Sunday, November 19, 2006

Iraqi Police, SF nab terror leaders

Thursday, 16 November 2006
By American Forces Press Service


BAGHDAD - Iraqi Special Forces Soldiers and Police nabbed terror-cell leaders and members in raids in Baghdad over the last two days, U.S. officials reported.

Coalition forces have also killed 11 insurgents in three related incidents in Ramadi. In an incident near Haswah Tuesday, three insurgents were observed emplacing an improvised explosive device. Soldiers fired on the insurgents, killing two.

Iraqi Soldiers and Police nabbed terror-cell leaders and members in a Baghdad raid this week. Official Department of Defense photo.

In a raid Monday in the same area, special Iraqi Police Forces with Coalition advisers captured six insurgents believed to be responsible for car-bomb attacks against Iraqi civilians and Security Forces. The insurgents are also allegedly responsible for criminal activities including extortion, murder, kidnapping and car theft in the Haswah and Baghdad areas. The insurgents also help finance other insurgent cells.

Monday evening, Coalition Forces engaged a small number of insurgents emplacing an improvised explosive device. Two insurgents died in the engagement. The three remaining insurgents returned to the emplacement site, and Coalition Forces fired one main-tank-gun round, killing all three insurgents.

Following an IED attack on a Coalition vehicle four hours later in the same area, four insurgents were killed after they attempted to take mission-essential equipment from the vehicle. Two of the insurgents were killed by small-arms fire, and two were killed with one main-tank-gun round. The incident occurred during curfew hours.

Nine additional suspects were detained by Iraqi Forces during the raid, and several assault rifles were confiscated. Iraqi Forces entered a mosque compound while conducting the operation but did not enter the mosque. Coalition Forces did not enter the mosque compound or the mosque.

Elsewhere, U.S. Army soldiers detained three suspected terrorists in Baghdad’s Doura neighborhood around 5:45 a.m. Monday. The soldiers, from 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, responded to a rocket attack and saw two suspects fleeing the scene. The suspects attempted to evade the patrol, but were unsuccessful. Patrol members secured the suspects for further questioning.

In a Sunday raid in Arab A’ Jabur, special Iraqi Security Forces with Coalition advisers captured four members of an insurgent cell believed to be responsible for murders, kidnappings and bomb attacks that have killed and injured Iraqi civilians and Iraqi Police Forces.

The insurgents were also allegedly responsible for taking over Iraqi civilian houses in the area to use for expanding their network, causing families to be displaced.

No Iraqi Forces or civilians or coalition forces were killed during these incidents.

Hat tip: CENTCOM.