Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070929-02
September 29, 2007 

Iraqi Forces, U.S. Special Forces detain suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq leader, destroy cache
Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO

BAGHDAD – Iraqi forces, with U.S. Special Forces as advisers, detained a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq leader and destroyed a large weapons cache during operations Sept. 26 and Sept. 28 in central Iraq. 

During one operation, Iraqi Special Operations Forces detained a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq cell leader believed to be responsible for criminal activities in Ghazaliyah and the surrounding areas.  His cell is suspected of conducting assassinations and extra judicial killings, engaging in firefights, and committing crimes against the Iraqi Army.

In July, the alleged terrorist’s cell engaged in a firefight with IA members at a military checkpoint. The cell is also believed to have killed 15 Shi’a citizens during the same month. 

In a separate operation Sept. 28, U.S. and Iraqi forces were ambushed by multiple armed terrorists as they approached a targeted location to detain a high-level al-Qaeda in Iraq leader.  The forces responded to the attack with well-aimed, proportionate fire.   An air weapons team was called in to provide suppressive fire, allowing the teams to exit the area.  No casualties were reported during the exchange of fire.  

In an earlier operation, Iraqi Army Soldiers recovered and destroyed a large weapons cache Sept. 26 in the Za’ab village area.

Acting on intelligence reports, the forces located and destroyed the cache that contained eight 105mm artillery rounds, a 155mm-artillery round, 12-120mm mortar rounds, three 130mm complete artillery rounds, a complete 105 artillery round, a 107mm rocket body, 15 fuse heads, five rocket propelled grenade fuses, five Russian boosters, nine 120mm mortar fuses, three 57mm rockets and two cases of 57mm fuses.

No Iraqi or U.S. forces were injured during the operation.

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