WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2007 – In a string of operations across Iraq over the past four days, Iraqi and coalition forces detained 43 suspected terrorists, found several weapons caches, stopped an illegal checkpoint, and freed three captives, military officials reported. -- In Karmah, Iraq, coalition forces detained 12 suspected terrorists today. Intelligence reports indicate the detainees have key logistical ties to the al Qaeda in Iraq network and to improvised explosive device production. Reports indicate that they are responsible for the recent increase in IED attacks in the Karmah area. During the raid, coalition forces found several AK-47s and ammunition.
-- In Mosul, coalition forces captured a foreign fighter facilitator with ties to a senior al Qaeda leader responsible for bringing large numbers of suicide bombers into Iraq.
-- Special Iraqi police forces captured five members of an illegally armed militia and detained seven others during operations with coalition advisors yesterday near Kawam, south of Baghdad. The suspects are allegedly responsible for coordinating and carrying out numerous IED and other attacks against Iraqi police, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces in the Babil province.
-- A tip from a local citizen to an Iraqi army unit enabled soldiers to stop an illegal checkpoint in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Ghazaliyah yesterday. Shortly after noon, an unidentified Iraqi phoned Company C, 4th Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, stating that a number of men had set up an illegal checkpoint in a southern Ghazaliyah neighborhood. A patrol was dispatched to the area and upon arrival was engaged by AK-47 and pistol fire. The patrol returned fire but was unable to prevent the escape of the terrorists.
-- Coalition and Iraqi army soldiers detained 10 suspects and seized four caches in the Al-Doura district as part of Operation Wolverine Feast yesterday. The operation began as witnesses reported seeing several men load a mortar tube and ammunition into the trunk of a car. Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division's Company C, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, and 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, were alerted and cordoned off the target area. In the first objective they captured one wanted man with an 82 mm mortar system, two AK-47 assault rifles, a 9 mm pistol and two hand grenades. A sweep of a second targeted area uncovered six men with 10 120 mm mortar rounds. The third cache contained a 60 mm mortar system and various rocket-propelled grenade launchers and RPG rounds. Three men were detained at this location. The last cache contained several RPG rockets and accelerators.
God Bless you for the ping. My son's not giving details like this on what they are doing, and it's nice to know. Robert did email this morning, so he's doing okay. It's good to know that his company and Regiment are making progress and working with the Iraqi soldiers.