Thread: Operation Iraqi Freedom/Multi-National Force

Engineers build new Female Training Police Station

Friday, 06 July 2007

BAGHDAD — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is helping to create new situations to enable Iraqi women to take an active part in the reconstruction and security restoration of Iraq.
“The Corps of Engineers is building a new Female Training Police Station (FTPS) in An Najaf Province,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jan Carter, senior project manager, Gulf Region South (GRS), Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq (MNSTC-I). “It is a three-story facility with offices, jail cells, an armory, a communications room, guard towers, sleeping quarters and a courtyard for training new female police officers.”

“The objective for building the $134,000 female training police station is to help advise, organize and train Iraqi female officers on basic infantry tactics from squad to battalion level to further enhance the Iraqi police stations,” Carter said.

“This project is very important and will help to eliminate terrorist acts and restore security in the Iraqi provinces,” she said.

MNSTC-I is responsible for developing, organizing, training, equipping, and sustaining the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF). Its mission is to train the ISF so they are capable of defeating the insurgency and take responsibility for maintaining security within Iraq.

“To date, $435 million has been used to support 404 projects for security and justice facilities in southern Iraq. These projects include firehouses, courthouses, prisons and jails, police stations, border posts, vehicle control points, barracks, and Iraq military bases,” Carter said.

Falih Kadim, an Iraqi engineer, said all work performed and materials supplied under the requirements of the scope of work are subject to inspection by Gulf Region South.

“The new police station will replace the existing station located near the Euphrates River. The project consists in providing the labor, supervision, equipment, and materials to construct the IPS in the city of An Najaf, southeast of Baghdad,” Kadim said.

Carter said the Iraqi women impressed her especially during elections, when older women speak their minds and when women in the Government of Iraq act with authority while still respectful to their culture.

“There are Iraqi women in some very high level positions in the Government of Iraq,” she said. “That surprised me to see them in these positions because I didn’t expect them to speak up bravely and openly - but they definitely do speak their minds where it is needed.”

“They are here to make a difference in their lives and to help them to regain their country. This is a new element of security for the Iraqi people - to have female police officers. Females are a very important part of the society,” she added.

An Iraqi female officer said, “As an Iraqi woman, I wish I could see more changes in the Iraqi community. I joined the Iraqi Army to participate in the noble mission of restoring security in Iraq. I want to see all the Iraqi people happy and living in peace.”

(U.S. Army story by By Mohammed Aliwi, Gulf Region South district)

Multi-National Force - Iraq - Engineers build new Female Training Police Station

1-30th Infantry brings in wanted suspect

Friday, 06 July 2007

BAGHDAD — An insurgent on the Multi-National Division-Center’s wanted list was captured June 2.
Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, captured the man during a raid in the Arab Jabour area. The man is a prominent member of a local terrorist cell that obtained and transported improvised explosive devices, IED-making materials, mortars, and sniper rifles in the Arab Jabour area.

Multi-National Force - Iraq - 1-30th Infantry brings in wanted suspect

Three killed, eight detained in morning operation
Friday, 06 July 2007
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
PRESS DESK
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Multi-National Force - Iraq
703.343.8790

July 6, 2007
Release A070706a

Three killed, eight detained in morning operation

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed three terrorists and detained eight suspected terrorists during operations in Anbar province Friday targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq facilitators.

During a raid west of Fallujah, Coalition Forces captured a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq battalion commander, responsible for logistics and oversight of terrorist attacks by cells within his group. He has also allegedly attempted to forge working relationships with media outlets to broadcast jihadist propaganda, including videos of attacks on Coalition Forces.

After Coalition Forces entered the building, they encountered a man with an AK-47 and two men with pistols who began firing on the ground force. Coalition Forces, acting in self-defense, engaged the three armed terrorists, killing them.
Two suspected terrorists on scene were detained during the raid.

Northeast of Ramadi, Coalition Forces targeted a suspected terrorist who allegedly facilitates the movement of foreigners into Iraq for participation in terrorist attacks. The ground forces detained six suspects during the operation.

“All levels of al-Qaeda in Iraq are in danger as we continue to target them,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. “More and more, the people of Iraq – regardless of politics or religion – are rejecting al Qaeda’s brutal values.”

Multi-National Force - Iraq - Three killed, eight detained in morning operation

Fort Riley ‘Raiders’ hold their own

Friday, 06 July 2007
By Spc. Mike Alberts
3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

KIRKUK-
As thousands of coalition and Iraqi security forces conducted large-scale combat operations dubbed “Arrowhead Ripper” in Diyala Province, similar missions commenced simultaneously in the northern Kirkuk Province. Among those participating up north was a contingent of military police from Fort Riley, Kan., who did their part corralling insurgents and confiscating weapons.

