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http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=494
Coalition Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan; Forces Kill Extremists, Uncover Weapons
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2006 – Two coalition soldiers were killed in separate incidents in Afghanistan Aug. 16 and yesterday, and coalition forces killed eight extremists and discovered a weapons cache, U.S. military officials reported.
A coalition soldier was killed yesterday during a battle with extremists just west of Asadabad, in Kunar province. In addition, one wounded coalition soldier was evacuated to a nearby coalition treatment facility, where he remains in stable condition.
Reports indicate the fight started when extremists attacked a coalition patrol about seven kilometers east of the coalition forward operating base. In response to the enemy attack, coalition troops pounded extremist positions with direct and joint fires, but have not confirmed how much damage was inflicted.
“Our fallen comrade served and died here so that others may enjoy the fruits of democracy,” said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. James Terry, Combined Joint Task Force 76 deputy commanding general for operations. “He will not be forgotten.”
A coalition member was killed Aug. 16 in southeastern Afghanistan when the vehicle he was traveling in struck a Soviet-era mine. Reports indicate recent rains in the area exposed the old mine, and enemy action was not the cause. The vehicle struck the mine south of Bermel, in Paktika province, while on a routine patrol in the area.
Officials did not release the nationalities of the deceased soldiers. The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Elsewhere, coalition forces killed eight extremists Aug. 16 in the Asadabad district of Kunar province in response to direct small-arms fire. The coalition responded to the attack with small arms, machine gun fire and grenades.
“Our commitment will remain steadfast to defeat this enemy, to ensure the security of the region,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick, Combined Joint Task Force 76 spokesman.
In another operation, coalition forces discovered a weapons cache while searching an extremist compound in the Nika district of Paktika province yesterday. The cache included six rocket-propelled-grenade rounds, a battery, a machine gun barrel, 40 machine gun rounds, a tail boom, a firebox, 70 blasting caps, and several mortar rounds.
“These weapons will no longer be a threat to the lives of Afghan civilians,” Fitzpatrick said. “We will continue to conduct operations to remove these types of deadly weapons wherever we find them to ensure a peaceful existence for the Afghan people.”
(Compiled from Combined Forces Command Afghanistan news releases.)
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http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=497
Coalition Forces in Iraq Seize Several Weapons Caches, Detain Eight Suspects
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2006 – U.S. soldiers in Iraq seized several large weapons caches and detained eight terrorist suspects in operations yesterday.
Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team seized a large weapons cache during a cordon-and-search operation in northern Baghdad shortly before 1 p.m. The weapons cache included 21 AK-47 assault rifles, 55 magazines of 7.62 mm ammunition, 2 PKC machine guns, a Russian sniper rifle, tens of thousands of rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, a fragmentary grenade, four jihadist propaganda magazines, and a martyrdom recruitment poster.
Earlier yesterday, soldiers from 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, detained six suspected terrorists north of Baghdad at about 3:30 a.m. The Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers conducted a search of several houses. The suspects are being held for questioning.
Elsewhere, soldiers from 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, assigned to Multinational Division Baghdad, detained two suspected terrorists and seized a massive weapons cache in a warehouse during a search of Nur and Ghazalyia yesterday in support of Operation Together Forward.
The weapons and munitions seized included 272 120 mm mortar rounds, 212 82 mm mortar rounds, 99 60 mm mortar rounds, 33,800 14.5 mm rounds, 5,000 7.62 rounds, 90 5.56 rounds, 165 19 mm rounds, 104 rocket-propelled grenades, 240 23 mm rockets, 200 60 mm primers, 22 107 mm rockets, nine 069B rockets, 11 RPG rounds, two landmines, a .30 caliber shape charge, a crater charge, 11 fragmentation grenades, a machine gun, two AK-47s, a PKC machine gun, an RPK machine gun, two 14 mm machine guns, 20 full AK-47 magazines, ammunition drums, various loose ammunition, 5,000 feet of detonation cord, three bayonets, five 82 mm tubes, four 60 mm tubes, three 60 mm mortar bipods, four 81 mm mortar bipods, two 60 mm mortar bases, an 81 mm base, two land mines, an 81 mm mortar base, an aiming circle, two aiming poles, 54 rocket motors, and various bomb-making materials.
The suspected terrorists were detained for questioning. All munitions and weapons were confiscated for destruction. Five hundred buildings were searched during the operation.
Operations have taken place in Doura, Shula, Ghazaliyah and Ameriyah from Aug. 7-16. During this time, Iraqi army, Iraqi police and coalition soldiers have cleared more than 23,000 buildings, 21 mosques, detained 54 suspected terrorists, seized 326 weapons, registered 341 weapons, found 10 weapons and munitions caches, and removed 900 tons of trash.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)