Coalition Force helicopters killed six enemy fighters attempting to plant an improvised explosive device Oct. 8 near a major road in east Mosul. “These enemy fighters were in the act of placing an IED when our helicopters positively identified them, killed them and maintained observation on the area until ground forces arrived and removed the device, saving countless Iraqi and Coalition lives,” said Maj. Roderick Cunningham, spokesperson for the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.Helicopters from the 4th Squadron, 6th Air Cavalry Regiment, stopped nine enemy fighters attempting to emplace a roadside bomb in the al-Sinaa neighborhood of east Mosul. Helicopters fired a Hellfire missile, killing two and forcing the others to flee.
Three additional individuals were attempting to escape to the west when they were engaged with 21 rockets and 40 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition, killing all of them. Two more enemy fighters from the original group were discovered hiding in a nearby creek bed. The aircraft engaged them with an additional Hellfire missile, killing one.
A ground force from E Co., 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment was called to conduct a sweep of the area and find the IED that was being emplaced. They found a propane tank IED with an initiator in the middle of the road, as well as a 9mm pistol and a sledgehammer.
One enemy fighter was found wounded in critical condition and died en route to a combat support hospital, despite first aid administered at the scene by Coaltion Forces. Coalition explosive ordnance disposal specialists destroyed the IED where it was found.