At approximately 8:20 a.m., IA soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th IA and CF Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry, conducted a combined military operation to clear sections of Baqubah and were fired upon by insurgents positioned inside the Al Hussiniyah Mosque. CF and IA soldiers returned fire. The AIF escalated the engagement firing rocket propelled grenades against CF and IA soldiers.
The Soldiers returned fire and used attack helicopters armed with Hellfire missiles to suppress enemy fire coming from inside the mosque compound.
“Using this mosque as a base of attack is another example of the terrorists’ cowardly ways,” said Major General Benjamin R. Mixon, Commanding General, Multinational Division North. “This community cannot tolerate the terrorists’ disregard of Iraqi people and disrespect of the people’s religious structures.”
The operation to clear the mosque is still ongoing. |