Anti-Iraqi Forces Active Over Weekend

In two separate complex attacks today, anti-Iraqi forces attacked two Multinational Force Iraq patrols with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire, the news release said. Thirty-seven Iraqi civilians were injured, and two insurgents were killed.

The first attack occurred at about 3 a.m. in the city of Tal Afar, west of Mosul. Anti-Iraqi forces fired eight RPGs at a passing U.S. patrol. At least one of the RPG rounds was fired from the vicinity of a police station, while others were fired from the nearby Al Huda Mosque. The release said the attacks originating from the violated the International Law of War, which prohibits the use of religious and other protected places from being used as combatant sanctuary.

The second attack occurred about three hours later, also in Tal Afar, when terrorists attacked another U.S. patrol with an RPG, again originating from the Al Huda Mosque.

In both attacks, according to the release, U.S. soldiers returned fire, responding "proportionately and precisely," and killing two insurgents in the second attack.

According to a Tal Afar hospital doctor, Dr. Fawzi Mohamad, 34 civilians were injured by flying debris and broken glass during the attacks. Many civilians were sleeping on their rooftops to escape the summer heat. Of the 34 civilians injured, 26 were women and children.

No U.S. soldiers were injured in either attack, and no vehicles were damaged.

Also today, according to another news release, Task Force Danger Soldiers from E Troop, 4th Cavalry Regiment, killed a hijacker as he attempted to escape in a truck he stole near Samarra. Anti-Iraqi forces from a sedan had seized the truck at gunpoint and attempted to drive off with the vehicle. The soldiers blocked the road to stop both the sedan and the truck, the release said.

The soldiers fired on both vehicles, killing the hijacker, but the sedan escaped. The driver of the truck has not been found. The Iraqi police are investigating the incident.