IRAQ: Armed foreign gangs fleeing, reports (terrorists in Ramadi on the run)

AKI ^ | 2006 Jun 20

[Wiz]

Baghdad, 20 June (AKI) - Sources in Ramadi in the restive al-Anbar province report that large groups of armed foreign militants are fleeing towards the Syrian border, as US and Iraqi forces tighten their siege on the city. Ramadi, some 100 kilometres west of Baghdad, is a stronghold of the insurgency and there are reports of many residents also fleeing in fear of an assault. Sources told Adnkronos International (AKI) that local tribes were also pursuing foreign terrorists "because of the immense damage they have done to infrastructure and the bad name they have given the insurgency by terror attacks against innocent civilians."

The sources added that "the armed men are heading towards the highlands near the Euphrates in an effort to find a secure refuge," emphasising that "the murder of the head of the Karabila tribe, Osama al-Jadaan, in al-Mansour last month, by al-Qaeda operators, triggered a vendetta by his relatives and followers."

[patriciaruth]

We not only have units waiting for them along the Syrian border, we have navy patrols in pursuit on the Euphrates, etc., and we also have the new Iraqi government supporting hot pursuit into Syria if necessary.

No, we're not going to let them slip away. Although, let's face it, some will manage to get away. That's just the way of war, but we're doing our best to keep those numbers down.

[Spruce]

[RSmithOpt]

Task Force 145 joint operations task force that was recently created in Iraq to include elements from different branches under Joint Special Operations Command at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. These include the military's two "direct action" special mission units - the Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, known as Delta Force, and the Navy's SEAL Team 6, sometimes known by its cover name, Naval Special Warfare Development Group; the Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and 75th Ranger Regiment; and the Air Force's 24th Special Tactics Squadron.

This group has been allowed to operate in Iraq upon it's own judgment ASAP upon its own intel evaluations to keep the heat on the insurgents.

This group does not need clearance up the chain to Central Command to plan and execute its next mission.

So, I imagine Jihad Johnny has not been getting a lot of sleep lately and have now figured it best to leave Iraq to Syria as fast as he can move.

Army Lt. Gen. Stan McChrystal, JSOC commander, spends much of his time in Iraq, his job there is to coordinate with Army Gen. John Abizaid, chief of Central Command, and other senior leaders. The man in charge of TF 145 is the Delta Force commander, a colonel and cannot be named at this time (security reasons).

Check out the May 8th issue of The Military Times from which some of this info was published.

I say, flush'em then fry'em!!

[Billthedrill]

They did.

You'd figure so, but that's assuming that some of the finest professionals in the world who have been in the field for years now are as smart as us armchair generals and keyboard commandos... ;-)

[fanfan]

Thanks for the ping Patty.

[Diver Dave]

The new government of Iraq issued a warning to Syria a couple weeks ago that they would be doing hot pursuit into Syrian territory of any terrorists fleeing there

I think I like those ROEs better than our pc-watered-down version.

[SuziQ]

large groups of armed foreign militants are fleeing towards the Syrian border,

I hope they chase em and kill em so they don't have to fight them again!

[SuziQ]

Looks like the Angel of Death. How very appropriate!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[Perdogg]

Bring out the AC-10 Warthogs with the 14.5mm vulcans.

[SE Mom]

One hopes they're being fueled as we speak.

[herkbird]

Those are not weapon systems being fired from those Hercs, that is a picture of an anti missile system being tested on the C-130 aircraft. Now if those were AC-130 Hercules gunships, your talking about a very destructive weapon system as long as the enemy on the ground has none or limited AAA. If the enemy has heavy AAA then those Hercs are sitting ducks on a suicide mission.

[Perdogg]

I heard that there is a spec-Op aviation unit made up of solely women, is this true?

[mystery-ak]

AC-130 Hercules gunships, .....yeah, I know...but I still like the pic....lol

[cinives]

Long overdue. It seems like the tipping point has been reached and the long hard slog of preparation is paying off.

Kudos, high fives and all appropriate woo-hoos to the boys and girls making this possible. If you are indeed there, stay safe.

[patriciaruth]

I'm not there. A lot of guys we send care packages to are there.

[BenLurkin]

BUMP

[DarthVader]

Slaughter them without mercy.

[RSmithOpt]

I believe that is correct and they fly the EC-130.