Iraqi forces arrested 11 terrorism suspects in recent operations conducted with U.S. advisors, military officials reported.

South of Baghdad yesterday, Iraqi forces arrested four suspected al-Qaida in Iraq criminal associates during a combined operation in search of a man who allegedly is involved in bomb attacks against Iraqi civilians and Iraqi and coalition forces.

In Mosul on May 17, Iraqi forces working with U.S. advisors arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader and three suspected criminal associates. The suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader is believed to have played a key role in acquiring vehicles and weapons used to carry out assassinations.

Three other suspected criminal associates of the al-Qaida in Iraq leader were captured in Mosul the next day.

U.S. military officials say the May 10 attacks in Baghdad and other cities across Iraq appear to have been directed at Iraqi security forces.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai continues his visit to the U.S. with meetings scheduled with President Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

The suspected Baghdad “sharia emir” for al-Qaida in Iraq was killed today during a combined security operation in the northern part of the Iraqi capital, military officials reported.

A sharia emir is responsible for enforcing radical religious rules imposed by groups such as al-Qaida and the Taliban.

Acting on a warrant issued by an Iraqi judge, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched for Sinan, also known as Mohannad Rahman Salim Muhaymid al-Ani, who is believed to be one of the primary approval authorities for al-Qaida in Iraq attacks and assassinations in the Baghdad region.

Before beginning their search, security team members directed those inside a targeted building to come out in an orderly fashion. One man instead fled to the rooftop and jumped to an adjacent building, eventually making his way to the ground and hiding in a stairwell.

Realizing he was surrounded, he first approached the security team as if to surrender. But as he got near, he lunged at a security team member and tried to wrestle away his firearm. Other security team members shot the man, who died at the scene. He later was identified as the wanted man.

No one else was killed or wounded during the operation, officials said.

After preliminary questioning and an initial examination of evidence at the scene, Iraqi forces arrested three of the man’s suspected criminal accomplices.

In other news from Iraq, Iraqi forces captured a suspected regional al-Qaida in Iraq leader during a combined operation today in Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad.

Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader, who is believed to have been involved in planning multiple coordinated vehicle-borne bombing attacks against the Iraqi government, several of which have taken place in Baghdad.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates toured an Afghan Army training camp during his recent visit to Afghanistan.

The commander of U.S. Division Center briefs reporters from Baghdad.

Iraqi security forces arrested 20 suspected terrorists in operations in Iraq over the last two days, military officials reported.

Fourteen of the suspects were arrested during four combined security operations in Baghdad and northern Iraq designed to degrade al-Qaida in Iraq operations, officials said.

In northwestern Baghdad yesterday, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors arrested a wanted terrorist-cell leader believed to be closely associated with senior al-Qaida in Iraq members in Baghdad and to be responsible for planning bombing attacks. Iraqi forces arrested the wanted cell leader and a suspected criminal associate based on preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene.

Today in southwestern Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected terrorist cell member who builds and employs bombs targeting security forces in Iraq in coordination with al-Qaida in Iraq. The suspect also is wanted for hiding terrorist weapons.

A roadside-bomb arming device and forged official documents were found on scene. Based on evidence and information gathered during the operation, Iraqi forces arrested the wanted suspect and nine suspected criminal associates.

Also today, an Iraqi emergency response unit and U.S. advisors in Muqdadiyah, northeast of Baghdad, searched a building for a suspected member of an al-Qaida in Iraq attack cell that conducts bombing attacks against Iraqi forces and civilians.

Evidence collected at the scene led police to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the wanted cell leader.

Members of the same emergency response unit and U.S. advisors also conducted an operation near Sulayman Bak, southeast of Kirkuk, searching several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq cell leader. Iraqi police arrested a suspected criminal associate of the wanted man.

In Baghdad yesterday, Iraqi federal police with U.S. forces advisors, acting on a warrant, arrested six suspected terrorists. The suspects allegedly are affiliated with an al-Qaida in Iraq cell in the Arab Jabour area. The cell is responsible for bombing and small-arms attacks against Iraqi forces.

Iraqi forces working with U.S. advisors arrested numerous suspected terrorists and seized enemy weapons in various operations in Iraq in recent days.

Iraqi forces arrested 11 suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members — including the suspected commander and two deputies of their cell — in a rural area northwest of Baghdad today.

The cell is believed to be responsible for maintaining weapons caches and carrying out deadly attacks against civilians and security forces. During a search, the security team found a shotgun, numerous assault rifles, packaging material used to transport explosives, a small rocket and terrorist propaganda.

Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to identify and arrest all five cell members wanted on their arrest warrant, including the suspected commander and deputies, as well as six suspected criminal accomplices.

