Coalition Forces Kill Terrorist, Detain 25 in Iraq Operations

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 21, 2008 - Coalition forces continued to degrade al-Qaida in Iraq networks yesterday and today, killing one terrorist and detaining 25 other suspects during operations throughout the country, military officials reported. Coalition forces killed a terrorist yesterday in Qayyarah, south of Mosul, during an operation targeting an alleged al-Qaida weapons facilitator. Reporting led forces to a residence in the city identified as the location of the wanted man. As coalition forces entered the building, a man inside reached for an AK-47 rifle and attempted to engage them. Perceiving hostile intent, forces engaged and killed the man, later identified as the wanted terrorist. Another suspect believed to be an associate of the wanted man was detained without further incident.

An alleged al-Qaida financier was captured yesterday in Tikrit, north of Baghdad. The wanted man also is reportedly associated with al-Qaida in Iraq's terrorist court system. One additional suspect was detained during the operation.

Coalition forces took aim at al-Qaida's central Iraq networks during an operation late yesterday near Abu Ghraib. There, forces detained five suspects believed to be associates of an alleged suicide bomber and administrative facilitator in the region.

Also yesterday, forces detained one man believed to be associated with Samarra al-Qaida leaders during an operation near Kifri, southeast of Kirkuk.

Forces continued targeting Samarra al-Qaida leaders early today in the Jalam Desert, north of Baghdad. That operation netted three suspects.

Two suspects believed to be associated with a regional al-Qaida leader were detained by coalition forces today in Tarmiyah, north of Baghdad.

Also today in Tarmiyah, forces detained three suspects believed to be associates of a wanted al-Qaida financier.

Coalition and Iraqi forces dealt another blow to al-Qaida's bombing networks in Salahuddin today. The combined force captured an alleged improvised explosive device and suicide bomber facilitator near Hawijah, southwest of Kirkuk. Three suspects believed to be the wanted man's associates also were detained.

Al-Qaida bombing networks in Mosul were also degraded today. There, forces detained four suspects during an operation targeting an alleged IED facilitator.

In other operations yesterday:

-- Coalition forces arrested an alleged Kataib Hezbollah special operations cell leader and detained two other suspects during an operation in Baghdad's Adhamiyah district. Acting with a warrant issued in accordance with Iraqi law, coalition forces targeted the alleged cell leader, believed to be responsible for the July improvised rocket-assisted mortar attack in Adhamiyah. Coalition forces approached the suspected terrorist's residence in Adhamiyah and arrested the wanted man without incident. Forces also detained two of his associates, who are suspected of being Kataib Hezbollah terrorists.

-- Acting on intelligence information, coalition forces targeted an alleged finance manager for several terrorist network cells in Baghdad's Adhamiyah district. Coalition forces approached a residence believed to be the location of the wanted man, where he was apprehended without incident, along with two associates.

-- In a separate operation conducted in Adhamiyah, forces targeted an individual believed to be involved in nefarious activities with leadership from two criminal networks, including special groups. Forces approached the suspect's residence in Adhamiyah and apprehended the suspected terrorist and two associates without incident.

-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained four suspected "special groups" criminals in Baghdad's Rashid district. Soldiers from Troop C, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conducted a combined patrol with Iraqi national Police officers from the 1st Battalion, 6th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, and detained four individuals after receiving a tip from an Iraqi citizen. The individuals are suspected of murder and roadside bomb attacks.

-- Iraqi security forces, alongside Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers, seized weapons and munitions in the Ghazaliyah and Ameriya districts of northwest Baghdad. During combined combat operations, Iraqi security forces serving with the 4th Battalion, 54th Brigade, and 2nd Battalion, 22nd Brigade, both of the 6th Iraqi Army Division, supported by the 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, operationally attached to the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, the 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, and the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, both of the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, seized a total of five separate caches of various sizes. The largest cache consisted of 15 various sized mortar rounds, 12 AK-47 assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade warhead

In operations Dec. 19:

-- Iraqi security forces arrested two suspected criminals during combat operations in southern Baghdad's Rashid district. Iraqi Army soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 53rd Brigade, 14th Iraqi Army Division, arrested a suspected criminal in accordance with an outstanding warrant. Police officers from the 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, served a warrant for the arrest of a suspected criminal in the Furat community.

-- Soldiers serving with 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, seized six AK-47s, a pistol, and a box containing an undetermined amount of ammunition in Baghdad's Ghazaliyah neighborhood.

-- Soldiers serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armor Division, found eight 57 mm projectiles south of Baghdad. An explosives ordnance disposal team responded to the area and destroyed the munitions.

-- Acting on a tip from a concerned citizen, soldiers serving with Company C, 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, discovered a cache north of Baghdad containing eight 125 mm mortars, two 42 mm mortars and five 40 mm high explosive anti-tank rounds. The seized munitions were later destroyed by an EOD team.

-- Soldiers serving with 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armor Division, uncovered two buried caches south of Baghdad. The munitions seized included two 100-pound propane tanks, an 80-pound propane tank, a 100-kilogram bomb, a 2.75-inch Flechette rocket, two 125 mm rounds, two mortars and 150 pounds of homemade explosives.

-- Soldiers serving with 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regt., 2nd
Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found a cache containing a base plate and an anti-aircraft barrel, 570 rounds linked and 1,500 rounds unlinked of .50-caliber ammunition north of Baghdad.

-- Iraqi national Police serving with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st National Police Division, seized five automatic timer mines, two pounds of unknown bulk explosive material, 15 57 mm projectiles, a rifle and eight project boxes used in IEDs near the joint security station Tuwaitha south of Baghdad.

-- Iraqi Police officers from 1st Battalion, 6th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, patrolling with soldiers from Troop C, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, responded to a tip and detained a suspected criminal in the Abu T'shir community of Baghdad's Rashid district.

In operations Dec. 18:

-- National Police officers from 1st Battalion, 6th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, conducting a combined patrol with soldiers from Troop C, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, found an RPG round in an Abu T'shir neighborhood of Baghdad's Rashid district.

-- Police officers from 2nd Battalion, 7th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, working with soldiers from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, discovered an emplaced roadside bomb consisting of one anti-tank mine and a propane tank in the Masafee community. An Iraqi EOD team dismantled the bomb.

-- Police officers from 2nd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, working with soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, responded to a tip and detained a suspected criminal in the Aamel community.

-- Soldiers serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armor Division, discovered a cache containing eight propane tanks wrapped in detonation cord.

-- Soldiers serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, discovered a large cache north of Baghdad. The cache included 28 82 mm mortars, seven grenades of various sizes, a 60 mm mortar, an 82 mm mortar tube and stand, 14 high-explosive rockets of various sizes, two 57 mm projectiles, 19 39.5 mm mortar fuses, 2,640 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition, 20 sticks of TNT, 20 pounds of PE-4 explosive material and various bomb-making materials.

-- Iraqi Army soldiers serving with 4th Battalion, 54th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and Iraqi Police from Ameriya found a weapons cache. The munitions seized included a 155 mm projectile, three rocket-propelled grenades, 20 blasting caps, six sticks of C-4 explosive, an RPG motor, 100 meters of detonation cord, and a V25 rocket fuse.

-- A suspected terrorist was apprehended and detained by soldiers from1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, in Khan Bani Sab. The individual detained is suspected to be involved in weapons trafficking, indirect fire attacks, and other acts of terrorism.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)