Coalition forces kill 12 terrorists

BAGHDAD , Iraq – Coalition forces killed 12 terrorists during a raid April 25 in Yusifiyah at a safe house associated with foreign terrorists. Multiple intelligence sources led the troops to the specific structure located approximately 8 kilometers N/NE of the location where the U.S. Apache helicopter crashed April 1.

Upon arrival the troops took direct fire and immediately engaged the threat with small arms fire as well as rotary wing aircraft machine gun fire. The troops initially killed five terrorists outside of the safe house, and then called for an air strike to neutralize the persistent direct fire coming from the safe house.

After the precision air strike, the ground troops conducted a tactical search of the destroyed safe house and located the bodies of seven more terrorists and a woman. Every male who was found in the rubble was wearing an AK-47 vest with two loaded magazines and two grenades. The troops also discovered suicide notes on one of the terrorists, body bombs, weapons to include a shoulder-fired rocket and ammunition.

The first terrorist who ran out of the safe house upon the troops' arrival was attempting to launch the shoulder-fired rocket and was immediately engaged and killed.

Two wanted terrorists, one potentially transnational, were believed to be operating from this safe house. However, it is unknown at this time if the two were killed in the raid. Coalition forces are currently determining the identity of those killed.

The troops destroyed the weapons, suicide vests/body bombs and ammunition on-site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER at: cpicpressdesk@iraq.centcom.mil .

I'm glad you didn't ping a certain poster whose screen name is canine in nature, or he'd be fanning the rumor flames!

Ain't that right, Dog?!? :-D

Whether or not a key player was exterminated in this raid, job well done by all involved.

Outstanding collection and consolidation of actionable intelligence
Timely, well-armed response
Prompt, effective command, control and communications to call in a deadly airstrike
If the post-op mop-up goes as well as the operation's other stages, I anticipate we'll learn a lot more fairly quickly. That is, if those "in the know" want us to know! :-)

Al Qaida Terrorist, Four Others Detained, Five Killed in Yusifiyah

BAGHDAD, Iraq - At approximately 2:15 a.m. April 16, Coalition forces raided a safe house in Yusifiyah, killing five terrorists and detaining five while searching for a wanted al Qaeda associate. Upon arrival at the identified hideout the troops received small arms fire, immediately returned fire, assaulted the building and ultimately neutralized the threat.

During the assault, five terrorists, three of them wearing suicide vests, were killed; five others, one of whom was wounded, were detained. Two of the suicide bombers were killed before either could detonate his vest, and the third detonated his body bomb killing only himself and injuring no one else.

After the terrorists initiated hostilities, one woman died, and three women and one child were injured. The wounded females and child were medically evacuated to the 10th CSH in Baghdad. All four were ambulatory.

Coalition forces confirmed that one of the five detained was the wanted al Qaeda terrorist for whom the troops were searching. The terrorist, whose name is currently being withheld, was involved in the planning and execution of improvised explosive device attacks and allegedly was associated with al Qaeda foreign fighter operations. The other four suspects are being assessed for knowledge of and involvement in terrorist activity.

The troops found four AK-47s, one pistol, several grenades and suicide vests (the three being worn) at the safe house. Explosives ordnance experts detonated the two remaining vests on-site. Most grenades were used by the enemy, and one grenade was found with the pin pulled, but not yet expended, in the hand of a dead terrorist.

Five Coalition members were injured during the raid, three of whom have already been returned to duty. The other two are in good condition and are expected to be returned to duty shortly.

Source: Multi-National Force-Iraq

Coalition forces killed 12 terrorists during a raid April 25 in Yusifiyah at a safe house associated with foreign terrorists. Multiple intelligence sources led the troops to the specific structure located approximately 8 kilometers N/NE of the location where the U.S. Apache helicopter crashed April 1.

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