Coalition Kills Two, Captures 17 in Iraq Operations

American Forces Press Service

Oct. 8, 2008 - Coalition forces in Iraq today killed two insurgents and captured 12 suspects, including two wanted men, during operations to break up terrorist networks in the northern city of Mosul, military officials reported. The troops were targeting a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq foreign facilitator in the area when a man confronted the group, officials said. Despite repeated warnings to back away, the man continued to approach and reached for a coalition member's weapon. Perceiving hostile intent, coalition forces opened fire, killing the man.

At a second location in Mosul, forces surrounded a building and called for its occupants to surrender, officials said. A man appeared from the building and proceeded toward coalition troops, they said. After repeated warnings, the man continued his advance and was killed by coalition forces who perceived hostile intent.

In Baghdad today, coalition forces captured a wanted man believed to be a long-time member of the city's car-bomb network, officials said. Reports suggest the man is associated with another suspected terrorist captured in Baghdad on Aug. 11. An additional suspect was detained during the operation.

In other operations today:

-- Coalition forces captured a wanted man in Samarra, about 65 miles northwest of Baghdad. The man is suspected of being a member of an al-Qaida in Iraq cell in central Iraq and is associated with other al-Qaida in Iraq leaders.

-- Near Kifri, about 60 miles southeast of Kirkuk, coalition forces captured three suspects believed to be part of a group responsible for roadside bombs in the area. Troops seized multiple rifles, grenades and military-style assault vests in the operation.

-- Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, captured a suspected member of an Iranian-backed terrorist network operating in southern Baghdad's Rashid district They also confiscated an AK-47 assault rifle, a pistol and various bomb-making materials during the raid in the Hadar community.

In other recent operations:

-- Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, found a munitions cache yesterday in the Jazair community of southern Baghdad's Rashid district while preparing their combat outpost for transition to the Iraqi security forces. The cache consisted of an artillery round, two fuses and more than 100 anti-aircraft rounds. An explosive ordnance disposal team was called in to dispose of the munitions. Later, Iraqi police acting on a citizen's tip found 11 80 mm mortar rounds hidden along a road northwest of Baghdad.

-- On Oct. 6, soldiers assigned to the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team captured a suspected member of an Iranian-backed terrorist group in eastern Baghdad's New Baghdad area, and coalition forces and Iraqi police captured three suspected terrorists in southern Baghdad's Rashid district.

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