Coalition Kills, Captures Multiple Suspects in Terrorist Sweep

American Forces Press Service

Nov. 12, 2008 - Coalition forces in Iraq have degraded terrorist networks in several days of operations that have killed at least four militants and led to the capture of more than two dozen suspects, military officials reported. Troops detained five terrorist suspects in two operations near Taji, north of Baghdad, and captured a man believed to be involved in regional al-Qaida in Iraq leadership farther north in Tikrit.

Forces captured a suspected car bomber in the Tigris River Valley city of Beiji today and detained another man in Mosul who is believed to conspire with that city's bomb network, officials said. In Sadiyah, northeast of Baghdad, forces captured a wanted man believed to be associated with a Diyala-based bomb network.

Yesterday, coalition forces killed two militants and detained five others during an operation targeting one of Baghdad's terrorist leaders. The troops came under fire where they found the wanted man. They returned fire, killing two enemy fighters. One of the dead was determined to be the wanted man.

In a second operation in Baghdad yesterday, troops captured another wanted man believed to have ties to al-Qaida in Iraq leadership. The terrorist, believed to be a long-time member of the terror organization, identified himself as the wanted man after the operation, officials said. An additional suspect was detained for questioning.

Also yesterday, coalition forces killed an alleged terrorist and apprehended two suspected Kataib Hezbollah members during separate operations in Baghdad's Adhamiyah district. Kataib Hezbollah is a surrogate of Iran, and its members are believed to be responsible for recent attacks against Iraqi civilians and Iraqi and coalition forces, military officials said.

Acting on intelligence information, coalition forces targeted a key Kataib Hezbollah leader, believed to be responsible for recent attacks in the area. As troops approached the home of the suspected terrorist, they were confronted by a man in a nearby house who confronted them with a hand gun. Perceiving hostile intent, the troops shot the man.

In a separate operation in Adhamiyah, forces apprehended two other suspected criminals without incident.

Also in Iraq this week, coalition forces targeting al-Qaida in Iraq networks throughout the country killed one militant, captured five wanted terrorists and detained 13 additional suspects Nov. 10 and yesterday, officials said.

Coalition forces operating in Baghdad on Nov. 10 targeted a long-time al-Qaida in Iraq operative in the city's Karkh neighborhood. When ground forces moved toward the terrorist to detain him, he brandished a pistol. Coalition forces, acting in self-defense, engaged and killed the armed man, who turned out to be the wanted man, officials said.

In Mosul on Nov. 10, a wanted man believed to smuggle foreign terrorists and weapons in the Jazeera area was captured, along with two men believed to be his associates.

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