Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    
RELEASE No. 20080430-11
April 30, 2008

MND-B soldiers relentless in pursuit of criminals
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers killed at least six criminals, detained three, and destroyed anti-Coalition force arms overnight and into the early morning of April 30 in separate incidents in Baghdad.

At approximately 10:40 p.m., April 29, while patrolling in Istiqal Qada, MND-B soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 68th Combined Arms Battalion, were investigating the site of a reported improvised explosive device when they spotted two criminals attempting to recover an explosively formed penetrator.  The 1-68 Soldiers engaged and killed the two men.  An explosive ordnance team responded and disposed of the IED.

At approximately 3:25 a.m., April 30, MND-B soldiers detained three men near a blast site in northwestern Baghdad, where an MND-B soldier was killed earlier by an IED. Actionable intelligence indicates the suspects detained were involved in the attack.

At approximately 5 a.m., MND-B soldiers operating an unmanned aerial vehicle observed a group of three criminals emplacing an IED in Sadr City. The UAV engaged the men with one Hellfire missile, killing one of the criminals and wounding another.

At approximately 6:50 a.m., soldiers from 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, utilized a tank main gun round to engage a group of criminals carrying a rocket tripod. The round destroyed the tripod. 

At approximately 9:10 a.m., criminals fired upon soldiers from 4-64 AR with small-arms fire. The tankers returned fire with one round from their main gun and killed one criminal. At approximately 9:15 a.m., the soldiers fired a single round from their main gun, targeting criminals who were attempting to use an improvised-rocket launcher, resulting in two criminals killed and the launcher destroyed.

"The Special Groups attacks against U.S. soldiers continue to place law-abiding Iraqi civilians in harm’s way," said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, MND-B and 4th Inf. Div. spokesman.  "We will exercise all precaution when returning fire; however, we will defend ourselves against violent aggression. We have a message for those criminals whose actions continue to inflict pain and suffering – we will not stand by and let you continue these acts of violence.”

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