THE TENSION: Forces Kill Five Terrorists, Nab 14 in Iraq

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28, 2007 (AFPS) -- Coalition forces killed five terrorists and detained 14 suspects today during anti-al Qaeda operations in central and northern Iraq, military officials reported.

Four terrorists were killed north of Muqdadiyah, where coalition forces targeted an al Qaeda network operating in the northeast region of the Diyala River Valley. Six suspected terrorists were detained.

Near Salman Pak, coalition forces killed a suspected terrorist and detained another person while targeting an alleged al Qaeda leader involved in gun-running and attacks on coalition and Iraqi forces in the Arab Jabour region.

Near Samarra and Baghdad, coalition forces detained seven more suspected terrorists as part of the continuing campaign to disrupt al Qaeda in Iraq operations.

"These operations are examples of our continued success against al Qaeda," said Army Maj. Winfield Danielson, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "Iraqi and coalition forces are disrupting their operations and diminishing their pool of manpower, but they still pose a threat to innocent Iraqis."

In other news, Iraqi commandos and U.S. advisors detained a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq leader and three additional suspects during two separate raids Dec. 26. In Baghdad, Iraqi and U.S. troops detained the leader of an al Qaeda terrorist cell. Reports indicated the cell is responsible for several bombings and sniper attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces, as well as kidnapping and torturing innocent Iraqis. In Balad, Iraqi and U.S. Special Forces detained three suspects during a raid targeting al Qaeda in Iraq leadership.

In Dec. 25 Iraq operations:

Iraqi national police and U.S. soldiers discovered an improvised explosive device in eastern Baghdad. Responding to a report of the possible bomb, Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers found and disposed of the bomb.

U.S. soldiers discovered a weapons cache in the Rusafa sector of eastern Baghdad. An infantry patrol found the cache, which included nine 60 mm mortars, 30 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, four grenade canisters and a rocket-propelled grenade.

Acting on a tip, Iraqi national police seized a large munitions cache near Tameem. The cache contained 20 projectile fuses, 10 60 mm mortars, eight 122 mm artillery shells, eight 82 mm mortars and other unidentifiable explosives. The police turned over the cache to members of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Regiment's 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team.