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Coalition Troops Kills 26 Insurgents, Detain Cross-Dressing Terrorist

Coalition Forces killed 26 insurgents in recent operations and supported an Iraqi tribe under attack by al-Qaida today, military officials in Iraq announced.

Al-Qaida terrorists attacked the Abu Soda tribe in Sofia, officials reported. After identifying the terrorists, Coalition Forces conducted air strikes and fired at the al-Qaida members.

Insurgents attacked through a tribal area checkpoint and engaged the Abu Soda, burning homes and killing tribe members using small-arms fire and mortars. Both al-Qaida and the Abu Soda suffered casualties, although the exact numbers are unknown, officials said.

In other action, Coalition Forces operating near Baqubah killed four armed terrorists and detained 11 suspected terrorists during a raid that al-Qaida associates.

Troops discovered and destroyed a weapons cache containing a mortar system, rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, AK-47 assault rifles and fragmentation grenades was discovered when troops searched the area, officials said.

One of the 11 terrorists detained was hiding in a house dressed as a woman, pretending to nurse a baby, officials reported.

North of Baghdad, Coalition Forces killed 12 terrorists traveling in three vehicles.

Coalition troops were on their way to detain a terrorist suspected of manufacturing car bombs and helping foreign fighters enter the area. They found him traveling with 11 fellow terrorists, officials said.

As Coalition troops approached the vehicles, the 12 armed terrorists ignored warning shots. Coalition forces engaged the vehicles, killing all of the terrorists, officials said.

Source: Multi-National Force-Iraq