Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=50369
Coalition Troops in Afghanistan Kill 34 Militants, Capture Four
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2008 – Coalition forces in Afghanistan killed 34 militants and captured four others during separate operations in Khowst and Nimruz provinces yesterday, military officials said.
Coalition forces operating in southern Khowst province killed 33 militants. A coalition aerial reconnaissance team located the militants, who were armed with heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. Coalition forces engaged the militants with attack helicopters and a close-air-support bomber. All of the militants were killed.
Coalition forces killed one militant and captured four others during an anti-Taliban operation conducted in Nimruz province. Coalition forces searched compounds in the Khash Rod district looking for a Taliban leader who was known to smuggle weapons, facilitate roadside-bomb attacks and coordinate foreign-fighter movements.
Coalition forces encountered an armed militant who attempted to engage them. The coalition troops responded with small-arms fire, killing the militant. Coalition troops found 12 Afghan National Police uniforms and 50 pounds of opium. The drugs were destroyed, and the uniforms were confiscated.
In other news, coalition and Afghan soldiers killed several militants during a joint operation in the Khas Oruzgan district of Oruzgan province June 27.
The combined forces received small-arms fire from militants during a reconnaissance patrol. The U.S. and Afghan troops returned fire and called in air support, killing several militants.
Coalition and Afghan troops entered the militants’ compound and found the body of a young girl. On-scene medical personnel determined that the girl had been killed before the attack started.
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 101 news releases.)
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=50367
U.S. Troops in Iraq Confiscate Munitions in Baghdad Raids
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2008 – U.S. soldiers seized a quantity of munitions during four security operations conducted in Baghdad on June 29, military officials said.
— Three smoke grenades and three hand grenades were confiscated in Baghdad’s Adhamiyah section;
— An improvised explosive device constructed from a 122 mm artillery shell was seized north of Baghdad;
— Two explosively-formed projectiles were confiscated in Baghdad’s Rusafa area; and
— A 60 mm mortar launcher, a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher and a machine gun were seized in Baghdad’s West Rashid sector.
“Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers continue to comb the area and remove these weapons from the streets,” said Army Lt. Col. Steve Stover, a spokesman for Multinational Division Baghdad and 4th Infantry Division. “Each weapon and munition seized is one less that criminals can use against innocent Iraqi civilians.”
In other news, Iraqi security forces detained nine suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members, and U.S. troops found a 100-pound bag of explosives-making material during five days of anti-terrorist operations across northern Iraq that ended June 28.
— Iraqi soldiers detained five suspected al-Qaida members linked to a large-scale smuggling network during an operation northwest of Mosul on June 28. The suspects were detained at a suspected safe house in a village on the Syrian border. The Iraqi soldiers seized about 1,400 cartons of cigarettes valued at nearly $50,000. Money generated from sales of contraband cigarettes reportedly is used to support criminal networks and foreign fighters.
— Iraqi soldiers detained a suspected al-Qaida leader and another suspect during a June 27 operation in Balad. The detainee is believed to be involved in small-arms-fire attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.
— U.S. special operations forces operating in Samarra recovered about 100 pounds of potassium nitrate bags from a suspected former al-Qaida safe house June 26.
— On June 25, an Iraqi special weapons and tactics team destroyed a fuel point in Tikrit that was linked to al-Qaida operations in the western part of the Jazeera Desert-Thar Thar region. During the same operation, the Iraqi troops also found a possible al-Qaida rest site.
— In Beiji, an Iraqi emergency service unit detained two suspected criminals, one believed to be an al-Qaida facilitator, on June 23. The Iraqi forces also confiscated a small weapons cache consisting of anti-tank mines, rocket-propelled grenades, grenades, AK-47 assault rifles, rockets and more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition.
“Iraqi security forces continue to degrade terrorists’ safe havens and networks in the northern regions of Iraq as they demonstrate their determination to seek anyone operating outside the law,” said Army Lt. Col. Neil Harper, a Multinational Corps Iraq spokesman.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)