Good News From Iraq 2/22-2/26
MND-B TROOPS ENGAGE WEAPONS SMUGGLERS IN SE BAGHDAD
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers engaged gunmen attempting to smuggle weapons across the Tigris River by boat in a southeastern section of the Iraqi capital Feb. 23.
Members of 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, initially engaged two armed men on the west bank side of the Tigris River. The smugglers fled in their boat to the east side of the river, where they were joined by three other gunmen.
After an initial firefight, the five gunmen took cover in a bunker and a large shipping container along the river bank. They continued firing across the river at the troops. The Soldiers returned fire with small arms, and eventually used tank rounds to destroy the bunker and end the attack.
THREE-DAY OPERATION LEADS TO 15 TERRORISTS KILLED, IED FACTORY DESTROYED
BAGHDAD, Iraq - During a recent three-day operation in Salman Pak targeting al-Qaida in Iraq terrorists, Coalition Forces killed 15 terrorists involved in an improvised explosives device cell, destroyed an IED factory and thwarted two explosives emplacements.
On Feb. 14, Coalition Forces began receiving enemy contact on the ground from a fortified building in the area. Determining the targets too hostile for ground troops, Coalition Forces called for close air support. Fixed wing aircraft used precision fires to destroy the building killing five terrorists and wounding four suspected terrorists.
Also during this raid, Coalition Forces disrupted two separate groups of terrorists who were in the process of emplacing IEDs alongside a road.
Due to the high level of danger, fixed wing aircraft were used to destroy the IEDs. Ten terrorists are believed to have been killed as a result.
Coalition Forces continued their raid the following day and found a male Iraqi citizen shackled in one of the rooms of a targeted building.
Ground forces detained four males who were hiding near the building.
During a search, Coalition Forces found the hostage's cell phone on one of the detainees.
According to the hostage, he was tied up with a hood over his head for three days. He said he prayed and fasted during his captivity because he believed his captors were going to execute him. He was transported to a nearby military medical facility for an examination.
On the third and final day of the operation, Coalition Forces performed a controlled detonation destroying an IED factory. During a search of the targeted building, ground forces found a large amount of IED-making material including 1,000 pounds of various types of explosives, including nitric acid.
An explosives ordnance disposal team determined the material was too unstable to move. Ground forces cordoned off the area and ensured local citizens were moved to a safe distance during the controlled detonation.
The IED-making materials and building were destroyed to prevent future use by terrorists.
A total of 13 suspected terrorists were detained during the three-day operation.
"Coalition Forces continue to tear apart the al-Qaida network inside Iraq. This operation contributes to the reduction of this IED terrorist network's ability to operate, and increases the safety of all Iraqi citizens, Iraqi forces and Iraq's Multi-national partners," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
CAVALRY TROOPS FIND CACHE, DETAIN SUSPECT
2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) Public Affairs
KORESH, Iraq - Multi-National Division - Baghdad troops found a weapons cache near the village of Koresh, Iraq during a security patrol at approximately 9:30 a.m. Feb. 24.
Soldiers of the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) found a weapons stockpile consisting of two rocket-propelled grenade warheads, a star-cluster flare, 600 rounds of linked 7.62mm ammunition, an assault rifle, two machine guns, a machine-gun barrel and two bipods for rifles.
The Soldiers detained the owner of the property where the cache was discovered for questioning. An explosive ordnance disposal team was called in and conducted a controlled detonation to destroy the weapons and munitions.
SUSPECTED SENIOR AL-QAeDA LEADER CAPTURED IN MOSUL
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition Forces killed two terrorists and captured a suspected senior al-Qaida leader during a raid Sunday morning in Mosul.
While approaching the first targeted building, Coalition Forces began receiving enemy fire from an adjacent building. Coalition Forces fired back, killing one terrorist.
Upon entering the adjacent building, ground forces were confronted by an armed terrorist who began maneuvering on the ground forces. Ground forces took proper self-defense measures and killed the armed terrorist.
During the raid, Coalition Forces detained six suspected terrorists, including the targeted individual who is believed to be a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leader operating a terrorist cell in Mosul.
