's 13th day, Iraqi security and coalition forces continued to clear booby traps from Baqubah that al Qaeda members left behind as they fled the area. To date, troops have destroyed 24 booby traps, killed at least 60 al Qaeda operatives and detained 134 others, netted 45 weapons caches and destroyed 96 IEDs.

-- Multinational Division Baghdad attack helicopter crews found and destroyed an insurgent mortar system and vehicle northwest of Baghdad.

In Iraq on June 30:

-- During an early-morning operation, Iraqi security forces detained the suspected intelligence leader of an extremist group that operates in Mosul. The suspect is responsible for providing surveillance on Iraqi and coalition forces to insurgent groups that use the intelligence to develop strategies against combined forces, military officials said. He also is suspected of kidnappings and producing car bombs.

-- Iraqi security forces and coalition advisors detained four suspected terrorists with links to al Qaeda IED attacks during an operation near Mandali, military officials said. Combined forces also seized IED-making materials, including blasting caps, wire, tubing, plastic explosives, and five 155 mm artillery shells.

-- Multinational Division Baghdad attack helicopter crews killed one insurgent and wounded another after the two enemy combatants attacked coalition ground forces with small-arms fire in southern Baghdad.

-- Iraqi army and coalition soldiers captured two insurgents during a joint raid in Jurf As Sakhr. The detained men were wanted in connection with attacks against local Iraqi security forces in the area, military officials said.

-- During an early-morning operation in Baghdad, Iraqi security forces detained a suspected terrorist who military officials believe to be part of an insurgent sniper cell. The suspect is allegedly responsible for a sniper attack that killed three Iraqi sanitation workers as they cleaned the streets, and for emplacing an IED that killed four Iraqi police members.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq, Multinational Corps Iraq and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Arabian Peninsula news releases.)