Coalition, Iraqi Forces Kill, Capture Insurgents in Iraq

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 21, 2007 - Coalition forces working in concert with Iraqi security forces killed four insurgents and nabbed roughly 16 others during recent operations in Iraq, military officials said.

In Iraq yesterday:

-- Coalition forces captured two wanted individuals and three others during an operation northwest of Muqdadiyah. Military officials believe one suspect is a senior al Qaeda in Iraq leader operating in the northern Diyala area. Troops destroyed an improvised explosive device on site.

-- Troops detained six suspected terrorists during an operation in Beiji targeting an associate of al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders, military officials said. The targeted individual allegedly is part of a network responsible for supplying weapons and supplies to foreign terrorists.

-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers killed one and captured several other individuals who military officials believe to be ranking members of an al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist cells in Doura, a southern district in the Iraqi capital.

-- In a separate early-morning raid in Doura, troops arrested two men believed to be responsible for making improvised explosive devices used to destroy mosques in western Rashid, military officials said.

-- A terrorist killed in Baqouba on Oct. 19 was positively identified yesterday as Thamir Aziz Abbas Ashuri, an al Qaeda in Iraq improvised explosive device-cell leader. Reports indicate he led some 250 terrorists, directing IED attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces. He also was believed to act as a judge for an illegal terrorist court system in the area, military officials said.

During Oct. 19 operations, two Polish helicopters from Multinational Division Central-South provided key air support following an improvised-explosive-device and small-arms attack on coalition forces in eastern Diwaniyah.

Before the helicopters arrived, insurgents attacked a coalition patrol with three IEDs and fire from machine guns and an anti-tank-grenade launcher. Once at the scene of the attack, the quick reaction force engaged the insurgents, killing two. No coalition forces were killed or wounded in the incident, military officials said.

Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces responded to an explosion Oct. 19 inside a Baghdad mosque, military officials said. The explosion caused minor damage inside the abandoned Jamia al Baraka Mosque in the Karkh Security District in the center of the Iraqi capital. Evidence indicates that three improvised explosive devices detonated; no one was killed or injured in the blasts.

Iraqi security forces and troops from Company E, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division responded to the scene. Coalition and Iraqi explosive ordnance disposal teams entered the mosque and removed one unexploded projectile.

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