US-led Iraqi forces sweep suspects in Baghdad
Wednesday, 15 Aug 2007 10:28
US forces are advising the Iraqi military on operations
A number of operations by Iraqi military units led by US special forces have been carried out in the capital city Baghdad.
The first such operation took place in eastern Najaf, south-east of Baghdad, where the 8th Iraqi army division detained an alleged former battalion commander of the Jaysh al-Mahdi, a Shia Muslim extremist group.
US forces suspect that the man arrested has been leading more than 150 Shia extremists in attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.
Further into Baghdad, coalition forces detained a further four suspected members of the same Jaysh al-Mahdi militia.
A statement from the US military said: "Further intelligence shows the group … sets up illegal checkpoints to stop and hunt down Sunni [Muslim] citizens.
"The men are currently being detained for questioning about their alleged actions to attack and kill Iraqi and coalition forces and other various illegal activities."
Another operation in the Mansour area of Baghdad saw three alleged al-Qaida leaders arrested.
According to the US forces, one of cell leaders is suspected of "coordinating extra-judicial killings against innocent civilians".
Another suspect allegedly finances al-Qaida with "money supplied to him by foreign associations".
Meanwhile a series of bombings in north-west Iraq have claimed the lives of 175 people, with a further 200 people injured in bombing in the town of Sinjar, which borders Syria.
The White House condemned the killings as "barbaric attacks on innocent civilians" committed by "vicious and heartless murderers".