Iraqi Security Forces secure Suq Ash Shuyukh after militia attack
- From: Chip Anderson <b_anders@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:47:04 GMT
Multi-National Corps ? Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20080420-10
April 20, 2008
Iraqi Security Forces secure Suq Ash Shuyukh after militia attack
Multi-National Corps ? Iraq PAO
BALAD, Iraq ? A combined force of more than 300 Iraqi Army, Iraqi Police
and Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics personnel, advised by U.S. Special
Operations Forces, arrested 40 criminal militia members after coming
under attack in Suq Ash Shuyukh, southeast of Nasiriyah, Iraq, April 19.
Forty criminal militia members were killed during the armed confrontation
with ISF, including the group?s top two leaders. Twelve ISF members were
reported wounded.
Using assault rifles and automatic weapons, the criminal militia attacked
Iraqi Security Forces on the morning of April 19. Regional police and
Army forces on alert in the area responded in force, overwhelming the
outnumbered criminal militia fighters.
Facing a combination of armored vehicles and suppressive fire, the
criminals retreated to building that contained the local Sadr Trend
office.
With ISWAT providing support, additional security forces launched a
counter attack, overrunning the remaining enemy defenses. The ISF entered
the building and cleared it of the remaining criminals.
During the sweep of the building, ISF found a large weapons cache
containing explosively formed penetrators, Katyusha rockets, rocket
propelled grenade launchers and a large quantity of additional weapons
and ammunition. An explosive ordnance disposal team also found several
improvised explosive devices rigged to explode inside the building. All
weapons were destroyed on site.
Many local Iraqis witnessed the fighting and thanked the ISF for their
bravery and willingness to defend their town.
?The response of the combined ISF force represented an incredible leap
forward by Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army to conduct joint operations,? said
a U.S. Special Operations Forces advisor. ?Iraqi police and Iraqi Army
executed a counter attack against a determined enemy and quickly gained
control of the situation.?
The operation was part of the Iraqi government?s continuing fight against
terrorists, insurgents and criminals standing in the way of a safe and
secure Iraq. In recent months, ISF personnel have assumed greater
autonomy to plan and conduct these types of operations unilaterally or
with Coalition forces.
Information indicated the criminal group used the city as part of its
smuggling network to move improvised explosive devices, including armor-
piercing explosively formed penetrators, throughout the region.
<http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18621
&Itemid=128
<http://tinyurl.com/5kgpwu>
--
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Chip
Pronoea annuit coeptis
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