Soldiers of the 977th Military Police Company “Raiders,” 97th Military Police Battalion, and some 90 Iraqi police officers from three police stations partnered for operations in the remote Kirkuk Province village of Qahara, Iraq, on June 17, 2007.

The Raiders deployed to Iraq with almost 200 soldiers and arrived at Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq, in March 2007. Their primary mission is to train, mentor and advise Iraqi police and help to stand up municipal police stations. Three of those stations are in the towns of Daquq, Taza and Laylan. The Raiders involved officers from all three stations in recent operations named “Operation Cacti Ripper.”

Cacti Ripper was a battalion level operation spearheaded by “Cacti” soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The joint, combined air and ground operation coincided with efforts north of Baghdad to destroy and disrupt anti-Iraqi force operations and networks and to further secure the population in the southern villages of Ghaydah, Qahara and Az Zajji, according to Capt. Steven Bartley. He is commander of the 977th Military Police Co., attached to 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

“Our piece of the operation was to conduct a cordon and search of just Qahara Village,” explained Bartley, a native of Fredonia, New York. “Our key tasks included organizing the Iraqi police officers, rapidly establishing a cordon of Qahara, and conducting a thorough search of its various structures,” said the 10-year veteran who is serving his second combat tour in Iraq.

Bartley’s team of about 30 soldiers arrived at the Daquq police station in the late evening, June 16. During the next 18 hours, he and his soldiers would marshal, stage and brief officers on the objective, coordinate the early morning departure and isolation of Qahara, and participate in a comprehensive search of a village that consisted of more than a couple square miles of no less than 25 clusters of structures.

When it was all over, Bartley’s team of Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers had detained eight suspected terrorists (five of whom would remain jailed) and confiscated weapons, ammunition, explosives, bomb making material and anti-coalition force propaganda.

“Today was a big success in terms of organizing the Iraqi police from three separate police stations and keeping them motivated,” said Bartley who explained that considerable measures were employed to maintain the necessary level of secrecy to ensure the operation was not compromised before it started.

“Our biggest challenge was keeping (operational security) intact,” he continued. “When you get a hundred Iraqi police together and except for a few key, senior people you cannot tell them exactly why they’re here and you can’t tell them where they’re going, that’s tough. They understand, but it presents challenges,” he said.

Bartley attributed his ability to overcome those challenges, in large part, to the competency and experience of his soldiers, such as like Sgt. Nicholas Shepherd and Staff Sgt. Nicholas Wiley. Shepherd is a 26 year-old team leader from Denver, Colo., and is on his third combat tour in Iraq.

“The mission went very well, especially considering we had totally different ethnic groups from three different police stations working together for the first time,” said Shepherd. “It was really outstanding. And we found weapons. It’s very important that for our first large operation we didn’t come away empty handed,” he emphasized.

“It would have been difficult for the younger soldiers if we spent all this time gathering all the intelligence and came back with no results. All this work is now justified in their eyes, and it builds their confidence.”

Shepherd’s squad leader, Staff Sgt. Nicholas Wiley, agreed. Wiley, with roots in Manhattan, Kan., is the father of two young children. He and his team were principally charged with coordinating and carrying out the search operations. He is also on his third combat tour in Iraq and confirmed that mission success was important not only for his soldiers’ confidence, but also for their perspective.

“I tell all the police chiefs that we are guests at their stations and the younger soldiers here that and see us behave that way,” said Wiley. “In this sense, they do benefit from those of us that have been here before and treat the Iraqi people like that,” he continued. “Missions like this one where the (Iraqi police) are out front and we are simply assisting show our (less experienced) soldiers that this country is the Iraqi people’s, and we’re just here to help.”


Multi-National Force - Iraq - Fort Riley ‘Raiders’ hold their own

IA delivers medical supplies to Diyala

Saturday, 07 July 2007
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070707-01
July 7, 2007

IA delivers medical supplies to Diyala
Multi-National Division – North PAO


BAQOUBA, Iraq – Iraqi Army Soldiers with the Diyala province deputy governor of health delivered 10 trucks full of medical supplies to Diyala province, July 4, as part of an effort to provide much needed medicines for people in the area.

Soldiers from the 5th Iraqi Army Division with Dr. Homm, the deputy governor of health for Diyala province, traveled to Baghdad on the morning of July 4 to escort the trucks north.

