Published: October 17, 2005
Ramadi Counter-Terrorism Operation Kills 70 Terrorists
CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq -- Coalition forces continued counter-terrorism operations in areas of Al Anbar Province Oct. 16, killing an estimated 70 terrorists in separate actions.
At approximately 1:25 p.m., Coalition forces conducted an air strike against a group of terrorists attempting to emplace an improvised explosive device east of Ramadi.
While conducting a combat air patrol, crewmembers from an F -15 observed 20 men arrive in four vehicles at the crater site of a previously-detonated IED which had killed five U.S. and two Iraqi Soldiers on Oct. 15. The terrorists were in the process of emplacing another IED in the same spot when the F- 15 engaged them with a precision-guided bomb, resulting in the death of terrorists on the ground.
At approximately 7:30 p.m., a UH-1N Huey and AH-1W Cobra helicopter team on patrol north of Ramadi had been observing a group of military age males gathered at a suspected terrorist safe house.
After realizing their position had been compromised, the terrorists fled the scene and engaged the Cobra with small arms fire.
The Cobra returned fire with 20 mm. munitions, resulting in the death of an estimated 10 terrorists. At approximately 7:50 p.m., a team of F/A-18's resumed observation at the suspected safe house where they found an additional 35-40 terrorists loading their vehicles with weapons and driving to another location to unload the weapons.
The F/A-18 targeted the terrorists with a precision-guided bomb, killing terrorists on the ground. The combined strikes resulted in approximately 50 terrorists killed.
The strikes took place in the Abu Faraj region, north of Ramadi, where a large number of indirect fire and IED attacks against civilians, Iraqi infrastructure, Iraqi security forces and Coalition forces have originated.
At approximately 8:00 p.m., Coalition forces guarding the Government Center in Ramadi were attacked by a small-arms fire attack from multiple locations within an adjacent building.
After requesting air support to neutralize the increasing volume of fire, an F/A-18 engaged the target with a maverick missile at approximately 8:50 p.m. When the small arms fire continued, Coalition forces engaged the targets with two shoulder mounted multipurpose assault weapons (SMAWs), resulting in the cessation of all movement from within the structure. An estimated 1-3 terrorists were killed in the strike.
All the attacks were timed and executed in a manner to reduce the possibility of collateral damage. There were no reports of Coalition or civilian casualties.
The attacks follow a successful Referendum in which there were no major disruptions caused by terrorists at the polls in Al Anbar Province.
Coalition forces continue to aggressively pursue terrorists whose aim is to kill Iraqi civilians and Coalition forces in an attempt to disrupt the political process.
Source: Multi-National Force-Iraq
Search News
