Child killed in exchange of fire
MOSUL , Iraq – An Iraqi child was killed as terrorists and Multi-National Forces exchanged fire in northern Iraq May 26.
Soldiers from the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment came under attack during operations in Tall Afar.
Terrorists used Iraqi children as shields when Multi-National Forces returned fire. During the engagement, the child was
killed.
-------
Operation New Market continues in Al Anbar Province
CAMP BLUE DIAMOND , Iraq – Marines and Sailors from Regimental Combat Team –2 and members of the Iraqi Security Forces
continue Operation New Market in and around the city of Haditha .
Terrorists attacked Marines and ISF forces May 25 with small arms fire at 4 a.m. in central Haditha. Six terrorists were
killed in the battle and two Marines were wounded. Local citizens identified one of the attackers killed as an imam. The
imam was firing on Marines and ISF with an AK-47 assault rifle.
During separate engagements throughout the area four more terrorists were killed. Marines and ISF searched targeted
areas, buildings and businesses in an effort to locate terrorists, weapons and ammunition caches. Checkpoints have been
established around the city to interdict terrorists leaving the city.
One weapons cache consisting of a RPG launcher, machinegun and ammunition was discovered buried in a palm grove north of
the city.
Neither Marines nor Iraqi Security Forces have entered or damaged any mosques in the course of the operation.
Terrorist presence and activity has recently increased in the area. Over the course of the three months of the Marines'
presence, numerous roadside bombs have been discovered in the vicinity of Haditha and numerous indirect fire attacks
have been launched against Coalition forces assigned to protect the Haditha area.
Approximately 1,000 Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces are participating in Operation New Market.
-------
U.S. and Iraqi Forces begin conducting operations around Haditha
CAMP BLUE DIAMOND , Iraq -- Marines and Sailors from Regimental Combat Team – 2 and members of the Iraqi Security Forces
are conducting operations in and around the city of Haditha .
Marines from 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines have conducted operations in and around the city for the past three months. The
current operation, New Market (Souk Jadeed), is focused on disrupting terrorist activity in the vicinity of Haditha and
maintaining the pressure on terrorists begun with Operation Matador, conducted in Western Iraq May 7-14.
On May 7, a suicide car bomber severely damaged Haditha Hospital , destroying approximately 60 percent of the hospital
in the blast and ensuing fire. Terrorists then attacked Marines from the hospital, using patients as human shields.
Marines were able to clear the burning hospital of terrorists and along with hospital staff moved the patients to
safety. No civilians were killed in the attack, but three Marines and a Navy Corpsman died from injuries sustained from
the blast and small arms fire.
Terrorist presence and activity has recently increased in the area. Over the course of the three months of the Marines'
presence, numerous roadside bombs have been discovered in the vicinity of Haditha and numerous indirect fire attacks
have been launched against Coalition forces assigned to protect the Haditha area.
Approximately 1,000 Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces are participating in Operation New Market.
-------