Al Qaeda-Connected Terrorist, Other Insurgents Captured

American Forces Press Service ^ | Sep 13, 2005 | unattributed

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2005 – Coalition forces captured a terrorist today known to have connections with senior leaders of al Qaeda in Iraq, officials reported. The action occurred at a raid on a terrorist safe house in Haditha. Four terrorists were killed when they converged on the safe house during the operation, and coalition aircraft destroyed a vehicle being used by one of the terrorists.

Elsewhere, Task Force Freedom soldiers participating in Operation Restoring Rights captured 78 suspected terrorists during operations in Tall Afar Sept. 12, officials reported today.

The operation is being conducted to remove terrorists from Tall Afar in support of the Iraqi government's efforts to bring safety and security to the citizen of that city. The operation, with about 5,000 U.S. and Iraqi infantrymen, is the largest since the battle for Fallujah in November 2004.

Tall Afar is located about 40 miles from the Syrian border.

Soldiers from four infantry and cavalry outfits captured the insurgents. Troops from 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, detained 57 individuals suspected of terrorist activity during two operations. Soldiers from the regiment's 1st Squadron detained 15 terror suspects during a cordon-and-search operation. Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, detained four suspected terrorists. Soldiers from 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment also detained two individuals suspected of terrorist activity while patrolling.

Officials noted that there were no injuries to multinational forces during the operations.

Officials in Tikrit reported that Task Force Liberty soldiers killed two terrorists trying to set up an improvised explosive device in Samarra Sept. 12. One terrorist was killed emplacing the IED, and the second was killed trying to approach the IED.

Elsewhere, when Iraqi army and coalition troops saw five military-aged males carrying a mortar tube in Hit Sept. 12, they killed one insurgent and scattered the others, officials said today. In another incident, troops from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force, working with coalition forces detained a suspected insurgent Sept. 12, in Saqlawiyah, in Anbar province.

The Iraqi and U.S. troops netted the suspect during cordon-and-knock operations and took the man into custody for further questioning concerning local terrorist attacks.

In southern Iraq, Camp Echo officials reported that Multinational Division Central South units, along with Iraqi security forces, seized a weapons cache in Wasit province Sept. 12. The cache contained 22 machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, magazines and other military equipment.

U.S. military officials based in Tikrit said a civilian led Task Force Liberty soldiers to a large number of munitions along the Iranian border in eastern Diyala province Sept. 12. The soldiers recovered 18 anti-tank rounds, 12 60 mm mortars, two 82 mm mortars, one 155 mm artillery round and one rocket-propelled grenade.

The munitions were secured by Iraqi personnel from the Department of Border Enforcement.

Airmen from the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron confiscated rocket launchers several miles from Ali Base, near the town of Nasiriyah, while conducting a base-defense patrol mission.

The squadron interrupted insurgents as they set timers on rockets aimed at the base here Sept. 11. The airmen saw the insurgents, but were unable to get to the scene before the they fled the area.

Munitions specialists from the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron were called to the scene to destroy the munitions in place.

"I am continually amazed at the security forces members' dedication to duty in the face of adversity and threat," said Col. Michael J. Nowak, 407th Air Expeditionary Group commander.

"These men and women patrol the hot, dusty desert around the clock in order to keep each one of us on the installation safe."

U.S. soldiers and Iraqi police discovered and defused a car bomb on Sept. 10 near Sha Lanei, southwest of the town of Musayyib.

According to police, the vehicle, a blue Mercedes dump truck, had been stolen from Fallujah over a month ago. It was discovered when the owner recognized it and notified the Iraqi police. The car was loaded with a 500pound bomb, 16 75-pound propane cylinders and thirty 57 mm rounds.

Soldiers assisting in the vehicle recovery and ordnance disposal were from the 2nd Battalion, 114th Field Artillery, 155th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

In air operations, coalition aircraft flew 49 close-air support and armed-reconnaissance sorties Sept. 12 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Air Force F-16s and U.S. Navy F/A-18s provided close-air support to coalition troops in the vicinities of Kut, Balad, Hit, Mosul and Samarra. Nine U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq. Royal Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a nontraditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq, and Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq and U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward news releases.)

[cripplecreek]

Some good work being done in Iraq and I'm kinda glad the media is preoccupied elsewere and not getting in the way.

[konaice]

Iraqi army and coalition troops saw five military-aged males carrying a mortar tube in Hit Sept. 12, they killed one insurgent and scattered the others,

Ah, the snipers are doing good work I see...

I'm guessing portions of the killed insergent were scattered as well.

[js1138]

Now doubt the third or fourth in command in whatever berg.

It must suck being the red-shirt AQ.

[Xenophobic Alien]

The car was loaded with a 500pound bomb, 16 75-pound propane cylinders and thirty 57 mm rounds.

That'll make a big boom.

[SteveMcKing]

Officials noted that there were no injuries to multinational forces during the operations.

The reason I find this encouraging is not for the foolish assumption that there should be zero casualties -- but as an indication that law enforcement is finally becoming the choice model for dealing with such operations. Very simplistically, a police department doesn't take casualties every day.