THE TENSION: Coalition Forces Kill Eight Terrorists, Detain 21

Dispatches from the Front:

Coalition Forces Kill Eight Terrorists, Detain 21 Others

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2007 (AFPS) -- Coalition forces killed eight terrorists and detained 21 suspected terrorists in operations in central and northern Iraq today.

"Terrorists are unwelcome in Iraq," said Army Maj. Winfield Danielson, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "We will continue to attack al Qaeda in Iraq's networks to stem the flow of foreign terrorists who attack innocent Iraqis."
Four terrorists were shot and killed in a skirmish near Yusufiyah, as coalition forces targeted a network that facilitates the movement of foreign terrorists in the southern belts around Baghdad. Four armed men maneuvered from the target building against the ground-assault force, which called for close-air support. Two of the four men were killed by ground fire, and two were killed by aircraft fire. Five suspected terrorists were detained in that raid.

Coalition forces killed a fifth terrorist during a raid northwest of Tarmiyah.

Meanwhile, in action on the Jabouri Peninsula, east of Balad, coalition forces captured two brothers who allegedly operate a safe house for foreign terrorists planning and conducting attacks in the area. The brothers also are believed to be responsible for attacks on coalition and Iraqi security forces. Four additional suspected terrorists were detained in that operation.

Operations this week in Mosul and Kirkuk resulted in the capture and detention of a suspected administrative leader in Mosul’s al Qaeda network and the detention of nine additional suspects.

Iraqi army forces, with coalition forces as advisors, killed three insurgents while conducting a time-sensitive helicopter assault mission near Karmah on Sept. 13. Iraqi army members led the raid at a mosque to detain a high-ranking al Qaeda leader responsible for insurgent activity in and around Karmah.

At the targeted location, individuals who fled from the mosque engaged and wounded three coalition forces members while they were being pursued. With ground fire and close-air support, Iraqi and coalition forces killed the insurgents.

A helicopter transported the wounded coalition members to a Baghdad combat support hospital, where all three underwent surgery for non-life-threatening injuries. The injured were in stable condition and will be transported to Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Germany for follow-on medical treatment.

Concerned citizens in Arab Jabour and Buaytha turned terrorist weapons caches over to coalition troops Sept. 11. Arab Jabour citizens delivered a weapons cache to the soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, who were conducting a picket line on a local highway. Picket lines employ stationary security vehicles positioned on roads traveled by coalition forces to prevent insurgent activity.

An explosive ordnance team destroyed the cache, which consisted of 250 12.7 mm rounds, a 122 mm rocket warhead, 31 rocket-propelled grenades, 15 propelled chargers, a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher and mortar, two 60 mm mortars and other bomb-making materials.

In Buaytha, concerned citizens delivered a weapons cache to the soldiers of Company A, 1-30th Infantry Regiment, who were conducting a picket line north of Patrol Base Murray. The cache, 16 57 mm anti-aircraft rounds, was taken to Patrol Base Murray by an explosive ordnance disposal team.