MNFI Press Release - May 15

COALITION CAPTURES WEAPON SMUGGLER, 3 OTHERS
Coalition forces captured a suspected weapons facilitator and three other suspected criminals in the Mansour district OF Baghdad on Thursday, May 15th. Based on information stemming from two raids in early March, Coalition Forces targeted a known criminal suspected of smuggling illegal weapons into Iraq, resulting in attacks against Iraqi and Coalition Forces. Coalition Forces entered the targeted individual’s location where he was detained along with one of his associates without incident. After questioning the targeted individual, he revealed the location of another suspected criminal in the neighborhood. Coalition Forces moved to the second location, entered the identified building, and detained two additional suspected criminals without incident.

COALITION TARGETS AQI IN MOSUL, CAPTURE WANTED MAN
Iraqi and Coalition Forces continued to pressure al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), detaining 14 suspects while targeting terrorist operations on Thursday. Coalition Forces joined with Iraqi Forces in targeting terrorist elements in Mosul and the surrounding area. They detained one suspected terrorist while targeting AQI operatives in an area southeast of Mosul. During operations in Mosul, Coalition Forces captured a man who allegedly facilitates car bombings and is suspected of bringing AQI foreign terrorists into the country. Two additional suspects were detained in the operations. About 100 miles south, Coalition Forces in Bayji captured three wanted men and detained seven additional suspects. Two of the wanted men are alleged foreign terrorist facilitators associated with suicide bombings, and the other is believed to be part of a car-bombing network in the Tigris River Valley.

COALITION FORCES KILL 2 TERRORISTS, DETAIN 3
Coalition forces killed two terrorists and detained three suspects during an operation targeting an AQI bombing network on Thursday. Fifteen miles west of Baghdad, Coalition Forces targeted an individual suspected of facilitating vehicle bomb attacks. While detaining the three terrorist suspects and securing the compound, a vehicle approached carrying two men who resided at the same house. Coalition Forces ordered the men to halt and to keep their arms raised in surrender. The men refused to comply, dropping their arms abruptly. Perceiving hostile intent, Coalition Forces engaged, killing the two men and later destroying the vehicle to prevent its future use in terrorist activities. Further search of the compound revealed a rifle and a case of hand grenades that were moved to a safe location and destroyed.