Posted on 05/27/2007 7:28:44 AM PDT by SandRat
BAQUBAH Coalition forces rescued seven kidnapped victims during a three-day operation in Chibernat, a village north of Baqubah, Wednesday.
Coalition forces also discovered more than 10 caches, nine improvised explosive devices and detained 11 suspected insurgents throughout the course of the operation.
The caches consisted of rocket-propelled grenade munitions, small-arms weapon systems, approximately 200 loaded AK-47 magazines, IED-making materials, grenades, mortar rounds and a suicide vest.
Iraqi Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division and U,S Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, attached to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducted the target-driven operation to eliminate the insurgents perceived safe havens throughout the area and secure the population of Chibernat.
We continue to aggressively target the enemy, destroying the insurgents perceived power base and depleting their supplies, said Col. David W. Sutherland, 3-1 Cav. commander and senior U.S. Army officer in Diyala.
They offer nothing but death and destruction, and will be brought to justice, he added.
While clearing the neighborhood, Soldiers from Company B, 5-20 Inf. Regt., rescued seven local residents, to include an Iraqi Police captain, who was held hostage.
Approximately 100 meters from the site, the security forces discovered nine civilians who were killed prior to their arrival.
The freed hostages were taken to the Provincial Joint Coordination Center to provide a detailed account of their experience.
According to the victims, who were taken from Muqdadiya, Balad Ruz andBaquba, insurgents associated with the Islamic State of Iraq were responsible for their kidnapping and the killing of the other nine citizens in the house.
During the interview, the freed hostages said if the Soldiers would have arrived an hour later, they would have been killed by the terrorists.The detainees were transferred to a facility for further questioning.
The discovery of caches and IEDs during this operation proves that the terrorists do not have safe havens within Diyala, Sutherland added. We will continue to be persistent, and provide a safe and secure environment to the innocent people throughout this province.(Courtesy story by Multi-National Division North)
I wish the article would say if the insurgents were Iraqi’s or imports. Iraq needs to implement a treason law and execute all insurgents.
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