Coalition Forces detained 14 suspected terrorists Thursday and Friday around central and northern Iraq during continuing operations to remove senior leaders of al-Qaeda in Iraq.Coalition Forces conducted three precision raids in and around Baghdad. Thursday, ground forces captured an individual suspected of leading an al-Qaeda in Iraq car bombing cell. Friday, Coalition Forces captured a suspected terrorist with ties to senior terrorist leaders in Baghdad. Near Taji, ground forces captured an alleged weapons facilitator working for al-Qaeda in Iraq's emir of the northern belts around Baghdad and detained two additional suspects.
In Salah ad Din province, Coalition Forces also targeted senior leaders of al-Qaeda in Iraq during three operations Thursday and Friday. During a precision raid Thursday west of Balad, Coalition Forces detained one suspected terrorist while targeting an individual associated with the al-Qaeda in Iraq emir of northern Iraq who allegedly facilitates the movement of terrorist leaders. Five suspected terrorists were detained during operations Friday near Balad and Samarra targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq communications network and an al-Qaeda leader known to conduct car bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortion.
Based on information from suspects detained earlier in the week, Coalition Forces conducted an operation Friday targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders and their associates in Mosul. The ground forces detained three individuals with alleged ties to the terrorist leaders. "Al-Qaeda is feeling the pressure of our operations, and we're relentlessly pursuing the top levels of terrorist leaders," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. "We will continue to target and then capture or kill the terrorists who direct and conduct brutal attacks against Iraqis."