BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed three terrorists and detained 26 suspected terrorists during operations Friday targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders and bombing networks.East of Fallujah, Coalition Forces continued operations to disrupt the al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leader network during a raid on several buildings east of Fallujah. As they approached the target, the ground forces saw a man holding a grenade. In response to the hostile threat, Coalition Forces took appropriate self-defense measures and engaged the armed man, killing him.
As the ground forces moved to the next building, they encountered a man wearing a suicide vest. Coalition Forces responded appropriately to the hostile threat and engaged the man in self-defense, killing him. Another man associated with the terrorist in the suicide vest ran outside into a patch of reeds. After the man repeatedly ignored a translatorÂ’s instructions to come out, ground forces took appropriate self-defense measures and engaged the man, killing him.
The ground forces detained 16 suspected terrorists on the scene for their alleged ties to a top-level al-Qaeda in Iraq leader who operates in the area.
Also in Anbar province, Coalition Forces raided two buildings northeast of Karmah where they suspected terrorists were staying. The ground forces captured four individuals at the scene, including one man who allegedly has ties to a senior al-Qaeda leader who was killed during a May 1 Coalition operation.
Just south of Baghdad, Coalition Forces raided a building in search of a suspected gatekeeper for a leader in the Baghdad vehicle-borne improvised explosive device network. During a search of the building, the ground forces detained two suspected terrorists and moved to a second building where they found and captured the suspected gatekeeper.
Coalition Forces captured a close associate of the suspected military commander for al-Qaeda forces in the Tarmiyah area during a raid west of the town.
In Mosul, Coalition Forces detained two suspected terrorists while targeting the alleged al-Qaeda emir in Kirkuk, responsible for issuing fatwas.
“We’re continuing to target the top of the terrorist network, as well as the operatives who carry out their murderous actions,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.