IRAQI ARMY SCOUTS, U.S. SPECIAL FORCES DETAIN FIVE, KILL TWO

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Army Scouts, with U.S. Special Forces as advisers, detained five and killed two suspected al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists during an early morning raid Oct. 3 near Balad.

 
During the initial moments of the raid, the assault force encountered a suspected terrorist who approached their position with an AK-47 assault rifle; he did not heed verbal warnings and was wounded.  The terrorist was evacuated by helicopter to the Combat Support Hospital in Balad where he later died of his wounds.

As the forces held their position during the raid, another suspected terrorist approached with an AK-47 assault rifle prepared to fire; he also ignored verbal warnings and was killed.

The assault force completed the raid detaining five suspected terrorists linked to recent sectarian violence in the Balad area. 

The terrorist’s recent operations allegedly include the destruction of some bridges that lead into the area to limit freedom of movement of Iraqi and Coalition Forces.

Additionally, the terrorists are linked to a July 27 complex attack that included two vehicle-born improvised explosive devices driven into checkpoints followed by coordinated gun fire after the initial explosions.  More recently, they are linked to a VBIED attack on a checkpoint that killed four Iraqi Army soldiers and wounded an additional 10.

Two grenades and 19 sticks of dynamite were found during the raid and were destroyed in place with a controlled detonation.

No Iraqi or U.S. forces were harmed during this operation.