Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=51028
Coalition Identifies Taliban Leaders Killed in Recent Strikes
American Forces Press Service
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Sept. 4, 2008 – Coalition forces have positively identified five Taliban subcommanders killed during operations over the past month in Afghanistan’s Kapisa province.
Qari Nejat, along with four other enemy fighters, was killed during a coalition forces operation in the province’s Nijrab district Aug. 5. Officials said Nejat was a Taliban commander in the Tag Ab valley region, with ties to senior insurgent figures. He was implicated in the July 21 suicide bombing in the Tag Ab bazaar that injured six Afghan nationals, as well as the July 16 kidnapping of three Afghan National Police officers in Jalokhel. Nejat also was wanted in connection with the torturing and beheading of an Afghan citizen June 30.
Khairullah Nezami and Qari Ezmarai, along with four other Taliban operatives, were killed in the Tag Ab district on Aug. 23. Nezami was a known roadside bomb facilitator and also coordinated the movement of suicide bombers and foreign terrorists within the network. Ezmarai is believed to have helped foreign terrorists move into and around Afghanistan to conduct attacks for the Taliban.
Both militants were local Taliban commanders in the Tag Ab valley region of Kapisa. During the operation, the force also discovered multiple assault rifles and machine guns.
On Aug. 30, Ahmad Shah and Mullah Rohoullah were killed as coalition forces attempted to search a compound in the Nijrab district. As they approached the compound, they were met with small-arms and rocket-propelled-grenade fire. Coalition forces responded with precision air strikes, killing both Taliban leaders. Six other militants also were killed in the strikes.
Officials said both leaders were heavily involved in foreign terrorist facilitation and conducting numerous attacks against NATO and coalition forces, including a recent ambush on NATO forces on Aug. 18. They were known to facilitate the movement of weapons and foreign fighters into Afghanistan.
(From a Combined Joint Task Force 101 news release.)
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=51033
Coalition Forces Kill Enemy Fighter, Detain 15 in Iraq
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2008 – Coalition forces killed one enemy fighter and detained 15 suspects during operations today targeting al-Qaida in Iraq bombing cells and their supporting networks in Baghdad and the Tigris River Valley, military officials reported.
A suspected car-bombing cell leader and three alleged associates are in coalition custody after an operation in Baghdad. The alleged leader reportedly is involved in procuring of bomb components, building bombs and distributing them to the cell, which has been known to attack Iraqi civilians in northern Baghdad, officials said. He also is believed to have contact with terrorists around Iraq and internationally.
During the operation, a surveillance team saw an armed man try to sneak behind the target building. Coalition forces called for him to surrender and fired warning shots, but the gunman refused to comply. Perceiving hostile intent, coalition forces engaged and killed him.
Several operations in Tikrit targeted al-Qaida in Iraq cells operating in the Tigris River Valley and netted 10 suspected terrorists, including two wanted men. One of the wanted men is believed to be a senior terrorist leader in the area, and the other wanted man allegedly operates a bombing cell under his direction.
Also in the Tigris River Valley, coalition forces in Sharqat, about 55 miles south of Mosul, detained a suspected al-Qaida liaison. The man reportedly specializes in transporting false documents for terrorists.
In other operations, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers seized munitions yesterday and today.
While on patrol today, soldiers serving with Company D, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, attached to the 4th Infantry Division’s 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, found a 155 mm round, a 120 mm round and two Italian manufactured anti-tank mines in Baghdad’s East Rashid district.
Yesterday, soldiers serving with the 25th Infantry Division’s Company C, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, found a cache northwest of Baghdad. The munitions seized included 6 pounds of unidentified bulk explosives, two anti-aircraft gun mount, two anti-aircraft heavy machine guns, a rifle stock and two rifle barrels.
Also yesterday, soldiers serving with the 4th Infantry Division’s Troop C, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, received a tip over the phone that led to a cache in East Rashid. The weapons seized included four claymore mines and nine rocket-propelled grenade rounds, two of which were of Iranian-made.
In operations Sept. 2:
— A tip from a local citizen led Iraqi National Police officers to a cache in Baghdad’s New Baghdad district. The find included five roadside bombs designed to pierce armor-hulled vehicles, three of which were made to look like rocks or boulders; a can of ammunition, three rocket-propelled grenades with warheads, a sniper scope, four M4 rifle magazines with ammunition, five RPGs with rockets, six anti-personnel rockets, a handheld radio and a bag of command wire.
— Soldiers serving with the 10th Mountain Division’s Company D, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, found a can of 12.7 mm rounds in New Baghdad.
— A local resident led soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division’s Company B, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, to a cache north of Baghdad. The munitions included three RPG launchers, 10 RPG rounds, nine RPG boosters, three sticks of plastic explosive, an assault rifle with magazine, a revolver, a pistol and 6,000 rounds of ammunition.
— Iraqi soldiers found a cache while searching empty houses in Baghdad’s Mansour district. The items included an RPG launcher, a machine gun and two rifles.
— Soldiers serving with 4th Infantry Division’s Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, found a roadside bomb and about 75 pounds of TNT, with help from a “Sons of Iraq” citizen security group leader, in Baghdad’s West Rashid district.
— Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq member in Baghdad’s Rashid district. Iraqi soldiers handed a suspect affiliated with al-Qaida in Iraq to soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division’s Company C, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, in the Jihad community. The suspect allegedly is responsible for attacks against Iraqi citizens and coalition forces.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)