Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15977&Itemid=21
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20071222-01
December 22, 2007
Iraqi Police uncover major weapons cache
Multi-National Division – North
KIRKUK, Iraq – Iraqi Police uncovered a major weapons cache in the Kirkuk province of Iraq Dec. 18. The discovery was made during a series of pre-dawn raids at suspected cache sites.
Iraqi Police led the operation in the town of Ruwadah, approximately 25 miles west of Kirkuk City. The operation was named “Kura Azakan” (The Brave Men) by General Sarhadt, outer Hawijah district police chief, because Coalition Forces and Iraqi Police had not been in the area recently and because the Iraqi Police had gone in without Coalition presence.
More than 300 Iraqi Police officers from Dibbis, Sagaron, Tarkalan, Altun Kopri and Schawn took part in the operation, which was conducted using 32 Iraqi Police vehicles. At one of the sites, Iraqi Police discovered one of the largest caches in recent Kirkuk province history.
Included in the cache were approximately: 65 grenades, 83 rocket propelled grenades, 1,800 fuses, 1,060 mortar rounds, 250 various explosive projectiles, 3,000 small-arms rounds, 1,400 20 mm cannon rounds, and more than 1,000 pounds of explosives and improvised explosive device-making material.
Coalition Forces from Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment and Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, along with explosives ordnance disposal team members, were called in to safely dispose of the ordnance. In an extensive combined operation, Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces conducted a 13-hour clearing operation which resulted in the destruction of the more than 7 tons of deadly ordnance.
“This is another example of the growing capacity of the Iraqi Security Forces to conduct independent operations and was a result of a lot of hard work from brave Iraqis,” said Col. David Pashcal, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division commander. “The discovery and destruction of this cache will seriously disrupt the enemy’s ability to conduct attacks on innocent Iraqi citizens, Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces.”
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Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15984&Itemid=21
Press Release A071222a
December 22, 2007
Coalition forces disrupt al-Qaeda propaganda and finance operations, six suspects detained
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces detained two wanted individuals and four additional suspects during operations today targeting al-Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq.
During an operation in Baghdad, Coalition forces captured a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq associate allegedly involved in facilitating finances for the terrorist network in Arab Jabour. Reports indicate the wanted individual is associated with senior terrorists in the network responsible for numerous attacks against Coalition forces.
The Arab Jabour network is operating in a degraded state following recent Coalition forces success in the region, to include an operation Dec. 15 that led to the detention of another wanted individual suspected of being involved in the network (see MNF-I press release A071215a, “Coalition forces disrupt al-Qaeda operations; four terrorists killed, 18 detained,” dated Dec. 15, 2007).
Also in the capital city, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to be involved in al-Qaeda in Iraq media and propaganda operations. The wanted individual is allegedly a close associate of three suspects, also involved in al-Qaeda media operations, who were detained by Coalition forces during operations last week.
Farther north in Mosul, four suspected terrorists were detained during an operation targeting an associate of the al-Qaeda in Iraq network operating in the city.
“We are continuing to take the fight to al-Qaeda,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesman. “Our operations are diminishing their ability to attack the Iraqi people and the security forces that protect them.”
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