Baghdad, February 13: Iraqi and U.S. forces arrested 22 suspected terrorists and killed others in the last two days, military officials announced on Friday.
The arrests occurred during operations targeting a weapons-smuggling and rocket-attack network operating in rural villages near the Iranian border. The network and the suspects are loyal to the Kataib Hezbollah terrorist organization.
Intelligence reports led Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors to the village of Ali ash Sharqi, 160 miles from Baghdad. They were shot upon their arrival, the forces fired back. Initial reports indicate that 5 people were killed in the attack. At the end of the operation, 12 terrorist suspects were secured.
Later, 10 suspected Kataib Hezbollah weapon smugglers were arrested in Ali al Gharbi, a village 145 miles southeast of Baghdad. Iraqi forces searched various homes trying to disrupt the terrorist’s smuggling efforts at the Iranian border.
Security operations were deployed following Kataib Hezbollah’s responsibility claims for rocket attacks aimed at security forces working to secure populated areas. Electric devices, detonators, assault rifles and military equipment were seized during the mentioned operations.
–IANS–