MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
BAGHDAD, Iraq

July 21, 2006
Release A060721a

UPDATE: Coalition forces conduct raid northwest of Baqubah

BAGHDAD – Coalition forces killed two suspected terrorists, two women and one child while conducting a raid northwest Baqubah July 21.  They also detained four suspects.

There were 23 people injured in the assault, several of them were women and children.  All of the injured received immediate medical treatment on site by a Coalition medical expert and those needing further treatment were taken to a near-by military facility.

The raid was targeting terrorists associated with senior al-Qaida in Iraq network members who have been targeted in previous Coalition operations and have been linked to several attacks against Iraqi citizens.  Intelligence also indicates that the targeted terrorists have extensive links to foreign fighters in the area.

The target area consisted of a block of buildings.  As the troops began to secure the area, they received small arms fire from the roof top of one of the initial target buildings and the terrorists attempted to reposition themselves between and on top of the adjacent buildings.

After the target block was contained, several men were seen moving around on the roof tops.   The ground force twice gave verbal instructions for all occupants to exit the target buildings.  These instructions were ignored. 

Aerial fires were placed on the building and then halted.  A third attempt to call the occupants out of the buildings then failed before force was escalated.     

The troops secured the area using a combination of aerial and ground fire.  

We regret that civilians are hurt or killed while Coalition forces search to rid Iraq of terrorism.  Terrorists continue to deliberately place innocent Iraqi women and children in danger by their actions and presence.

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