G
gilliam
Guest
By Bill Roggio Coalition forces maintain the hunt for al Qaeda and insurgents along the Syrian border. Abu Sa’ud, a Saudi al Qaeda commander, and three of his associates were killed when attempting to evade a Coalition dragnet, which was initiated by tips from locals in Ubaydi and intelligence sources. The intel on Sa’ud is interesting; “Intelligence sources believe that Sa’ud recently arrived from Saudi Arabia to shore up the leadership of al Qaeda in Iraq foreign fighter and terrorists cells whose previous leaders have been captured or killed in recent months.” Coalition forces have had great success in decapitating al Qaeda leadership in western Iraq, and if the intelligence is correct, al Qaeda is throwing in the reserves in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
Meanwhile, Syria, the main source of al Qaeda infiltrators into Iraq, continues to complain about U.S. cross border operations. As Coalition forces step up operations on the border, the cross border raids are likely to intensify as Syrian complicity in aiding the insurgency becomes clear. Diplomats cited in the Telegraph are concerned about a showdown between the United States and Syria, but ignore the fact that Iraq has a direct stake in their neighbor’s role in killing Iraqi citizens. This is not merely a U.S. - Syrian problem any longer.
Across Iraq, the Coalition continues to pursue the insurgents. Outside of Abu Ghraib, a cyclists planting IEDs is observed and killed. In Taji, six insurgents are killed and five wounded during an engagement with Coalition forces after they were observed setting IEDs. The insurgents were attacked after attempting to reform and assault Coalition ground units and a supporting attack helicopter. Over sixty-five suspected insurgents are rounded up in two days of operations in Baghdad.
Read the rest
Meanwhile, Syria, the main source of al Qaeda infiltrators into Iraq, continues to complain about U.S. cross border operations. As Coalition forces step up operations on the border, the cross border raids are likely to intensify as Syrian complicity in aiding the insurgency becomes clear. Diplomats cited in the Telegraph are concerned about a showdown between the United States and Syria, but ignore the fact that Iraq has a direct stake in their neighbor’s role in killing Iraqi citizens. This is not merely a U.S. - Syrian problem any longer.
Across Iraq, the Coalition continues to pursue the insurgents. Outside of Abu Ghraib, a cyclists planting IEDs is observed and killed. In Taji, six insurgents are killed and five wounded during an engagement with Coalition forces after they were observed setting IEDs. The insurgents were attacked after attempting to reform and assault Coalition ground units and a supporting attack helicopter. Over sixty-five suspected insurgents are rounded up in two days of operations in Baghdad.
Read the rest