This operation was part of ongoing efforts to empower the Iraqi people to defend, govern and rebuild their country. Coalition Forces will continue to hunt down and capture or kill terrorists trying to prevent a peaceful and stable Iraq," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
IRAQI ARMY, COALITION FORCES DISRUPT TERRORIST CELLS IN TITTEN
BAQUBAH, Iraq - The 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army, in conjunction with a Military Transition Team from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducted a cordon and knock operation targeting improvised explosive device and ambush cells in Titten, Iraq, Saturday.
During the operation, the IA Soldiers detained six suspected terrorists who were transferred to the Khalis detention facility for further questioning.
A small cache of small arms munitions was discovered in the yard of one of the detainees.
"The Iraqi Soldiers and officers are continuously showing their commitment to making Diyala a safer province," said. Col. David W.
Sutherland, 3/1 Cav. commander and senior U.S. Army officer in the Diyala province. "They are now conducting targeted operations independent of Coalition Forces, and are experiencing the successes of well-planned and executed operations."
Following the cordon and knock, the Soldiers delivered school supplies throughout the area. The school supply drop was received very well by the local population.
SUSPECTED AL-QAEDA EMIR, 14 OTHERS CAPTURED
BAGHDAD, Iraq -Coalition Forces detained 15 suspected terrorists including a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq emir during raids Monday morning targeting foreign fighter facilitators and the al-Qaeda in Iraq network.
During an operation in Baghdad, Coalition Forces captured a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq emir and one of his associates.
Three suspected foreign terrorist facilitators were captured in operations northeast of Samarra, and eight more were captured in a foreign fighter safe house west of Mahmudiyah.
In downtown Ramadi, Coalition Forces captured two suspects in a foreign fighter safe house. Intelligence reports indicated members of the cell were allegedly planning suicide operations against Coalition or Iraqi Forces.
"Coalition Forces are making progress dismantling the foreign fighter and al-Qaeda terrorist networks inside Iraq," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. "These operations send a message to terrorists that they will be caught and prosecuted for their crimes under the Iraqi justice system."
IRAQI POLICE, COALITION FORCES DISCOVER LARGE EFP CACHE
BAQUBAH, Iraq - Information provided by a concerned citizen led Iraqi Police officers from Judidah, Iraq, and Coalition Forces from the 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, to a large improvised explosive device cache in the Baqubah area Saturday.
The cache consisted of:
* 2 explosively formed projectiles in various stages of
assembly
* One completed improvised mine and more than a dozen
others in various stages of construction
* More than two dozen mortar rounds and 15 rockets
* Over 150 disks capable of producing as many individual
EFPs
* Six rocket launchers
* Five anti-aircraft rounds
* Over two dozen RPG warheads
* More than 400 plastic and steel containers in various
stages of fabrication for IED construction
* Large quantities of IED-making material such as
detonation cord, C4, blasting caps, fuses, EFP launching tubes, bags of ball bearings and voltage regulators
"The vigilance of the Iraqi Police and the willingness of the people of Diyala to end the cycle of violence led to this discovery,"
said Col. David W. Sutherland, 3-1 Cav. commander and senior U.S. Army officer in Diyala province.
A Coalition Forces explosive ordnance disposal unit safely disposed of some of the munitions with the majority of the cache being transferred to Forward Operating Base Warhorse.
"The terrorists and sectarian fighters who use these explosives have no other desire than to stop the progress of the country,"
Sutherland said. "Their hatred manifests itself in the weapons that these supplies would have been used for. The people realize this and understand that progress is impossible without stopping the violence.
"The people are choosing, and they are choosing progress and development by providing information," he added.
Discovery
An Iraqi Police officer from Jadidah, Iraq, and a Soldier from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, unearth a large improvised explosive device cache discovered near Baqubah, Iraq, Saturday.
Iraqi Police officers from Jadidah, Iraq, in partnership with Coalition Forces from 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discover a large improvised explosive device cache containing supplies for explosively formed projectiles near Baqubah, Iraq, Saturday.
CAVALRY PARATROOPERS FIND, DESTROY CACHE
KALSU, Iraq - Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers discovered a cache while conducting a reconnaissance patrol south of Baghdad Feb. 23.
Paratroopers from Troop A, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division uncovered the cache in a two-foot deep hole near Hawar Rajab, Iraq.
The cache consisted of one AK-47 rifle, a bandolier with two magazines, copper command wire, two cell phones, one 155mm artillery round, and one rocket-propelled grenade round.
An explosive ordnance disposal team was called to the site and performed a controlled detonation of the cache.
