Troops in Iraq Kill Enemy Fighters, Detain Suspects, Seize Weapons

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 3, 2008 - Coalition forces in Iraq killed three enemy fighters, detained dozens of terrorism suspects and seized illegal weapons caches in operations over the last few days, military officials reported. In operations conducted today and yesterday:

-- In Baghdad, coalition forces captured a wanted man reportedly responsible for establishing a foreign terrorist facilitation hub in the city. Two additional suspects were detained.

-- South of Mosul, coalition forces captured a man believed to manage finances and logistics for al-Qaida in Iraq cells in the Hamrin Mountains region. An additional suspected terrorist was detained.

-- Coalition forces searched Bir Qassim, a village near the Syrian border that intelligence reports indicate is the location of al-Qaida foreign terrorist facilitation operations. During the sweep, coalition forces detained 10 suspected terrorists.

–- Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team detained two suspected roadside-bomb makers in the Saydiyah community of Rashid.

–- Coalition forces conducted a precision operation in Tikrit and captured the alleged al-Qaida in Iraq leader there, officials said. The wanted man reportedly keeps videos of terrorist attacks and is tied to other networks within al-Qaida in Iraq.

–- In Baghdad, coalition forces captured a man believed to be an al-Qaida in Iraq extremist with connections in Egypt. Officials said the wanted man solicited al-Qaida in Iraq members about starting terrorist training and helping the foreign terrorist network. Three additional suspects were detained in the operations.

–- Two suspected terrorists were detained by coalition forces near Balad in operations targeting al-Qaida in Iraq leaders.

–- In Mosul, coalition forces targeted an associate of al-Qaida in Iraq senior leaders and detained five suspected terrorists.

–- Iraqi National Police turned over a weapons cache to soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team working at a joint security station in Rashid. The cache consisted of three rocket-propelled grenade launchers, two RPG rounds, a machine gun, 50 7.62 mm rounds, a claymore mine, a 60 mm mortar tube with mount and base plate, and two 80 mm mortar tubes.

In operations Aug. 1:

–- Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team detained a suspected criminal in the Jihad community of Rashid and delivered him to a joint security station for questioning.

–- Iraqi National Police seized seven rocket-propelled grenades, six RPG propellants, 200 PKC rounds and 50 7.62 mm rounds in the Aamel community.

–- Soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team seized a weapons cache north of Baghdad containing a partial improvised explosive device with three tubes of explosive material, a 120 mm rocket, four 120 mm rocket warheads, three 107 mm warheads, four 120 mm mortars, an anti-tank land mine, 25 120 mm projectiles, three 155 mm projectiles and two 105 mm projectiles.

–- Members of a "Sons of Iraq" citizen security group turned in a weapons cache consisting of three 130 mm projectiles, two 155 mm projectiles and a 150 mm mortar to soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

–-Iraqi National Police turned in a recovered cache to a forward operating base in Baghdad's West Rashid district. The cache included seven rocket-propelled grenades, six RPG propellants, 200 PKC machine gun rounds and 50 7.62 mm rounds.

–- In Baghdad's East Rashid district, acting on a tip from a local citizen, Iraqi National Police recovered three RPG launchers, two RPGs, 50 7.62 mm rounds, a claymore mine, a 60 mm mortar tube with plate and mounts and two 80 mm mortar tubes.

–- The Iraqi special weapons and tactics team in Hillah detained a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member in Diyala province. The suspect allegedly is part of a cell responsible for ethnic violence, kidnapping and improvised explosive device attacks.

–- Iraqi special operations forces detained two suspected Iranian-backed "special groups" members in Qurna, southeast of Baghdad. Officials said the suspects allegedly lead one of the most effective enemy cells in Qurna.

–- Members of the Hillah SWAT team detained a suspected special groups member in Kalsu, south of Baghdad, and two others on an Interior Ministry warrant. The suspects allegedly are members of an IED emplacement cell.

In operations July 31, Iraqi soldiers operating in Salahuddin province during Operation Eagle Pursuit killed three al-Qaida in Iraq fighters as another detonated his suicide vest, killing himself, military officials said. The soldiers also detained nine suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members.

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