5 Terrorists Killed: 11 Captured

Coalition Forces are continually using intelligence gained during their operations to target and capture al-Qaeda in Iraq’s leaders and operatives. Recently Coalition Forces killed five terrorists and captured 11 more during operations in Central and Northern Iraq:

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed five terrorists and detained 11 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders and their operatives in central and northern parts of the country.

Using intelligence gained from an operation Aug. 30, Coalition forces targeted a senior leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq in Baqubah. Two armed men attempted to maneuver against the assault force and, in response, the assault force engaged the men in self-defense, killing them. As they called for the target building’s occupants to come out, the assault force saw a woman attempt to draw a pistol from a weapons belt she was wearing. Responding in self-defense, Coalition forces engaged the armed woman, killing her. Another woman approaching the assault force dropped a grenade from under her clothes. When she attempted to retrieve and activate the grenade, Coalition forces responded to the hostile threat, killing the woman. The assault force detained five suspected terrorists during the operation, including another woman who was armed with a pistol.

Coalition forces targeted a senior leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq’s Baghdad network involved in planning and executing car-bombing attacks against Iraqis and the security forces that protect them. When an armed man emerged from the target building and maneuvered against the ground forces, Coalition forces engaged and killed him. Two suspected terrorists were detained in the operation.

In Mosul, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to conduct assassinations for al-Qaeda in Iraq. The ground forces detained three additional suspected terrorists in the raid.

“We continually use information gained from our operations to target and capture al-Qaeda in Iraq’s leaders and operatives, cutting their ability to attack innocent Iraqis and destabilize the government the people have chosen,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesman.

As we see every day, operations in Iraq are forcing al Qaeda in Iraq into a smaller and smaller area. Soon, they will have been ferreted out of the country and the real progress can begin.