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| Iraq |
| Strike targets al-Qaeda senior leaders; 8 terrorists killed, 14 suspects detained |
| 2007-08-08 |
| Coalition Forces killed eight terrorists and detained 14 suspected terrorists during coordinated operations targeting a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leader west of Tarmiyah Monday and Tuesday. Coalition Forces conducted an operation Monday targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq emir of the northern belts around Baghdad, who is associated with deadly vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks in the city. Surveillance indicated the senior leader and his associates had entered a building in a remote area. Coalition Forces then declared the target hostile, and to engage the terrorists before they were able to disperse, called in an air strike on the building. Secondary explosions ignited after the initial strike, indicating there were explosives inside. Coalition Forces assess five terrorists were killed in the strike. When ground forces attempted to approach the site to assess damage, one terrorist engaged them with small arms fire. Countering in self-defense, Coalition Forces returned fire and killed the armed man. The ground forces resumed their approach to the building but discovered multiple fighting positions, heavy machine guns, booby traps and vehicles wired with explosives. Coalition Forces evacuated the area and called in air assets to destroy the enemy weapons. Acting on intelligence gained from the Monday operation, Coalition Forces conducted additional coordinated raids in the area Tuesday morning. During the first of those, Coalition Forces used explosives to breach a door and enter a targeted building. A woman standing behind the door was killed in the explosion. Iraqis on the scene told Coalition Forces her husband had told her to block the door from the Americans. As ground forces secured the building, one man was discovered concealing himself in another room, armed with grenades and a rifle aimed at the assault force. Coalition Forces, responding appropriately to the hostile threat, engaged the armed man, killing him. As they secured additional buildings on the scene, a man rushed to a window and attempted to pull a rifle from behind the curtains. Coalition Forces reacted to the hostile threat by engaging the man and killing him. During a raid on another building, ground forces brought the occupants of a building outside to secure the area. One man, after previously being compliant, turned and rushed back into the building. Coalition Forces, perceiving a hostile threat, engaged the man and wounded him. He was treated on site and taken to a military medical facility for further treatment. He and six other suspected terrorists were detained during the raid. Coalition Forces detained three more suspected terrorists during raids on four more buildings in the area. "Taking down the bombing network in Baghdad is a top priority for us," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. "We will continue targeting the leaders who coordinate and execute murderous attacks on the Iraqi people." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #9 As they secured additional buildings on the scene, a man rushed to a window and attempted to pull a rifle from behind the curtains. Coalition Forces reacted to the hostile threat by engaging the man and killing him. This is almost beginning to sound like "Tales from the Crossfire Gazette." Do we have Bangla forces "embedded" with us in secret, LOL? |
| Posted by: BA 2007-08-08 22:10 |
| #8 Those guys must feel like they were in the police station when the Terminator walked in. |
| Posted by: KBK 2007-08-08 21:07 |
| #7 Apparently, Emir of AQI is not a long term position. |
| Posted by: doc 2007-08-08 17:59 |
| #6 The problems with 'captured' statistics are we have no information on: 1) how many are released almost immediately when it is determined there is no significant evidence they are guilty, and 2) how many are released by Iraqi authorities who choose not to prosecute despite significant evidence. I suspect a large proportion of those captured are rather quickly released for one reason or another. I have seen where a number of them are repeatedly captured and released. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-08-08 16:09 |
| #5 Chuck, I hope you're keeping track of both the number of kills but also the number of captured. It's certainly in the thousands, just since April. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-08-08 14:47 |
| #4 Chenter; muat've been real high up the food chain - not only multi-layered defense, but one of the layers was his wife. Only after many Muslim promotions does one attain that level of cowardice. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-08-08 07:13 |
| #3 The ground forces resumed their approach to the building but discovered multiple fighting positions, heavy machine guns, booby traps and vehicles wired with explosives. Coalition Forces evacuated the area and called in air assets to destroy the enemy weapons.
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| Posted by: Chenter Unimp7361 2007-08-08 06:52 |
| #2 A woman standing behind the door was killed in the explosion. Iraqis on the scene told Coalition Forces her husband had told her to block the door from the Americans. This is just horrible. Hiding behind your wife when it comes time to pay the piper? You could make a whole movie just around this one event, it's got gut-jabbing pathos. Too bad nobody ever will, and this incident will never be reported beyond the stale prose of a Centcom press release. |
| Posted by: gromky 2007-08-08 06:41 |
| #1 Good job rolling them up! It's like cleaning up a rats nest. |
| Posted by: Push over pushes back 2007-08-08 01:14 |