Combined operation in Lutifiyah nets eight suspects

2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) Public Affairs

LUTIFIYAH, Iraq — Coalition forces and Iraq Army troops detained eight suspected terrorists and seized weapons during a combat patrol northwest of Lutifiyah, Iraq Jan. 23.
Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) and the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division were on a combat patrol when they came under a small arms fire attack from a canal.
The troops called in for aviation support after the attack ensued. One insurgent died in the aerial attack. The remaining four insurgents tried to escape down a canal. Iraqi troops pursued, killing the four terrorists.
Following the fire fight, troops searched the area for more insurgents. They found nine Iraqis hiding in a nearby house. Eight of the nine were detained, all wanted for suspected terrorist acts.
The search also turned up a weapons cache consisting of three medium machine guns, two AK-47 assault rifles, a shotgun and a sniper rifle with a scope.
The eight suspects are being held for further questioning.