Good News From Iraq

Release A060525c
Insecticide spraying in Diyala ends
TIKRIT, Iraq – More than 96 percent of the province of Diyala has been sprayed with insecticide as part of Operation Barnstormer.

A total of 23,000 hectares (approximately 90 square miles) of date palms have been sprayed in the last seven days.

“Crop spraying went well today. We were able to complete all of western Diyala and tomorrow we will complete all areas that were programmed for spraying,” said Col. Brian Jones, commander, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers.

Another part of the operation is spraying wheat in the western portion of Dahuk Province. So far, 31,500 hectares, (around 122 square miles) have been sprayed, which is about 31.7 percent of the 99,400 hectares (384 square miles) total area. Around 41,500 hectares, (160 square miles) are scheduled to be sprayed before the operation is completed, sometime in the next five days.

Release A060525a
Investigation ordered into allegation of misconduct
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq – Maj. Gen. Richard C. Zilmer, commanding general, Multi-National Force - West, has requested that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service conduct an investigation into an April 26, 2006 incident in which Marines allegedly killed an Iraqi civilian in the area of Hamandiyah, west of Baghdad .

Local Iraqis brought the incident to the attention of Marine leadership at a regularly scheduled meeting on May 1, 2006. A preliminary investigation conducted by MNF-W found sufficient information existed to recommend a criminal investigation into the incident.

Several servicemembers from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment who have suspected involvement in the incident were removed from operations and have returned to the United States pending the results of the criminal investigation.

Release A060525b
3 terrorists killed after emplacing IEDs
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Three terrorists found emplacing improvised explosive devices were killed at approximately 3:30 p.m. May 24 near Abu Ghraib just west of Baghdad .

Coalition Forces from 1st Battalion, 1st Marines Regiment, observed three terrorists digging holes and placing IEDs, which positively identified them as terrorists with hostile intent. Coalition Forces then engaged and killed all three terrorists.

There was no reported damage to Coalition Forces' personnel or equipment.

Release A060525e
IA, CF detain 15 terrorists
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Soldiers from 6th Iraqi Army Division and Multi-National Division – Baghdad detained 15 terrorists in three separate events on May 23 and May 24.

In one event on May 23, MND-B Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, detained two terrorists in connection with a weapons cache found south of Baghdad.

In a second event that same day, Soldiers from 4th Brigade, 6th IAD, detained two terrorists attempting to drive through a traffic control point with explosive material in their truck south of Baghdad.

On May 24, another 11 terrorists were detained south of Baghdad when they fired upon a 4th Bde., 6th IAD traffic control point from a mosque. The terrorists were found with AK-47 rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade.

Coalition, Iraqi leaders discuss joint security, economic issues
BAGHDAD, Iraq (May 26, 2006) – As Coalition Forces leaders and local Iraqi government officials discuss joint security concerns, Iraqi Army Soldiers demonstrated their effectiveness on the streets in Baghdad.

The commanding general of Multi-National Division – Baghdad met with two prominent Iraqi governors at the Falaniko House in the International Zone May 25 to discuss their joint security concerns.

During the meeting, Iraqi government leaders from the Baghdad and Najaf provinces and Coalition Forces leaders talked about the progress being made toward the long-term goal of passing security control from Coalition Forces to the Iraqi provincial governments.

Maj. Gen. J.D. Thurman, commanding general, MND-B, began the meeting by focusing on the ground-breaking steps taken in recent days by the still fledgling Iraqi government, with the successful selection of a prime minister and his cabinet.

“This is a historic moment for all of Iraq,” said Thurman.

Hussein Al-Tahan, governor, Baghdad Province, pledged his support and agreed to work closely with Coalition Forces to improve the overall security situation.

“Together, you and I are responsible for the security of Baghdad,” said Al-Tahan.

Echoing his fellow governor’s sentiments, Assad Altaee Abu Guilal, governor of Najaf, expressed his gratitude for the Coalition Forces effort and assistance in improving both the security and economy of Najaf.

At the meeting’s close, all participants agreed that both provinces are well on their way to assuming security control and are looking forward to continuing cooperative efforts to ensure a safe Iraq in the future.

One Iraqi father recently discovered the effectiveness of Iraqi Security Forces when Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, rescued his kidnapped teenage daughter.

The Iraqi Soldiers were performing a security patrol May 24 in the Al Mansour district of central Baghdad when an individual approached and informed them that his daughter had been kidnapped.

Responding immediately, Iraqi Army Soldiers searched the area and quickly located the young victim, bound and blindfolded, in a vehicle.

Soon after, she was reunited with her father.

Thanks to the efforts of Coalition Forces and the new Iraqi government, civilians in the Northern Babil Province may be reunited with a former employer in that region, an industrial complex in Iskandariyah that once boosted the city’s economy by producing more than 60,000 vehicles.

Suffering from years of neglect, the industrial complex now stands as a dilapidated and virtually silent group of buildings.

The complex opened in 1972 and thrived for 18 years as a private company producing thousands of vehicles. Currently, the only industry that sees activity in the complex is the Iraqi Ministry of Industries’ truck, bus and trailer producing company. In its peak production years, the company was able to produce six buses each week and employ about 6,000 workers. Now, it builds only four buses per month.

This reduction in output is not due to the reduction of workers but the lack of demand for the product.

Coalition Forces and the Iraqi government want to change that.

Maj. Gen. Thurman visited the factory March 25 with Lt. Col. James Howard, commander, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, to see first hand the progress the factory has made with assistance from Coalition Forces and the Iraqi government.

The technical director for the complex, Sebah Khafaji, expressed gratitude for the Coalition’s assistance and hopes for an independent future with opportunities for new markets and growth and therefore, greater employment for the local citizens.

Maj. Gen. Thurman pledged his support to Khafaji to get the complex on its feet again and praised him for his initiative.

“I see tremendous opportunity in this region with industry and agriculture. If the Iraqi government continues to encourage Shia and Sunnis to work together, I have no doubt that this area will be very successful,” concluded Thurman.

(Compiled from official DOD sources)
Tags:
Iraq
MNF Iraq
Al Qaeda
War on Terror
Iraqi Army
101st Fighting Keyboardists

.