Good News From Iraq

Iraqi security forces capture insurgent leader

BAGHDAD -- During an early morning raid July 7 in eastern Baghdad , Iraqi security forces captured an insurgent leader wanted for murdering, torturing and kidnapping Iraqi civilians, as well as coordinating attacks against Coalition and Iraqi forces.

The raid was part of Operation Together Forward, the Iraqi government's plan to bring greater security to the Baghdad area.

“The intent [of Operation Together Forward] is to target those who are conducting criminal activities; who are conducting violent crimes; who are conducting murders; who are conducting kidnappings; who are conducting illegal weapons transfers and sales,” said Multi-National Force - Iraq spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell. “Those are the persons of interest with whom this operation is directed against.”

During the July 7 raid, Iraqi security forces – using night-vision gear and operating from 18 up-armored vehicles -- moved into Eastern Baghdad ; the area in which Iraqi Intelligence services established as the location of the insurgent leader they were looking for.

“[This was] a very well-coordinated, well-executed operation,” said Caldwell . “Iraqi security forces, in fact, planned this operation and then executed it themselves last night.”

According to the general, in addition to the “significant criminal,” four other individuals who were with criminal were also detained.

He added that at one point during the operation, a group of seven to eight insurgents moved toward the Iraqi forces, firing their weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades.

“At that point [Iraqi security forces] did, in fact, call in aerial support; they did use Coalition support aircraft to put three 105 rounds into that location,” Caldwell said. “That action neutralized that threat, dispersing [the insurgents]. It was noted that the entire time they were operating there, the cordon force was receiving fire from multiple different positions.”

When the extraction of the criminal was completed, Iraqi forces brought all their vehicles back in and continued to receive gunfire as they drove out of the city.

Caldwell said the firefight lasted about 43 minutes, although the entire operation lasted several hours, from start to finish . He added that between 30 to 40 insurgents may have been wounded or killed during the operation.

He also stressed that during any operation, every measure is taken to avoid civilian casualties. Although, he added, there were no observed Iraqi civilian casualties from this operation.

During his briefing, Caldwell said the Iraqi security forces, specifically the Iraqi Army, planned, organized and executed the entire operation, operating independently of the Coalition forces, who were there only to support the Iraqi force as needed.

“It was very surgically done,” added the general. “Collateral damage was absolutely minimized. They moved in, they went to their objective area, they identified the person they wanted to bring back out and they extracted [the criminal] and came back out without using excessive force.”

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