Iran Focus

London, May 23 – Coalition troops in Rashadiyah, 15 km north of Baghdad, captured four suspected weapons smugglers on Friday, the United States military announced.

“Acting on intelligence information, Coalition forces targeted a suspected Special Groups weapons smuggler accused of bringing explosively-formed penetrators, rockets and other weapons into Diyala Province from Iran”, the Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF-I) said in a statement. “The suspect is believed to be responsible for multiple attacks on Iraqi Security and Coalition forces using EFPs, rocket-propelled grenades and sniper fire in the Husayniyah area”.

Coalition forces approached what appeared to be the suspect’s residence, where they detained four suspected accomplices without incident, the statement added.

“Despite their attempts to evade Iraqi Security and Coalition forces, these criminals are running out of places to hide”, said Navy Cmdr. Ed Buclatin, an MNF-I spokesperson. “We will find them and hold them accountable for their violent actions against the Iraqi people”.

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