24 gunmen killed, 37 captured in Diala- U.S. army (IRAQ)
Baghdad, 21 December 2007 (Voices of Iraq)
A joint U.S.-Iraqi force killed 24 gunmen and detained 37 suspects during Operation Iron Reaper in Diala province, the U.S. army said on Thursday.
“During Operation Iron Reaper, Multi-National Division – North Soldiers killed 24 extremists, detained 37 suspects, and discovered an atrocity site, torture complex and nine weapons caches north of Muqdadiyah Dec. 8-11,” read a U.S. army statement received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
“Intelligence provided by Iraqi tips led U.S. troops to a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq safe haven and operating bases. Evidence of murder, torture, and intimidation against local villagers was found throughout the area,” the statement indicated.
“During the operation, U.S. Forces and Iraqi Security Forces were involved in multiple engagements with groups of armed men. They discovered what appeared to be a detention facility. As they continued to clear the area, they found several bodies and eventually uncovered 26 human remains in multiple mass graves next to execution sites,” the statement revealed.
“In the same area a torture complex was found, consisting of three detention facilities with one doubling as both a headquarters building and torture facility. The buildings contained chains on the walls and ceilings, a bed still hooked up to an electrical system, and several blood-stained items.”
“U.S. Forces also located and destroyed nine weapons caches…,” according to the statement.
Muqdadiya district lies 45 km northeast of Baaquba, the capital city of Diala province, which lies 57 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. Iraq Updates