BAGHDAD, Iraq (April 27, 2006) – On the heels of Iraq's April 22 selection of top government leaders, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Iraq April 26 to meet with top U.S. commanders and the newly selected Iraqi leaders.

According to a Stars and Stripes report, in a statement to reporters here Rumsfeld said one of the subjects he had discussed with the Multi-National Force-Iraq Commanding General was engaging the emerging Iraqi government in talks on the future of military bases and the division of security responsibilities between American and Iraqi troops.

"There is no question but that as the new government is formed and the ministers are in place, that it's appropriate for us to begin discussions with the new government about the conditions on the ground and the pace at which we'll be able to turn over responsibility in the provinces," Rumsfeld said.

Stars and Stripes also reported that Rumsfeld said the United Nations Security Council resolution that forms the legal basis for U.S. operations to stabilize and rebuild Iraq is to expire at the end of the year, so there will have to be talks with the Iraqi government on arrangements beyond this year.

According to reports, Rice joined Rumsfeld in a joint show of U.S. support for the emerging Iraqi government.

The unannounced visit here not only coincides with Iraq’s historical government progress, but also with several U.S. military successes.

Coalition forces killed 12 terrorists April 25 during a raid in Yusifiyah at a safe house associated with foreign terrorists. Multiple intelligence sources led the troops to the specific structure located approximately eight kilometers north/northeast of the location where a U.S. Apache helicopter crashed April 1.

Upon arrival, the troops took direct fire and immediately engaged the threat with small arms fire as well as rotary wing aircraft machine gun fire. The troops initially killed five terrorists outside of the safe house, and then called for an air strike to neutralize the persistent direct fire coming from the safe house.

After the precision air strike, the ground troops conducted a tactical search of the destroyed safe house and located the bodies of seven more terrorists and a woman. Every male who was found in the rubble was wearing an AK-47 vest with two loaded magazines and two grenades. The troops also discovered suicide notes on one of the terrorists, body bombs, weapons, including a shoulder-fired rocket and ammunition.

Two wanted terrorists were believed to be operating from this safe house. However, it is unknown at this time if the two were killed in the raid. Coalition forces are currently determining the identity of those killed.

The troops destroyed the weapons, suicide vests/body bombs and ammunition on-site.

Also on April 25, Task Force Band of Brothers Soldiers detained a suspected IED triggerman shortly after the man detonated a roadside bomb against a coalition convoy in Ad Dawr.

A coalition aircraft spotted the man hiding on a nearby rooftop when the attack occurred, and Soldiers from the convoy were guided to the building and captured the suspect. The man tested positive for explosives residue and was detained for further questioning. No Soldiers were injured in the attack.

In a separate incident the same day, Soldiers with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, shot and killed a terrorist preparing a mortar attack in Samarra.

After observing three men drive a truck over the security berm that surrounds the city and begin setting up a mortar system, the Soldiers engaged the men before they could fire the mortar, killing one and forcing the other two to flee.

A search of the truck uncovered two mortar systems, 13 mortar rounds, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher with two warheads as well as several items commonly used in IED construction.

(Content compiled from wire and official Defense Department sources)