BAGHDAD 29 April, 2008 – Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained 12 suspected terrorists while targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq network in the northern half of the country Tuesday.
Coalition forces targeted an AQI foreign terrorist facilitator at a suspected terrorist safe-house 60 miles north of Baghdad. Coalition forces called for the target building’s occupants to come out peacefully, but several men refused to comply, including three men displaying weapons, one of whom was wearing a military-style assault vest. Responding to the perceived hostile threat, Coalition forces engaged the three armed terrorists, killing them. Five additional suspected terrorists were detained.Coalition forces captured an individual allegedly involved in attacks against Iraqi Security Forces and one other suspected terrorist in Mosul based on information gathered from an operation Mar. 31.
Another operation in Mosul targeted a car-bombing expert who recently fled Kirkuk after Coalition forces captured two of his associates there during operations Apr. 15 and 22. Two suspected terrorists were detained.
In Bayji, 100 miles south of Mosul, Coalition forces captured an AQI car-bombing cell leader and detained two additional suspected terrorists. "Today’s operations will have an impact on al-Qaeda in Iraq’s ability to bring in and utilize foreign terrorists and will further degrade the terrorists’ ability to carry out car-bombing attacks on innocent Iraqi civilians, as well as Iraqi and Coalition forces," said Cmdr. Scott Rye, MNF-I spokesperson.