| WASHINGTON, May 9, 2007 – Coalition forces killed two insurgents, detained 34 others and destroyed improvised explosive devices in Iraq over the past three days.
Coalition forces southeast of Taji yesterday morning detained four suspected terrorists with alleged ties to a senior al Qaeda in Iraq leader. The leader is an explosives expert who was promoted recently after coalition forces arrested several network members, military officials said.
During an operation north of Karmah yesterday, coalition forces nabbed four individuals for their alleged involvement with the al Qaeda in Iraq command network.
In related operations near Baghdad and Ramadi yesterday, coalition forces detained seven other suspects with alleged ties to the same network.
Elsewhere, coalition forces in Mosul yesterday detained three individuals for suspected ties to al Qaeda senior leader in the area.
"We're continuing to build on our successes to disrupt the al Qaeda in Iraq network and stop their merciless and murderous attacks against the Iraqi people," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
Coalition forces near Mandali yesterday observed insurgents operating an illegal checkpoint and attempting to emplace a roadside bomb. Attack helicopters soon arrived, engaging and killing two insurgents. Five others were killed, including two children, and three additional Iraqis were wounded, local residents told members of a coalition ground patrol.
Residents identified the bodies of Abd al-Qader Dadoush and Wadeh Kalifa Doudoush, two high-level improvised-explosive-device manufacturers and emplacers.
Contrary to some media reports, forces did not fire at a school, U.S. officials said. Task Force Lightning soldiers are investigating the cause of civilian casualties.
In southern Baghdad yesterday, paratroopers from the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, arrested two men for allegedly planting improvised explosive devices. The suspects tested positive for exposure to explosive material and are being held for further questioning.
Paratroopers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division also discovered and destroyed 12 improvised explosive devices in Kalsu yesterday. Explosive ordnance disposal teams destroyed some devices on site, and investigated others prior to their destruction.
Working on intelligence collected in prior operations, coalition forces raided a Baghdad chemical car-bomb network yesterday, detaining one suspected terrorist for his alleged involvement in the cell, military officials said.
In a raid southwest of Tal Afar on May 7, coalition forces detained seven suspects with alleged ties to a network that facilitates foreign fighter movement into Iraq. The same day, coalition forces northeast of Karmah nabbed five suspected terrorists in raids targeting individuals suspected of coordinating anti-aircraft attacks against coalition forces.
“These targets were the result of the continued success we're having in operations against terrorist networks,” Garver said. “Each time we execute operations like these, it leads into another target, another operation, another success and, ultimately, to diminishing al Qaeda's ability to attack innocent Iraqis.”
Iraqi special operations forces captured an alleged Jaysh al-Madhi militia leader in Diyala province May 7. The operation was aimed at disrupting Iranian intelligence operations and other activities in the province, military officials said. During the operation, Iraqi forces seized a sizable amount of Iraqi currency. No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured during these operations.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
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