TIKRIT, Iraq – Iraqi police and local tribesmen killed or captured at least four heavily armed terrorists after the insurgents tried to attack locals and police Thursday, at the Hardinia police station near Balad, Iraq. The group of insurgents parked their white sedan in front of the police headquarters around 7 a.m., and they immediately opened up with small-arms fire. IPs repelled the initial attack and moved toward the vehicle, which was actually a car bomb. One terrorist was killed when the car bomb prematurely detonated before he could flee.
The remaining terrorists fled the area as one individual killed himself by detonating a suicide vest during his escape. “The people of this area have always known that the terrorists have very little to offer, but they’ve often been too afraid to take action on their own, preferring to leave it to the Coalition or Iraqi Security Forces,“ said Maj. John Throckmorton, operations officer, 3rd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.
“In the past month, however, we’ve seen an increasing trend of neighborhoods standing up for themselves and against the terrorists,” he said. “There’s a sense that the extremist’s days are numbered. The terrorists are definitely being beaten back in this area.” The attack resulted in three terrorists killed, two IPs wounded, one local national killed and one wounded. One terrorist was detained.
Labels: CENTCOM
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