MND-B Soldiers target criminals; 23 killed
Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers engaged and killed 23 criminals in separate engagements in Baghdad March 28.

Soldiers from 2nd BCT, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), killed one criminal in northeastern Baghdad after seeing the individual with a rocket propelled grenade launcher in an alleyway during a patrol.

At approximately 4 p.m., a 3rd BCT, 4th Infantry Division vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in northeastern Baghdad. A number of criminals then fired on the soldiers while they attempted to recover the vehicle. Soldiers spotted and engaged two of the attackers, killing them both.

Iraqi security forces and Coalition soldiers were attacked during the early evening at a checkpoint in northwestern Baghdad. An air weapons team was called in to assist the ground force. The air weapons team fired one hellfire missile from the helicopter, targeting 10 criminals who were armed with RPG launchers and automatic weapons. All 10 were killed in the engagement.

Soldiers from 4th BCT, 1st Infantry Div., were attacked with small arms fire in southern Baghdad while on a combat patrol later in the evening. Soldiers returned fire in self defense, killing nine terrorists.

An hour later, a criminal armed with an RPG launcher attacked soldiers from 2-101 Abn. Div., striking an M1A1 Abrams. Soldiers spotted the terrorist and killed him in an exchange of gun fire.

MND-B Soldiers kill 9 supporting ISF
Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers supported Iraq Security Forces operations around Sadr City March 28-29. The two operations resulted in 9 terrorists killed.

During checkpoint inspections at approximately 11 p.m., March 28, militants attacked Soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division with small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. The Soldiers returned fire and killed seven.

At approximately 1 a.m., Soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division identified two roadside bomb emplacers. The Soldiers killed the emplacers in an exchange of gun fire.

MND-B Soldiers seize munitions, kill terrorist in firefight
Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized a small cache and killed a Special Groups criminal in an operation in the New Baghdad district March 28.

Soldiers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) first discovered a cache including explosively formed penetrators. They were then attacked by terrorists using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.

Soldiers from the 4th Brigade, 1st National Police Division National Police Transition Team engaged the criminals. Initial reports indicate one criminal was killed and two more were wounded.

No MND-B Soldiers were injured during the encounter.

“These criminal elements who insist on ignoring al-Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr’s ceasefire pledge are certainly not working in the best interest of Iraqis,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, MND-B spokesman. “We will continue our efforts to bring these criminals to justice.”

MND-B Soldiers destroy rocket site, kill 12 terrorists
A Multi-National Division – Baghdad aerial weapons team engaged and destroyed a terrorist rocket site after observing several terrorists removing rocket rails from an attack site in eastern Baghdad March 28.

After observing the terrorists flee the scene, the aerial weapons team destroyed the attack site, followed the terrorists and destroyed a get-away vehicle which contained rockets in the trunk.

In a separate attack in eastern Baghdad, MND-B Soldiers killed two terrorists after their patrol was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire at approximately 4 p.m.

In a third attack in eastern Baghdad, MND-B Soldiers killed ten terrorists after a joint security station was attacked by small-arms fire.

There were no Coalition force or Iraqi civilian casualties as a result of these attacks.