More Iraq News -

Terrorist blows himself up

TIKRIT, Iraq – A terrorist bomber was killed Jan. 12 near Tal Afar when the IED he was emplacing detonated prematurely.

Soldiers from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment discovered the bomber's body and part of a shovel near a roadside blast crater.

This is the second such incident over the past three days. Two terrorists were killed Jan. 9 while emplacing an IED near Samarra .

Roadways are consistently monitored throughout the area by security forces, to curb the ability of terrorists to dig holes in the roads to plant IEDs for indiscriminate attacks on civilians, Iraqi and Coalition forces.

Anti-Iraqi forces and terrorists choose well-traveled roads to bury IEDs and mines in a blind effort to kill civilians or security forces. Iraqi and Coalition Soldiers, as well as Iraqi Police, provide route patrols whose sole mission is to locate the IEDs and capture those responsible for their emplacement in order to prevent the destruction of life and travel routes around the country.

Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery, 4th Fires Brigade, fire a rocket from a Multiple Launch Rocket System during a tactical mission from Forward Operations Base Q-West. Qayyarah, Iraq in Support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. CREDIT U.S. ARMY PHOTO: SSG James H. Christopher III. (RELEASED)

IED suspects captured

TIKRIT, Iraq – Four suspected terrorists are in U.S. custody after an IED attack against coalition forces near Balad Jan. 12.

A patrol from the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division was investigating a possible IED when the device was detonated. A coalition aircraft in the area spotted the four men running from the area into nearby homes and guided in additional ground forces that quickly captured the suspects.

No Soldiers were injured during the incident, but one coalition vehicle was slightly damaged.

Coalition Forces find, destroy large weapons caches

BAGHDAD , Iraq – Coalition Forces Soldiers found several large weapons caches southwest of Baghdad Jan. 12.

The first cache consisted of 12 122mm rounds, 127 60mm and 82mm rounds. The second contained two 82mm mortars, an 82mm bipod, two radios, 200 82mm rounds and 25 70mm rockets. The third cache contained two 107mm rocket warheads.

In Babil Province , Coalition Forces Soldiers found and destroyed a large roadside bomb-making cache. The cache consisted of six propane tanks with wire ready to be emplaced. EOD was called and detonated the cache on site.

Six terrorists killed in raid

BAGHDAD , Iraq — While conducting an air-insertion mission, Task Force Ironhorse Soldiers killed several insurgents, detained one and discovered a significant weapons cache Jan. 11.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment received small-arms and indirect fire from insurgent forces at approximately 10:45 a.m. The Soldiers returned fire, killing six terrorists and wounding one other.

Following the fire fight, Soldiers discovered two dead insurgents wearing suicide vests, strapped with explosives.

Soldiers found the weapons cache hidden in a shack. The enormous weapons and equipment find consisted of: components to make 15 pressure plate improvised-explosive devices, two 130mm mortar rounds, one 122mm mortar round, one directional-charge IED, over 60 electronic detonation devices, 1,500 blasting caps, 50 feet of detonation cord, two packages of plastic explosives, four grenades, 200 feet of electrical wire, one 12-volt battery, 400 pounds of homemade explosives, one sniper rifle, four AK-47s and 20 AK-47 magazines. The weapons cache was destroyed by an explosive ordinance disposal team.

Weapons caches found, suspects detained

TIKRIT, Iraq – Three weapons caches were discovered and 21 anti-Iraqi forces suspects were detained in northern Iraq Jan 11.

Soldiers from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment conducted a raid against a suspected AIF cell in Tal Afar just after midnight Jan. 11. The unit discovered two mortar rounds, a large supply of small-arms ammunition and a home-made mine. Seven men were detained at the site.

Two separate raids in Mosul by Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team resulted in the capture of eight AIF suspects, including one believed to be involved with mortar attacks against civilian targets in the area.

Two other Mosul residents are being credited with discovering a cache of anti-tank mines after reporting what they believed to be an IED to local police. Police officers secured the area and an Iraqi explosive ordnance disposal unit responded and found 20 AT mines and an artillery round.

Another Iraqi EOD team in Kirkuk was called in the morning of Jan. 11 to dispose of a collection of old munitions discovered in the back of a truck. Eighteen artillery shells and two mortar rounds were safely destroyed.

Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division captured three suspects near a weapons cache in the Tikrit area Jan. 11. The cache, consisting of mortar rounds and rockets, was discovered near an area where numerous rocket and mortar attacks have originated.

An ineffective rocket attack against a base near Balad led to the capture of three more AIF suspects. Soldiers from the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division stopped the suspects' vehicle after a coalition aircraft observed them trying to flee the area.

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