U.S., Iraqi Troops in Northern Iraq Kill One, Detain 23

American Forces Press Service

June 18, 2008 - U.S. and Iraqi troops killed one enemy fighter and detained 23 suspected terrorists during recent operations in northern Iraq, military officials said. Coalition forces targeted al-Qaida in Iraq operatives in and around Mosul, killing one and detaining 15 today.

In operations yesterday:

-- Coalition forces in Biaj, about 80 miles southwest of Mosul, came under attack and returned fire, resulting in one attacker dead, one wounded and six others captured. Eight other suspected terrorists were captured in separate operations in Mosul.

-- Also in Mosul, Iraqi troops captured a suspected terrorist leader. He's believed to be responsible for murders, kidnappings and numerous bombings and attacks on coalition forces in the area, officials said.

-- Coalition forces in Baghdad's Rashid district detained four suspected terrorists believed to have ties with a known member of an Iranian-backed "special group" in the Zubaida neighborhood, officials said.

-- An Iraqi emergency response unit captured an al-Qaida in Iraq operative in Baghdad. He was arrested on an Interior Ministry warrant for his reported "extra-judicial killings" and several bombing and small-arms attacks on coalition and Iraqi troops, officials said.

-- Iraqi and coalition troops patrolling together in Kadhamiyah found two weapons caches. Iraqi soldiers and police seized 20 various types of rifles, seven pistols and 150 rounds of ammunition, while soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team found two roadside bombs designed to pierce armor-hulled vehicles, three mortars, three rocket-propelled grenade launchers and bomb-making material, officials said.

-- Iraqi troops discovered eight weapons caches in the Sadr City district and elsewhere in Baghdad. More than 50 mortars, 14 rocket-propelled grenades, three grenades, two rifles, and bomb-making materials were found.

In June 16 operations, Iraqi special operations forces captured a suspected Iranian-backed special-groups leader in Baghdad. He is believed to be responsible for numerous attacks on coalition and Iraqi forces, including a bombing attack in November that damaged an M1 tank, officials said.

Also June 16, the Iraqi border patrol detained a man believed to be a member of the Islamic State of Iraq terrorist group and confiscated two weapons caches in Butha about 50 miles west of Tal Afar. The patrol came across an apparently abandoned village when they discovered the suspect and a family that officials believe the suspect forced to hide him. The weapons caches resulted in 250 pounds of ammonium nitrate and other explosives.

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