A terrorist detonated a suicide vest Sunday in Mosul while Coalition forces were conducting an operation to capture a wanted man.

As Coalition forces entered the building housing the terrorist, they began receiving small arms fire. Coalition forces returned fire once engaged. A terrorist detonated a suicide vest shortly thereafter in the house.

During the operation, five terrorists, along with three women and three children were killed. Two additional children, one of which was injured, were found near the building and moved to safety.

Coalition forces conducted a sweep of the building once it was secure and found a hidden weapons cache containing multiple small arms weapons and additional explosives.

“This is just another tragic example of how al-Qaeda in Iraq hides behind innocent Iraqis. The terrorist exploded his suicide vest in close proximity to women and children, and in a house full of explosives and weapons,” said Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman.

In separate operations near Baghdad Sunday, Coalition forces captured two wanted individuals and detained two additional suspects. All four individuals are believed to have ties to an AQI improvised explosive device network.

Coalition forces operating in Hawijah, 60 km southwest of Kirkuk, Sunday detained one suspected terrorist believed to be associated with an IED facilitator in Diyala province.

MNF-I

Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition forces fought militants in a series of engagements that left 25 militants and eight noncombatants dead in Khas Oruzgan District, Oruzgan province Sunday [August 10 2008].

Militants used a series of buildings along a known Coalition route to launch multiple ambushes against Coalition troops and then fled into a neighboring compound where they held 11 non-combatants hostage, including several children and an infant.

As the Coalition elements attempted to disengage from a previous attack, militants ambushed the Coalition service members from the compound that housed the non-combatants using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.

An anonymous eyewitness told Coalition forces that the civilians tried to escape the compound, but the militants beat them and refused to let them leave.

Coalition troops called in close-air support to engage the militants hiding in the structure. They did not have knowledge of non-combatants in the buildings at that time.

Survivors reported that Coalition aircraft dropped a bomb on the enemy position which killed eight of the civilians.

Once the battle had ended, Coalition and ANSF troops searched the compound where they discovered the three survivors.
Coalition troops rendered medical aid, and brought the survivors to a Coalition base to receive further medical treatment.

“The Taliban uses innocent civilians’ homes, taking them by force to attack Afghan and Coalition forces,” said Juma Gul, the Head Provincial Police Chief of Oruzgan.

“If civilians get killed during these attacks, the responsibility falls on the Taliban and their terrorist sponsors,” he said. “Afghan and Coalition forces always use extreme measures to avoid collateral damage. In this situation, in Khas Oruzgan, the Taliban was attacking the Afghan and Coalition forces from a civilian compound. Unfortunately, eight civilians were killed and three wounded. They were held by the Taliban against their will.”

CJTF-101

For more than a year, the former Ba’ath Party stronghold of Siniyah was without its main thoroughfare for trade and commerce, but that all changed as the city’s Mayor officially opened Market Street during a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 26.

More than 40 shops and small businesses were forced to close due to the lack of business when the restriction of the road was announced in July of 2007.

The Joint Security Station located near the market area was vulnerable to vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, causing Iraqi Security and Coalition forces to take measures ensuring the safety of the forces housed there.

Market Street was also closed due to the high levels of violence and the significant number of attacks the area was experiencing.

“Shop owners were anxious to reopen their shops,” said Capt. Aaron Billingsley, commander of U.S. forces in Siniyah.

The recent successes in Siniyah are directly contributed to the hard work of the joint efforts by the Iraqi Police, Iraqi Army, Sons of Iraq, City Council, Coalition forces and the people of Siniyah, Billingsley said. There is now an opportunity for them to improve the local economy in the city.

“There are micro-grants and micro-loans that will be offered to some of the shops,” said Billingsley. “This will help them expand their businesses and revitalize the economy.”

MNF-I

Patrol Attacked: 20 Insurgents Killed in Deh Chopan

Afghan national security forces and coalition forces killed 20 militants after they attacked a combined reconnaissance patrol in Deh Chopan District, Zabul province, Sunday [June 15 2008].

The militants attacked the ANSF and coalition forces with rockets, mortars and small-arms fire in a mountainous river valley.

ANSF and coalition forces returned fire and called in precision aircraft strikes to kill the militants.

No ANSF or coalition forces were injured during the engagement.

15 Militants Killed in Sangin District

15 insurgents were killed after they attacked an Afghan national security force and coalition patrol in the Sangin District, Helmand province, June 14.

While on patrol, the Soldiers observed a large group of women and children leaving a village.

As the patrol moved closer they observed a group of men near the tree line. These men opened fire on the ANSF and coalition force using rockets and small-arms fire.

ANSF and coalition forces returned fire and moved to a better location to engage the extremists and to guide coalition aircraft for precision air strikes. After about two hours of fighting, the enemy positions were destroyed, killing 15 militants.

More than 15 insurgents were killed by Afghan National Army and Coalition forces in a farming compound west of Rawonay, Kandahar province, Saturday [June 14 2008], during a search for escaped prisoners from Kandahar City.

A large cache of munitions and IED components were discovered during the search. The combined forces used precision air strikes to destroy the compound after insurgents attacked with small-arms fire.

More than 15 insurgents were killed and five suspects were taken into custody by the ANA.

It has not been confirmed whether the insurgents or the five suspects in custody are escaped prisoners.

No civilian, Afghan or Coalition casualties were reported.

CJTF-101