Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48325
Coalition Captures Weapons, Foreign Terrorist Facilitators
American Forces Press Service
BAGHDAD, Dec. 5, 2007 – Coalition forces detained 10 suspected terrorists during operations today to disrupt al Qaeda operations in central and northern Iraq, military officials reported.
In Baghdad, coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to be involved in terrorist media and propaganda operations. The wanted individual allegedly is associated with foreign-terrorist-facilitation networks operating in the region and weapons facilitators detained by coalition forces during operations Nov. 17 and 18. The ground force discovered a large amount of terrorist propaganda materials on site.
Further north, coalition forces captured another wanted individual believed to be involved in weapons facilitation and car-bomb attacks in Tikrit. Reports indicate the suspect is associated with other al Qaeda in Iraq weapons facilitators operating in the southern belt terrorist network.
During an operation in Hadid, the ground force detained a wanted individual involved in al Qaeda in Iraq media and propaganda operations. The suspect allegedly is associated with several al Qaeda in Iraq members recently detained or killed by coalition forces, including the terrorist media cell leader for Diyala province who was killed during an operation yesterday.
In other operations in Samarra and Mosul, coalition forces detained seven suspected terrorists while targeting al Qaeda in Iraq associates involved in improvised-explosive-device attacks and foreign terrorist facilitation.
“Our operations are steadily chipping away at the al Qaeda in Iraq networks,” said Army Maj. Winfield Danielson, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. “We will continue to pressure these terrorists who conduct brutal attacks on the Iraqi people until al Qaeda cannot recover.”
(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48326
Several Militants Killed in Afghanistan Operation
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2007 – Several militants were killed yesterday during a coalition operation to disrupt foreign-fighter and weapons facilitation networks in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, military officials reported.
In the Garmsir district of Helmand province, coalition forces targeted an individual believed to be associated with weapons smuggling operations in the province. Reports indicate the individual is associated with a Taliban leader responsible for facilitating the weapons and explosives recovered and destroyed during a Nov. 16 coalition operation. The individual is reported to have knowledge of foreign fighter movements throughout the area.
Coalition forces conducted a search of several compounds in the district. While performing a search of one of the compounds, coalition forces killed several armed militants who posed an imminent threat. After hostilities ceased, coalition forces recovered several weapons and explosives, which were removed to prevent their use by extremist forces.
“Coalition forces have taken another significant step in the effort to disrupt the weapons facilitation and foreign-fighter networks in Afghanistan,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman.
In other Afghanistan developments, coalition forces positively identified one of the militants killed in a Dec. 2 precision munitions strike in the Musa Qaleh district of Helmand province as former Taliban senior commander Mullah Ikhalas. He is reported to be responsible for the March 5 kidnapping of Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo, as well as the journalist’s interpreter and driver. Taliban insurgents executed the interpreter and driver. Reports also indicated Ikhalas was responsible for a number of mortar attacks on coalition bases, as well as several IED attacks.
“The death of Mullah Ikhalas is a significant blow to the Taliban command structure in Afghanistan,” Belcher said.
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)