Iraqi security forces arrested two suspected terrorists Feb. 7 during a combined operation in northeastern Mosul to capture a military commander for the Ansar al-Islam terrorist group. A suspected terrorist was killed during the operation.

Acting on a warrant issued by an Iraqi court, Iraqi forces and and U.S. advisors stopped two vehicles to arrest the Ansar al-Islam military commander, whose group fabricates mobile rockets and improvised explosive devices frequently used in attacks against security forces in the region.

The suspected terrorist in the first vehicle was questioned, identified as a suspected criminal accomplice of the warranted individual, and arrested without incident.

After the security team stopped the second vehicle, the driver pulled a pistol from behind his back and pointed it toward security team members. Members of the security team engaged and killed him.

Following the vehicle stops, the security team searched a building from which the suspected terrorists had driven their vehicles — a location confirmed by several previously arrested al-Qaida in Iraq members. The security team found a large cache of weapons and munitions.

The contents of the cache included 20 shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles, several machine guns and assault rifles, other assault weapons, several sniper rifles, rockets and rocket parts, mortar tubes and mortar rounds, mines, IED-making material, a robot that can be used to remotely transport IEDs, body armor, license plates and night-vision devices.

A man found in the building containing the weapons cache was arrested as a suspected criminal accomplice of the warranted Ansar al-Islam commander.

North of Baghdad yesterday, Iraqi forces arrested six suspected terrorists during two combined security operations north of Baghdad designed to capture two terrorist-group leaders.

In a rural area located north of Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader linked to numerous criminal activities, including providing financial support and weapons to terrorist group members and conducting IED attacks.

Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi forces to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the wanted individual.

During a separate security operation in a rural area north of Baghdad, the Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected leader of the Salahuddin Brigade insurgency group, which is responsible for multiple rocket and IED attacks against security forces in the area. Evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to arrest five suspected criminal associates of the wanted individual.

On Feb. 7, Iraqi forces with U.S. advisors arrested a suspected Islamic State of Iraq terrorist group cell leader in the Sharqat district of Salahuddin province. An Iraqi court issued an arrest warrant for the suspect, who is accused of facilitating the movement and transportation of magnetically attached bombs used in attacks on Iraqi forces.

Also on Feb. 7, Iraqi forces captured a suspected Baghdad explosives-cell member and arrested four other suspected terrorists during combined operations near Baghdad and Mosul to disrupt the operations of al-Qaida in Iraq explosives cells.

In the town of Hamariyah, west of Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a man believed to be responsible for preparing vehicle-borne IEDs used in various deadly attacks throughout Baghdad.

Following preliminary questioning and evidence collection, Iraqi forces identified and arrested the wanted man and two suspected criminal accomplices.

During a separate operation in Bawirah, north of Mosul, Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors searched a building for a member of an al-Qaida in Iraq bombing cell that is active in northern Mosul. Evidence found in the building included an assault rifle, two pistols and ammunition.

Based on the results of preliminary questioning, the Iraqi soldiers arrested two suspected criminal associates of the wanted individual.

In a Feb. 6 operation, and Iraqi emergency response unit arrested a suspected terrorist in a rural area northeast of Baghdad.

Based on a warrant issued by an Iraqi court, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched several buildings in the Hamrin Lake area to arrest a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member. Preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to arrest a suspected criminal associate of the warranted individual.

Iraqi security forces arrested eight suspected terrorists today during separate operations conducted in northern Iraq and Baghdad, military officials said.

Iraqi forces arrested five suspected terrorists during two joint security operations today to degrade the al-Qaida in Iraq network in northern Iraq.

In Haditha, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched two buildings for a suspected al-Qaida member believed to finance and traffic explosives into the Abu Ghraib area to carry out vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks. Iraqi forces identified and arrested the wanted man and two suspected criminal accomplices.

During a separate operation in Khanaqin, the 3rd Emergency Response Unit and U.S. advisors searched two buildings for a suspected al-Qaida member who coordinates attacks for the terrorist group in the Baghdad and Baqubah areas. Evidence collected at the scene led Iraqi police to arrest two suspected criminal associates of the warranted person.

Meanwhile, Iraqi soldiers today arrested two suspected terrorists during a joint security operation conducted in northeastern Baghdad to capture a suspected Promised Day Brigade terrorist leader.

Operating under a court-issued warrant, Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors searched a residential building for a suspected terrorist leader linked to coordinating IED attacks in the Baghdad area. The suspect also is wanted for smuggling weapons into Iraq and for engaging in extortion activity, which serves as a source of funding for Promised Day, an Iranian-backed terrorist group.

While searching the building, the security team discovered a concealed compartment where the suspect was found hiding, armed with an AK-47 rifle and a significant amount of ammunition.

Information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi soldiers to identify and arrest the suspected Promised Day leader and an alleged associate.