Coalition Force Soldiers with the Diyala Provincial Reconstruction Team assisted the Iraqis in planning and coordinating the operation.

The supplies are intended for distribution to nine Ministry of Health ho****als throughout the province including Baqouba General Ho****al.

Meanwhile, food distribution planning efforts in and around Baqouba continued as a part of Operation Arrowhead Ripper.

The warehouses are full of rice, flour, cooking oil, beans, chai, milk, and soap. Fourteen trucks were also loaded and readied for delivery to the province.

Since the beginning of the operation, Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces have provided approximately 462 metric tons of rice and flour to residents of Baqouba.

As a sign of the improving security situation in Baqouba, the government of Diyala province announced July 5 a relaxation of movement restrictions which had been placed over the city. The government stated that the city-wide cordon would be lifted for pedestrian traffic between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.

There are no changes to movement restrictions on vehicles, which currently are not authorized, within the city.

Operation Arrowhead Ripper began on June 18 as a major push by Iraqi Security Forces and CF to rid the capital of Diyala province of the influence of al-Qaida.

Since the beginning of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, at least 60 al-Qaida operatives have been killed, 153 have been detained, 50 weapons caches have been discovered, 115 improvised explosive devices have been destroyed and 22 booby-trapped structures have been destroyed.


Multi-National Force - Iraq - IA delivers medical supplies to Diyala

Apache crews kill insurgents after attack on base


Saturday, 07 July 2007
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070707-11
July 7, 2007

Apache crews kill insurgents after attack on base
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO


CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Multi-National Division-Baghdad attack helicopter crews killed four insurgents and destroyed an enemy vehicle at approximately 7 a.m. July 5 after the insurgents fired on a Coalition Forces forward operating base with rocket-propelled grenades in northern Baghdad.

“We continue to have great success against enemy forces attempting to disrupt the governmental process of Iraq,” said Maj. Scott Chiasson, executive officer, 1st “Attack” Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. “This engagement and others like it helps to ensure the security of the Iraqi people and Coalition Forces operating in the city of Baghdad.”

The Apache crews from 1-227th, obtained positive identification of the insurgents and were cleared to fire on the vehicle. The Apache crew engaged the vehicle, destroying it and killing the insurgents inside.


Multi-National Force - Iraq - Apache crews kill insurgents after attack on base

IA Soldiers bring supplies to Ramadi
Saturday, 07 July 2007

BAGHDAD — Locals greeted Iraqi Soldiers in central Ramadi with handshakes and smiles. Those smiles are something new for the troops who’ve had to overcome years of violence from insurgents in their quest to secure the city.
Iraqi Army Soldiers patrolling the streets of Ramadi brought supplies to the people during humanitarian missions June 29 through July 1.

“The Iraqi Army here may be from all backgrounds and provinces of Iraq, but that doesn’t change how we feel about our country,” said Iraqi Col. Sabah Fadel, 1st Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division commander. “As Iraqi Army Soldiers, it’s our job to protect and help the people, which is our goal with these missions.”

U.S. Army Col. David Freeman, 1-7 Brigade Military Transition Team chief, said the operations are an indicator of the Iraqi Army’s commitment to Ramadi.

The Iraqi brigade commander approached the MiTT team about a month ago to do a civil affairs mission, Freeman said. It was important to do the mission because months ago terrorists paraded down the streets, demonstrating their dominance of Ramadi. But now the Iraqi Army is in control.

During the three-day operation, called Operation Helping Hand, the troops visited the Al Hommerah, and Al Hoz districts of Ramadi, the Women and Children’s Ho****al and the Ramadi General Ho****al in their effort to further strengthen relations with the Iraqi Army and locals of the city.

“We chose those areas to show the people that the streets formerly held by insurgents are now held and patrolled by the Iraqi Army,” Fadal said. “This is to tell the people that we’re here to help them.”

The Iraqi Army’s helped the locals by bringing supplies such as food, fuel and medicine to help improve the peoples’ lives.

“The people really need these supplies,” Fadal said. “As Ramadi gets safer, we’re able to go directly to the people and take care of their concerns because it’s our job.”

Throughout the operations, Iraqi Soldiers were smiling and waving to the people of Ramadi.

“If people want to know how we feel about the work we are doing they just need to look at Ramadi,” Fadal said. “The efforts of the Iraqi Soldiers here have done much for the city. The ho****als are receiving medical supplies, people are beginning to get fuel more often and life is gradually improving for the people of Ramadi – this makes us happy.”

