Good News From Iraq

Terrorist attack foiled in Mosul

MOSUL, Iraq – Iraqi Police and Task Force Band of Brothers’ Soldiers thwarted a terrorist attack against a Mosul police station Wednesday.

The attack began with a terrorist, dressed as a police officer, approached the gate to the police station and detonated his suicide vest, killing himself and wounding six police officers.

Immediately following the explosion, two other masked terrorists attempted to attack the station with small arms fire. Soldiers from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division quickly identified and engaged the gunmen, killing both.

The wounded police officers were transported to a nearby coalition medical facility.

Iraqi leader takes action toward peace

FOB KALSU, Iraq – Seeking a unified province free from terrorism and sectarian violence, leaders of groups in Babil came together Aug. 20 in Al Hillah to reconcile and denounce sectarian violence.

Iraqi Security Force leadership, representatives of the Iraqi national government, local government officials, social leaders, tribal sheik leaders and religious leaders, joined together at the Iraqi police academy convention hall to map out a strategic plan to shape Babil’s peaceful future.

“This was Iraqi generated, Iraqi led,” said Col. John Tully, commander, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, an invited guest of the ISF leadership present at the conference “They are clearly trying to come to grips with the issues their society is facing.”

The meeting was orchestrated by Maj. Gen. Qais Hamza, Babil provincial police chief, to bring representatives of every facet of Babil culture to the conference and provide them a forum to speak. It is hoped the meeting would signify the commencement of a new era in the region and the end of terrorism in southern Iraq, said a sheik in attendance.

“We have Sunnis, Shias, women, children – that is a miracle in this day of age,” he said. “Everybody knows what needs to be done, but Gen. Qais is the person who decided that it was time to quit talking and start acting.”

The idea came in coordination with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki’s 24-point national reconciliation initiative plan he outlined to the Iraqi National Council of Representatives in June. Sectarian violence has plagued Iraq for much of the year, and leaders of Babil said they wanted to lead the rest of the nation in heeding al Maliki’s words.

The meeting started off with children from the area singing the Iraqi national anthem and readings from the Holy Koran. Many of those in attendance took turns speaking about the current situation in Iraq and Babil and then gave their suggestions on how to unify the region.

“There is no winner in war,” said Aeman Alkhafaji. “Everybody is a loser.”

Speaking on behalf of a women’s rights group, Alkhafaji said sectarian violence is destroying the greatest part of Iraqi culture – the family. When the man of the house dies, there is no one to provide for the family, no backbone present to steer their children to their future. Or when a woman is killed, it crushes the family dynamic and children lose the comforting tender side of the family.

“A woman without her man is like land without water,” she said. “And a man without his woman is like a ship without sail.”

Numerous Sunni and Shia tribal leaders spoke before the congregation and offered their hand to one another, promising to not let the trouble witnessed in Baghdad infiltrate their region.

“We are not Sunni or Shiite, Kurdish or Christians,” one sheik said. “We are Iraqis, and we intend to secure Iraq. The people who are fighting the old regime and each other are the same people that have lived together for over a thousand years and have drank from these two rivers.”

After a brief recess for lunch, Qais proposed a reconciliation agreement draft he drew up. The agreement’s last paragraph reads: “We have sworn this oath; we accept the promise of the Provincial Government to provide security for all citizens without regard to their sect, ethnicity or political party affiliation and to work toward inclusive, representative government unencumbered by bias and disenfranchisement.

Qais then challenged the more than 500 in attendance to sign the oath and make every effort to make Babil the place all of Iraq strives to be. A large reproduction of the oath each person received was placed near the door and everyone signed it as they exited the conference.

“Let Babil be the example for the freedom and the mixture that we have in Iraq,” said Col. Abbas, Al Hillah police chief.

Smiles were abundant as the participants left the conference, shook hands and offered kind words to each other. More work is left to do, but the initiative Qais introduced seemed to have struck a chord with the people who attended.

“It was very uplifting,” said Tully. “In this society, when you get that many Sunni and Shia sheiks to support a plan, there is a chance for success.

“If Babil can keep people like Gen. Qais in leadership positions, it will be the most progressive and truly democratic province of the southern provinces in Iraq.”

MND-B Soldiers nab 5 terrorists after small-arms fire engagement

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, detained five suspected terrorists after being attacked by small-arms fire at approximately 11 a.m. Tuesday in the neighborhood of Saab Al Bour just north of Baghdad.

The Soldiers also confiscated three AK-47s, a PKC with a sniper scope and ammunition.

The detainees are being held for questioning.

IA, MND-B Soldiers find, disarm 7 explosive devices in Baghdad area

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – Iraqi army and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers discovered and destroyed seven improvised-explosive devices in and around Baghdad Monday.

Iraqi army soldiers found and disarmed an improvised-explosive device at approximately 10 a.m. in an area south of Baghdad. An explosive ordnance team from 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, destroyed the device.

In another incident, Soldiers from 2nd BCT located an IED on the side of a road southeast of Iskandariyah at approximately 9:30 a.m. An EOD team detonated the 152mm round.

Soldiers from 8th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 4th BCT, 4th Inf. Div., found a roadside bomb consisting of a 122mm mortar round partially buried in a main thoroughfare of Ameriyah at approximately 11:20 a.m. The device was removed and destroyed by an EOD team.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., noticed a copper wire coming out of the ground and leading back to a house nearby while conducting a reconnaissance mission near Najaf at approximately 8:10 a.m. Upon inspection, they discovered the wire ran to a firing position previously used for explosive devices and to a second explosive device. An EOD team disarmed and destroyed the explosive devices.

In a similar incident at approximately 11:50 a.m., Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st BCT, found a 152mm IED on the side of a rural road near Al Hjaddah in the far northern suburbs of Baghdad. An EOD team destroyed the roadside bomb.

In another incident, Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, discovered an IED buried in the middle of a busy road in Yusufiyah while conducting a route-clearance mission at approximately 2 p.m. The 120mm mortar round was unearthed and destroyed by an EOD team.

There were no injuries or damage to property in any of the incidents.

Operations have taken place in Doura, Shula, Nur, Ghazaliyah and Ameriyah from Aug. 7-22. During this time, Iraqi army, Iraqi police and MND-B Soldiers have cleared approximately 31,000 buildings and 25 mosques, detained 70 suspected terrorists, seized 529 weapons, registered 341 weapons, found 19 weapons and munitions caches and removed 1,570 tons of trash.

IA, MND-B Soldiers seize weapons, munitions, detain 5 suspected terrorists

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – Baghdad Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, discovered a munitions cache while on a dismounted patrol northwest of Baghdad Sunday night.

The cache consisted of 20 120mm rounds and a 155mm round.

An Explosive Ordnance Disposal team performed a controlled detonation of the munitions.

In a separate incident earlier in the day, Iraqi army soldiers from 5th Special Troops Company, 9th Iraqi Army Division, detained five suspected terrorists and seized weapons and munitions during a permissive entry of the Al Fadly Mosque in Bob al Shaam north of Baghdad.

A tip from a concerned citizen led the soldiers to the weapons, which included seven AK-47 assault rifles, two PKC machine guns, two pistols, 20 fully-loaded magazines of 7.62mm ammunition, three handheld radios rigged as bomb detonators and a set of body armor.

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