61 Terrorists Captured, Weapons Seized

February 19, 2007
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2007 – Iraqi and coalition forces captured 61 suspected terrorists, destroyed five improvised explosive devices and seized several weapons caches during operations across Iraq in the past four days.

Today, special Iraqi army forces, along with coalition forces, destroyed a car rigged with an explosive device and captured seven suspected terrorists during a raid targeting foreign fighters east of Tikrit.

During an operation in southern Baghdad yesterday, special Iraqi army forces, along with coalition advisors, captured two suspected members of a rogue Jaysh Al-Mahdi militia cell. The Iraqi-led operation was targeting a cell believed responsible for attacks against civilians in the area, officials said.

Elsewhere in Iraq yesterday, soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment "Golden Dragons," 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), found a weapons cache during a routine combat patrol 30 miles southwest of the capital near Radwaniyah.

Meanwhile, soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), and the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army, seized an anti-aircraft heavy machine gun and ammunition during a combat patrol in Mahmudiyah, 20 miles southwest of Baghdad.

The cache consisted of a ZPU-1 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 20 30 mm rounds, a tripod and three spare barrels. The weapon was in firing condition and configured for use.

A two-day operation that began Feb. 16 in Quarghuli Village, southwest of Baghdad, let to the detention of 49 suspected terrorists and the discovery of three IEDs.

Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment "Polar Bears," 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment and the 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, conducted the clearing operation coined "Operation Polar Iron."

The two-day operation, which consisted of air and ground assaults, was conducted in order to disrupt insurgents believed to be operating in and around Quarghuli Village, long known as a terrorist safe haven, officials said. More.....