WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2008 – Coalition forces killed 13 terrorists and detained three suspects yesterday and today during operations targeting al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq, military officials reported.
Southwest of Hawijah this morning, coalition forces targeted an alleged senior leader involved in the al Qaeda in Iraq network in Kirkuk. The suspect allegedly is responsible for facilitating finances for terrorist operations in the region and is involved in improvised-explosive-device attacks. Reports also indicate he was a close associate of Abu Harith, the senior leader of the Kirkuk terrorist network, before Harith was killed during a coalition operation Nov. 21.
As coalition forces arrived in the target area, they were engaged by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. The ground force returned fire and called for supporting aircraft. As the firefight continued, coalition forces saw armed terrorists emerging from the target building. Supporting aircraft engaged them and enemy personnel firing from inside the target buildings. Due to the hostile environment, the ground force pulled back and called for supporting aircraft to engage the buildings to destroy any remaining explosives. The ground force assessed that a total of nine terrorists were killed during the engagement.
West of Muqdadiyah today, coalition forces targeted alleged associates of the al Qaeda in Iraq network in the northeastern Diyala River Valley region. Reports indicate the individuals were associated with an al Qaeda in Iraq meeting that was targeted by coalition forces yesterday after forces identified a terrorist transporting an anti-aircraft weapon in his vehicle. Coalition forces confirmed the presence of the terrorists in the target area and called a supporting aircraft to engage, killing four terrorists and destroying two buildings believed to be used for terrorist activities.
During three coordinated operations near Samarra yesterday and this morning, coalition forces detained three suspects while targeting foreign-terrorist facilitators involved in the al Qaeda network in the city. Reports indicate that one of the suspected terrorists detained is involved in foreign-terrorist facilitation and is associated with al Qaeda members who conduct attacks against coalition forces. The individual allegedly uses his residence as a safe haven for al Qaeda members and foreign terrorists and has ties to senior leaders in the network.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48712
