Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=3284
Troops Kill Five Terrorists, Capture Five Others
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 7, 2007 – Coalition forces have killed five and captured five terrorists in Iraq in recent days.
Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers discovered five terrorists emplacing improvised explosive devices at a village near the banks of the Euphrates River in Baghdad on March 5. Soldiers engaged the terrorists with small-arms fire, killing four.
Following the firefight, the soldiers recovered two AK-47 assault rifles. They turned the terrorists’ bodies over to local authorities and confiscated the weapons.
Elsewhere in Iraq that day, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers discovered a weapons cache along the main highway into Baghdad, near the Radwaniyah village. The cache contained 10 fragmentation hand grenades, 165 mortar primers, eight 12.7 mm machine gun rounds, two bags of bulk explosives with blasting caps, a box with 100 blasting caps, 1,000 9 mm pistol rounds, six hand grenade fuses, a bag of plastic explosives, 1,000 AK-47 rounds, and an improvised explosive device.
This week in Tikrit, aerial surveillance helicopters killed a terrorist and wounded two March 4 as the terrorists attempted to remove munitions from a cache site. Paratroopers from Battery B, Task Force 1-319th, were immediately dispatched to search the area and discovered more than 600 mortar rounds and anti-tank mines with fuses. An explosive ordnance detachment detonated the munitions at the site.
In Baghdad that day, soldiers of 5th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, with coalition partners, detained three individuals found with bomb-making materials. The three suspects were detained for questioning, military officials said.
That day in Yusufiyah, Iraqi army and Multinational Division Baghdad troops found three caches containing weapons and ammunition. The caches, hidden in camouflaged buckets, contained 22 Katyusha rockets, 13 rocket-propelled grenade rounds, a 60 mm mortar tube, two full drums of PKC medium machine gun ammunition, and 12 rolls of detonation cord.
“This is another significant find in our area of operations,” Army Maj. Web Wright, a spokesman, said. “We find lots of mortar rounds in this area, but finding the mortar tube is important, because the tube is the only way to launch the rounds.
“Without the tube, the enemy loses not just a weapon, but a capability,” he said.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=3286
Terrorist Facilitator, IED Expert Captured in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 7, 2007 – Afghan and coalition forces have captured suspected terrorists and destroyed a car rigged with explosives in operations in Afghanistan over the past three days.
A suspected al Qaeda facilitator and improvised-explosive-device expert was captured today, along with five other suspected terrorists, during an assault by Afghan and coalition forces on a compound near Jalalabad, in the Nangarahar province of Afghanistan. No shots were fired, and no civilians or forces were injured during the assault.
The suspected terrorist was an alleged IED expert and logistics officer for the “Tora Bora Front,” which facilitates the movement of fighters from Pakistan to Afghanistan. The individuals were taken into custody for questioning.
During a separate operation, Afghan National Police captured and destroyed a car bomb yesterday in Kapisa province near a coalition fire base in Nejrab.
The Afghan police had chased the vehicle after AK-47 ammunition was observed falling from the vehicle. The driver fled the vehicle, and the police discovered the right side of the vehicle was wired with explosives. They secured the area and notified Afghan National Army and coalition forces of their discovery.
A combined Afghan and coalition patrol responded, and trained personnel conducted a thorough search of the vehicle. They determined the device was too dangerous to disarm, and Afghan army and coalition forces rigged the vehicle with explosives to detonate it and deem it safe. The charges destroyed the right side of the vehicle, ensuring the explosive device was no longer a threat. There were no injuries to any civilians or coalition forces during this operation.
“The successful interdiction and disposal of this vehicle before it could be used in an attack increases security and reduces the danger posed by criminals and insurgents who have no regard for Afghan life and would harm innocent civilians, Afghan national aecurity and coalition forces,” said Army Lt. Col. David Accetta, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman.
On March 5, Afghan and coalition forces arrested five suspected terrorists, two of whom attempted to flee to a neighboring building, during an operation west of Khowst city. The men were arrested without further incident following a thorough search of the buildings. The search also uncovered a cache of grenades and armor-piercing rounds.
Credible information in connection with anti-government activities and known terrorist groups at the suspected compound led the coalition forces to the building in Khowst province, U.S. officials said.
No shots were fired during the operation, and there were no reported injuries or damages. The grenades and ammunition were destroyed at the scene.
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
Note: the following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=3291
Coalition, Iraqi Forces Detain Suspects, Find Weapons
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 7, 2007 – Coalition and Iraqi forces detained 48 suspected terrorists and found several weapons caches in operations throughout Iraq in the past two days.
Coalition forces detained 24 suspected terrorists today during several raids targeting al Qaeda in Iraq networks.
-- In southern Baghdad, ground forces detained eight suspected terrorists during a raid in which they targeted a group reported to be involved in the coordination, movement and emplacement of car bombs used against Iraqi and coalition forces.
-- In Rutbah, coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists while targeting a suspected weapons dealer who is known for providing improvised explosive device-making material and is also believed to be involved in foreign fighter facilitation.
-- In Samarra, coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists. Intelligence reports indicate terrorists in the targeted area are involved in weapons trafficking and the acquisition of identity cards and passports.
-- Northeast of Karmah, coalition forces detained nine suspected terrorists with alleged ties to senior al Qaeda in Iraq leadership.
"Coalition forces operations continue to systematically dismantle the al Qaeda in Iraq network," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "The al Qaeda in Iraq network is contrary to the peace and stability Iraqi citizens deserve."
In other developments, Iraqi army troops and paratroopers from Multinational Division Baghdad worked together to successfully complete "Operation White Rockets" yesterday, finding two ammunition caches and detaining two suspects.
Soldiers of 5th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Squadron, dismounted to clear out suspected insurgent sanctuary areas near Bin Muhammad, south of Baghdad.
They discovered and confiscated caches consisting of homemade explosives, some unknown substances, weapon parts and ammunition.
While troops clearing buildings, they detained two suspects. An explosive ordnance disposal team secured the ammunition caches for controlled detonation. The unknown substances are being tested for identification.
Elsewhere, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained 22 insurgent suspects and secured weapon and ammunition caches south of Baghdad yesterday.
Soldiers of 3rd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, conducted targeted raids to capture known terrorists and secure weapons and ammunition near Jabella. Besides the 22 detainees taken into custody, several caches were found.
The caches consisted of a 60 mm mortar round, two sticks of dynamite, 9 feet of detonation cord, three blasting caps, three AK-47 ammunition magazines, three passports, a machine gun barrel, an AK-47 butt stock, two empty ammunition boxes, one box of primers, two AK-47s, six 7.62 mm ammunition magazines, one 8 mm round, two 8 mm mortar fuses, five blasting caps, and a rocket-propelled-grenade booster.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)