Raids Target al-Qaeda Leaders Across Iraq

"We will continue to hunt them down”

Coalition Forces killed seven terrorists and detained 10 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders and operatives Friday and Saturday.

Coalition Forces targeted an al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leader during a Saturday raid in Tikrit. While the ground force was securing the target building, a vehicle approached on the road at a high rate of speed. Ground force elements on the road attempted to stop the vehicle with visual and audio signals. When the vehicle continued to speed toward them, Coalition Forces engaged the vehicle to stop it, and killed two men inside. The vehicle swerved and lodged in a fence, where the ground forces found an improvised explosive device on the back seat. Coalition Forces cleared civilians from the area and called in an air strike to destroy the vehicle, which produced secondary explosions after the strike.

Inside the building, Coalition Forces detained two suspected terrorists with alleged ties to the targeted al-Qaeda in Iraq leader.

East of Fallujah, Coalition Forces raided four buildings Saturday while looking for associates of a high-level al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorist. As Coalition Forces advanced on the building, a group of armed men fired on them from a nearby patch of reeds. Reacting to the hostile threat, the ground force called in close air support to engage the armed men. Five men armed with rifles, light machine guns and grenades were killed in the strike.

Coalition Forces discovered two vehicles outside the building with ammunition, hand grenades and mortar rounds inside. The ground force moved the vehicles away from buildings and civilians and safely destroyed the munitions on site.

Based on information gained from an operation June 16, Coalition Forces targeted an area south of Baghdad Saturday and captured an alleged member of the Baghdad vehicle-borne IED network. The suspect is also believed to provide foreign fighters and weapons to the network.

“We will continue targeting terrorist who are seeking to derail Iraq’s progress,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. “As they continue to operate and identify themselves by committing terrorist acts, we will continue to hunt them down.”