Although this was just one humanitarian mission for the Iraqi Soldiers, everyone participating from the colonel to the private sees hope as Ramadi moves forward from violence to prosperity, and a brighter future for all.

(U.S. Army story by Spc. Ricardo Branch, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division)

Multi-National Force - Iraq - IA Soldiers bring supplies to Ramadi

IED ring broken by Operation Bastogne


Saturday, 07 July 2007
By Sgt. Ernest Henry
25th Infantry Division Public Affairs

KALSU — Speed, stealth and surprise are key ingredients in any successful combat operation and the Soldiers from Task Force Steel are perfecting that recipe day in and day out in North Babil.

The Steel task force of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division put those ingredients together in the early morning hours of July 1 during Operation Bastogne, a raid near the Chaka III area of North Babil.

“Operation Bastogne was designed to capture members of an improvised explosive device cell operating along Highway 1 and other roads in the north Babil province,” said Capt. Stew Lindsay, a native of Freeport Penn., and commander of Company C, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

“This particular area was plagued by improvised explosive devices,” said Capt. James Browning, a native of Waynesboro, N.C. and commander of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment. “There were four or five IEDs within a kilometer of our objective. We have to operate in this area day in and day out so we definitely wanted to clean out the area.”

As the operation began, Task Force Steel started their movement toward Chaka III. Approximately two kilometers away, they dismounted their vehicles and began moving in on foot to maximize the element of surprise.

Once the task force reached their targets, they began a simultaneous raid on several houses in the area.

“We captured 10 personnel at the objectives,” said Lindsay. “After questioning, we decided we were only going to detain the four men we captured at the main objective.”

In addition to capturing the IED cell members, the operation captured hundreds of rounds of 7.62mm sniper ammunition, IED making materials and an instruction manual on how to construct IEDs.

Following the operation, the effects on Chaka III were instantly noticeable.

“The immediate impact on the area was quite apparent. In the last 24 hours, where we generally have four to five IEDs and several indicators of insurgent activity, there have been absolutely none,” said Browning. “There might be attempts at reprisal attacks, but I think we have crippled the IED cells in our area.”


Multi-National Force - Iraq - IED ring broken by Operation Bastogne

Paratroopers find weapons cache


Saturday, 07 July 2007
KALSU — Paratroopers uncovered a weapons cache while helping Iraqi citizens east of Iskandariyah, Iraq, Thursday.

Paratroopers with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 509th Airborne, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, discovered the cache while helping local farmers in the Tounis region clean out irrigation canals.

A 107mm rocket and 40 mortar casings ranging from 40mm to 81mm were found.

The paratroopers confiscated the rounds and handed them over to the Tounis Iraqi police station for destruction.

Multi-National Force - Iraq - Paratroopers find weapons cache

4 terrorists killed, 9 suspects detained in Coalition operations



Saturday, 07 July 2007
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
PRESS DESK
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Multi-National Force - Iraq
703.343.8790

July 7, 2007
Release A070707a

4 terrorists killed, 9 suspects detained in Coalition operations

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed four terrorists and detained nine suspected terrorists during operations around Iraq targeting al-Qaeda leaders and their associates Saturday.

Coalition Forces targeted an al-Qaeda in Iraq leader suspected of facilitating the movement of foreign terrorists near Khan Bani Sa’ad. As they approached the targeted building, they encountered an armed man in a military-style assault vest who drew his weapon on the ground forces. Coalition Forces, responding in self-defense, engaged the armed man, killing him.

As Coalition Forces left the area after the operation, several terrorists engaged them with heavy machine guns. Responding in self-defense to neutralize the threat, Coalition Forces called in close air support to engage the armed men. Three terrorists were killed and two heavy machine guns were destroyed in the air strike.

In Hit, Coalition Forces captured an alleged senior member of the al-Qaeda in Iraq organization there. The individual is suspected of collecting information on Iraqi Police, civilians and Coalition Forces to report to the al-Qaeda in Iraq emir of the area. One other suspected terrorist was detained with the targeted individual.

A Coalition Forces operation in Mosul netted seven suspected terrorists when the ground forces raided two buildings targeting associates of known al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders.

“We’re continuing to chip away at the senior leadership and low-level operatives involved in al-Qaeda in Iraq,” said Maj. Marc Young, an MNF-I spokesperson. “The Iraqi people have made it clear that terrorist groups are unwanted and unwelcome in Iraq.”



Multi-National Force - Iraq - 4 terrorists killed, 9 suspects detained in Coalition operations