Multi-National Corps – Iraq

Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory

APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RELEASE No. 20060916-01

Sept. 16, 2006

Terrorists attack combined patrol from mosque

Assailment marks 3rd attack from a mosque in 4 days

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – Terrorists continue a disturbing trend of defiling the sanctity of religious buildings by firing from the mosques on Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces.

For the third time in four days, mosques were openly used for criminal attacks when terrorists fired at Iraqi police and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers Wednesday while they were conducting a combined operation near Jisr Diyala, southeast of Baghdad.

Policeman from 4th Brigade, 1st National Police Division, and MND-B Soldiers, were establishing an outer cordon in order to detain a terrorist facilitator and planner when the patrol was attacked by small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from several directions, to include the Al Huada Mosque.

“We want to remind the Iraqi people that while U.S. Soldiers respect the sanctity of mosques, those religious sites lose their protected status when terrorists use them in order to attack Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces,” said Brig. Gen. David Halverson, deputy commanding general for support, MND-B.  “Terrorists have been using these holy sites as bases for anti-Iraq related activity – storing weapons, bomb-making materials and death squad meetings.” 

A recent trend has emerged where terrorists have been using mosques to fire upon Iraqi and Coalition Forces.

At approximately 11:50 p.m. Tuesday, MND-B Soldiers from 4th Squadron, 14th Calvary Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, reported a complex attack involving an improvised-explosive device and small-arms fire from three directions in the eastern Baghdad district of Adhamiyah.  One of the firing positions was the minaret of the Abu Hanifa Mosque.

The Stryker brigade Soldiers returned precision fire against the three positions.  There were no U.S. casualties in the incident, though as a result of the IED strike, one Stryker vehicle was damaged.  The Soldiers were able to self recover the vehicle and eventually departed the area.

Also, at 12:35 a.m. Sunday, soldiers from the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, reported being attacked by small-arms fire from the Genet al Meawa Mosque, south of Baghdad, near Mahmudiyah.

After requesting assistance, Soldiers from MND-B’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, moved into the area.

After receiving permission to enter the mosque, the Iraqi army soldiers entered the building and a firefight ensued, resulting in the deaths of five terrorists.  Ten AK-47 rifles, an RPG with eight rounds, a PKC machinegun, a sniper rifle, two pineapple grenades and a video camera were confiscated following the engagement.

No U.S. Soldiers entered the Genet al Meawa Mosque.

Three Iraqi army soldiers were killed and two wounded as a result of the engagement.

“We ask mosque guards to use extreme caution when Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces are in the area.  Cooperate with Iraqi Security Forces and do not allow terrorists to use your mosques for their nefarious activities,” said Halverson.

-30-

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS RELEASE, CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION - BAGHDAD PUBLIC AFFAIRS NCO IN CHARGE, MASTER SGT. ERIC LOBSINGER AT: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , COMMERCIAL: (914) 822-8174 OR IRAQNA 011-964-790-192-4675.