Posted on 07/05/2008 4:30:15 PM PDT by mdittmar
BALAD, Iraq – Iraqi Special Operations Forces and Iraqi Army soldiers detained eight suspected criminals and killed a suicide bomber in the Ninewah province, July 4.
In one operation, ISOF conducted a mission in the outskirts of Mosul to detain the leader and other cell members of the Islamic State of Iraq, a front organization for al-Qaeda in Iraq. The group is known for operating support networks for weapons supply lines through Mosul to the north along the Tigris River.
Based on warrants, ISOF detained seven suspected criminals. The seven suspects make up a cell that reportedly uses intimidation to silence local Iraqis and extortion to finance the ISI as well as other criminals. The cell leader is also suspected of killing an Iraqi Police officer.
During the operation, one cell member targeted in the operation fled into a home and exited wearing a suicide vest with explosives. ISOF killed the individual with smallarms fire before he was able to detonate the vest in the area.
In another operation in Ninewah Province, the 3rd Iraqi Army Division captured an individual believed to be the leader of a separate AQI cell.
The suspect is allegedly operating along the Syrian border in the Ninewah province, providing refuge to transient foreign fighters, and is also involved in the facilitation of improvised explosive devices, vehicle-borne IEDs and other criminal activities.
During this operation, IA soldiers detained six other individuals believed to be involved with the AQI cell.
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