Yes !!!! The U.S. Military has killed 20 al Qaeda in Iraq jihadists in the past two days in central and northern Iraq during a series of raids. In one raid, al Qaeda decided to take up positions and fight. Big mistake. Ten of the 20 dead al Qaeda met their virgin taxi at that one battle - that occurred in Diyala province.
Five more al Qaeda were killed near Samarra as well.
Diyala province has become probably the most violent province in Iraq and it's good to see the U.S. forces back in there conducting raids, although the risk is high. One thing I've noticed in Diyala, is that usually kills like this are being reported as "U.S. forces" without mention of the Iraqi Army - that usually points to how dangerous the area is with Iraqi Army forces not playing a key role in the real intensive situations. This isn't a knock on the IA troops, but just a fact that some of these areas require the best of the best at this point.
Wonderful news for sure here.
Here's the full story.
Five more al Qaeda were killed near Samarra as well.
Diyala province has become probably the most violent province in Iraq and it's good to see the U.S. forces back in there conducting raids, although the risk is high. One thing I've noticed in Diyala, is that usually kills like this are being reported as "U.S. forces" without mention of the Iraqi Army - that usually points to how dangerous the area is with Iraqi Army forces not playing a key role in the real intensive situations. This isn't a knock on the IA troops, but just a fact that some of these areas require the best of the best at this point.
Wonderful news for sure here.
Here's the full story.
U.S. military says kills 20 in al Qaeda Iraq raids
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. soldiers backed by attack aircraft killed 20 suspected al Qaeda fighters in raids against the Sunni Islamist group in northern and central Iraq over the past two days, the U.S. military said on Wednesday.
In the biggest operation on Wednesday, U.S. ground troops seeking an al Qaeda network leader near the Diyala provincial capital Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad, encountered a number of militants who took up "fighting positions".
"Responding in self-defense, the ground force called supporting aircraft to engage the hostile force, killing 10 terrorists," the military said in a statement.
Another three were killed by soldiers in a nearby building. Weapons caches including machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, roadside bombs, artillery and mortar rounds and other ammunition were also found nearby, the military said.
Those raids took place near where U.S. soldiers had killed two suspected militants on Tuesday.
Diyala has replaced western Anbar as one of the main al Qaeda troublespots for U.S. and Iraqi forces after the group was driven out of Anbar and the Baghdad area during security crackdowns last year.
U.S. and Iraqi forces have launched a series of offensives against al Qaeda in Iraq's northern provinces, including Diyala.
U.S. soldiers in the Hamrin mountains near Samarra, 100 km (60 miles) north of Baghdad, killed another five suspected al Qaeda fighters on Tuesday, the military said.
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