134 gunmen killed, arrested in military operation in Baaquba
Diala, 20 August 2007 (Voices of Iraq)
Iraqi army and Multi-National Force soldiers killed 76 gunmen and arrested 58 others in a security operation in different areas of Baquba during the early hours of Sunday, police said.
“A joint force of the Iraqi army’s 5th Division and the U.S. army conducted a security operation in northern, southern and eastern Baaquba, where 76 gunmen were killed, 58 others detained and a large amount of arms and ammunition were seized,” an Iraqi official police source, who preferred not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The operation, which commenced on Saturday evening and ended on Sunday morning, saw violent clashes between the security forces and the gunmen, he said, adding U.S. choppers provided air cover for the joint forces.
A hideout where vehicles are rigged with explosives and explosive devices made was dismantled and a large amounts of TNT were seized, he said.
Diala has been the scene of a security operation codenamed Arrowhead Ripper for more than two months now. It is conducted by Iraqi and U.S. forces with the aim of tracking down armed groups spreading in several areas in the province.
Baaquba, capital of Diala, lies 57 km northeast of Baghdad. Iraq Updates