More Iraq Bits

Tip aids Iraqi Police in seizing VCIED

BAGHDAD, Iraq — After receiving a tip from an anonymous Iraqi citizen, Iraqi Police and Task Force Baghdad Soldiers seized a vehicle-carried improvised explosive device in southern Baghdad Jan.1

The Joint Coordination Center received the tip at approximately 7:40 p.m. warning of a suspicious vehicle. Iraqi Police and Task Force Baghdad Soldiers responded and the VCIED was rendered safe by explosive ordnance teams.

One terror suspect killed, three captured

TIKRIT, Iraq – U.S. Soldiers responding to an indirect fire attack against a coalition base near Balad killed one suspected terrorist and captured another Dec. 2.

A coalition aircraft operating near Logistics Support Area Anaconda saw two people running away from the site where the fire originated and helped guide a nearby patrol to the area.

The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division Soldiers quickly captured one suspect, but the other fled on foot. The man led the Soldiers on a two-hour long chase that finally ended when the Soldiers cornered him in a grove of palm trees.

The suspect fired at the Soldiers with an AK-47 assault rifle and was killed by the Soldiers’ return fire.

In another incident near Hawijah, two bombing suspects were detained after a coalition aircraft observed them digging alongside a road on the morning of Dec.2nd.

The pilot notified a nearby patrol from the 101st Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, who stopped the suspects’ vehicle. One of the men tested positive for explosives residue and a bomb sniffing dog signaled that the truck had been used to carry explosives.

Iraqi and MNDCS Soldiers size cache

Diwaniyah Province, Iraq -- MNDCS and Iraqi Soldiers seized illegal weapon caches in Diwaniyah and Wasit provinces. During operations six suspicious men were detained and the following weapons and munitions were found: 75 assorted mines, 40 artillery and mortar rounds, seven RPG launchers with 69 rounds, 50 hand grenades, sniper rifles, machine guns and explosive material.

Iraqi Security Forces: Increasingly in the lead

Najaf Police Academy graduates demonstrate their martial arts skills during their graduation ceremony, an Najaf, Iraq, Dec. 12, 2005. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Francisco V. Govea II) 051212-F-9891G-096 (Released)

Story by Staff Sgt. David Green
MNF-Iraq.com

Baghdad - Iraqi Security Forces now number more than 223,000 trained and equipped soldiers and police. These troops are spread throughout the country and are taking an ever increasing roll in securing their country against terrorist and insurgents in areas across the country.

“As Iraqi security forces continue to grow in capability and size -- now numbering more than 223,000 -- they are conducting more and more successful independent operations throughout Iraq, including Baghdad,” Brig. Gen. Donald Alston, spokesman for Multi-National Force – Iraq, told reporters last week.

Brig. Gen. Alston added that these were wide ranging forces, some capable of conducting independent operations.

“There are now 120 Iraqi army and special operations battalions conducting combat operations against the enemy, 40 of which are assessed as being in the lead in defending Iraq, protecting progress and the process of democracy,” he said.

ISF are seeing success everywhere they are deployed. In Ramadi last week, Iraqi Army soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 7th Division working alongside of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division detained five targeted insurgents, including Jassim Mohammed Fayadh, a high value insurgent leader, allegedly responsible for financing terrorism in the Tammim neighborhood and known to have supplied arms and munitions to Al Qaeda in Iraq according to MNF-I sources.

Speaking after the capture, the battalion commander of 1-1-7 IA, Lt. Col. Mustafa, highlighted the importance of the capture. “Yesterday was a big step to bringing safety and security to this area for our local citizens and their families. We will continue to work with our coalition partners to bring security to western Ramadi,” said Mustafa.

Ramadi, however, isn’t the only place that ISF units are making their presence felt. In the week from Dec. 17-29 ISF and Coalition Forces from Task Force Freedom detained 109 suspected terrorists and seized four weapons caches.

“In cities throughout the country it’s the same,” said Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a spokesman for the Multi-National Force in Baghdad. “Iraqi Security Forces are taking more and more responsibility for the safety and security of a democratic Iraq.”

Of obvious concern is control of the Iraq’s capital city.

Speaking to reporters recently, Maj. Gen. William G. Webster Jr., commander of Multi- National Division Baghdad, pointed out that a year ago there was one Iraqi army battalion in the city.

"And now there are 22 (Iraqi battalions) in Baghdad," Maj. Gen. Webster said, "with 12 of them in charge of their own areas of operations." The Iraqi 6th Division in Baghdad is comprised of six brigades, he said.

Ultimately the story of Iraqi Security Forces is one of increased growth and responsibility. That growth is reflected in the numbers.

“The ability of the Iraqi security forces to provide security at the borders, to counter the insurgency and to fight terrorist forces has greatly improved over the past year. At the start of 2005, Iraqi security forces numbered only a little bit more than 127,000 strong.

“In just 12 months, we have seen the Iraqi security forces increase 77 percent to a total now that numbers more than 223,000. The world watched in 2005 as the number of Iraqi units able to take the lead in combat operations against the insurgency increased. A year ago, there were none,” said Alston.

Last bit on Iraq for today, seems that the looney left islamoterrorist huggers of the left are wrong again, seems that moral is actually high in the US forces and shock horror soldiers are actually signing up for more tours....so much for the doomsayers of the guardian/BBC etc

** Seems that there is another windows bug wandering about causing all sorts of nasty things to PC running windows, oh the joys of running a Microshaft OS - link to ft.com report so time to make sure that you have the following sorted -

• a decent firewall
• anti virus software
  
• security updates turned on
• download a fix from here - http://www.hexblog.com/
• an official patch from microshaft will be out about the 10th of Jan-
• and if all else fails there you can pray!
  

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