Coalition Raids Target al-Qaeda; One Terrorist Killed, 15 Suspects Detained

MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070619a

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed one terrorist and detained 15 suspected terrorists Monday and Tuesday during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Coalition Forces raided a building in Baghdad Monday and captured a suspected terrorist linked to a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device network. The detainee allegedly obtains supplies and components for the Baghdad VBIED cell.

South of Baghdad, Coalition Forces raided a series of buildings Tuesday, targeting associates of an al-Qaeda in Iraq emir in the area. As the ground force approached the buildings, a man ran out of the house and rushed toward Coalition Forces, ignoring their translator’s instructions to stop. Coalition Forces, reacting appropriately to the perceived hostile threat, engaged the man with small arms fire, killing him. Inside the building, Coalition Forces detained one suspected terrorist with alleged ties to the targeted emir.

Coalition Forces captured a suspected associate of al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders in Baghdad Tuesday. In an objective targeting three buildings, the ground force detained three individuals suspected of being associated with terrorist leaders and found a small cache of weapons. An explosives team safely destroyed the weapons on site.

In Anbar province, two separate Coalition Forces operations Tuesday netted six suspected terrorists associated with al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders. Three individuals were detained south of Fallujah for their alleged involvement with a terrorist leader in charge of planting IEDs and organizing terrorist groups in the area. Three more men were detained west of Tarmiyah for their suspected association with terrorist leaders.

Tuesday in Mosul, Coalition Forces carried out two raids targeting individuals involved in a terrorist cell known for carrying out hijacking and kidnapping operations to finance other terrorist activities. The ground force detained two suspected terrorists during the assault.

“Our continued pressure on the leaders and operatives of the al Qaeda network is denying them breathing space in Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. “The crumbling network has no place in the future of Iraq.”