Troops in Iraq Kill Five Enemy Fighters, Detain 13

American Forces Press Service

June 17, 2008 - Forces in Iraq killed five enemy fighters, detained 13 terrorism suspects, and uncovered several weapons caches in recent operations, military officials said. Coalition forces killed four men and detained 10 suspected terrorists while targeting the al-Qaida bombing and foreign-terrorist-facilitation networks in northern Iraq today.

Coalition forces targeted members of a bombing network in Mosul and ordered occupants of the target building to surrender. Officials said several people came out peacefully, but four men, one armed with a pistol, refused to comply with the force's instructions. Perceiving hostile intent, coalition forces engaged and killed the men. Another wanted man, believed to manufacture and distribute bombing components, and three of his associates also were detained.

Also in Mosul, coalition forces conducted a precision operation and captured an alleged mid-level al-Qaida in Iraq leader. The suspect is believed to oversee attacks and facilitate the movement of foreign terrorists into the city. During two other operations, coalition forces captured a wanted man and detained four additional suspected terrorists. Three of the suspects admitted that they were smugglers, officials said.

In other operations today:

-- A local citizen was killed during a recruiting operation in Samarra. Iraqi police reported that several shots were fired into the air in an attempt to control a growing crowd, and one of the shots hit and killed a local citizen. Officials said Iraqi National Police are investigating the incident.

-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained a suspected Iranian-backed "special groups" leader in the Kamaliya neighborhood of Baghdad's New Baghdad security district. The man is suspected of personally placing and detonating homemade bombs, specifically targeting Iraqi security forces and coalition forces.

-- Using tips from Iraqi citizens, soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team conducted an operation in Beladiyat that resulted in the capture of two wanted criminal. One of the detainees has been linked to a homemade bomb attack that took place June 14. The other is associated with an indirect-fire attack. Officials said the soldiers also confiscated a video camera and a computer.

-- Iraqi soldiers seized several weapons in the Sadr City district of Baghdad during continuing security operations. The caches contained rocket-propelled grenade launchers and propellants, various sized rounds, a machine gun, various types of ammunition, armored vests, rockets, grenades, detonation wire, initiation devices, radios, radio chargers, and a homemade bomb.

Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers discovered weapons caches yesterday and today in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. Iraqi army soldiers discovered several grenades, a homemade bomb, and bomb-making materials, various sized rounds, and mortars in the two weapons caches, officials said.

In operations June 14, Iraqi soldiers joined by Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers conducted an air assault mission in Yusifiyah. Iraqi soldiers assisted by coalition forces conducted home searches during "Operation Chelsea Creek." Military officials said the operation's objective is to stop the movement of a Shiite criminal group.

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