Troops in Iraq Kill Four Militants, Detain 13, Seize Weapons

American Forces Press Service

June 3, 2008 - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed four enemy fighters, captured 13 suspects and seized scores of weapons in Iraq in recent days, military officials said. Troops captured seven suspects today, including two wanted men believed to be tied to al-Qaida in Iraq bombing networks.

One wanted man, captured with four associates in Mosul, allegedly is a security leader for al-Qaida in Iraq and is suspected of coordinating bombings against Iraqi police.

Forces seized the other wanted man, who reportedly facilitates suicide bombings and foreign-terrorist movement in Tikrit for al-Qaida in Iraq, along with an additional suspect.

Elsewhere in Iraq today, coalition forces captured a suspected leader of an Iranian-backed "special group" and five associates, in Kut. Military officials said the man has been involved in murdering Iraqis and attacking coalition forces.

During operations yesterday:

-- Iraqi security forces and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers killed four militants and seized a number of weapons in Baghdad. Military officials said troops were acting in self-defense when they killed the enemy fighters.

-- Using tips from local Iraqis, coalition troops uncovered thousands of pounds of weapons and munitions in the Jazeera Desert west of Samarra.

-- Coalition and Iraqi forces seized scores of weapons in the Adhamiya and Sadr City districts of Baghdad in two-day operations that ended today. The caches contained mortars, rockets, homemade explosives materials, assault rifles, rounds of various sizes and other military equipment.

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team captured eight suspects during several Salahuddin province-area operations that wrapped up June 1. Troops also uncovered weapons caches in the raids, military officials said.

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