Wednesday, March 22, 2006

U. S., Iraqi Forces Net Suspects, Seize Weapons, Foil Kidnapping

March 22, 2006- U. S. and Iraqi forces have detained 32 suspects and seized three weapons caches in Iraq since March 19, with one detention resulting from an Iraqi citizen's tip that foiled a kidnapping, Multinational Division Baghdad officials reported.

>> Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, along with their Iraqi counterparts from 4th Brigade, 8th Iraqi Army Division, were attacked with small-arms fire south of Latfiyah today. They returned fire, killing one terrorist and detaining another 11 suspected terrorists. The troops also confiscated a Dishka heavy machine gun and 55-gallon drums filled with munitions found nearby.

>> Iraqi army soldiers and U. S. soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, were attacked with small-arms fire near Iskandariyah today. They returned fire, wounding one terrorist and detaining three suspects. Soldiers confiscated AK-47 assault rifles and a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher found near the site of the attack.

>> Elements of Multinational Division Baghdad's 1st Battalion, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, yesterday detained two individuals suspected of manufacturing roadside bombs southwest of Baghdad. After seeing a suspicious vehicle near the site of a roadside bomb, the soldiers searched the vehicle and questioned the occupants. The soldiers determined the individuals had been handling bomb-making materials.

>> Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers from 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division detained 15 suspected terrorists and uncovered a weapons cache southeast of Baghdad yesterday. The patrol, detained the suspects after a search of their home yielded a weapons cache. The cache included rocket-propelled-grenade launchers with RPG rounds, an RPK light machine gun, with a spare barrel, 100-round ammunition belts, AK-47 assault rifles, AK-47 magazines, AK-47 ammunition, a tactical vest, a Glock pistol with ammunition, hunting rifles with magazines and ammunition, a pellet rifle, a shotgun, grenades, and $4,700 in U. S. currency and 300,000 Iraqi dinar.

Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers also continue to assist Iraqi security forces in securing areas in the Babil province for pilgrims making a trek to Karbala to participate in a religious commemoration, officials said.

In other news, an Iraqi citizen's tip led a patrol from Multinational Division Baghdad's 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, to foil a kidnapping attempt in the New Baghdad district of Baghdad on March 19.

Soldiers received a tip that armed men were driving around in a black car, and the patrol located and pulled over the vehicle. During a search of the car, the soldiers noticed pounding and screaming from the rear of the vehicle. Upon opening the trunk, they discovered an Iraqi man who said he had been kidnapped. The driver of the vehicle was detained, and Iraqi authorities are investigating the incident.
(Above courtesy of DoD - American Forces Press Service and compiled from MNF-I news releases)

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