Good News From Iraq

BAGHDAD — Iraqi Army and Police forces in northern Iraq are taking responsibility for more territory as a result of the continual training Coalition forces have been providing, a U.S. commander said Friday.

“In an area of responsibility that exceeds 47,000 square miles, we have leveraged the full spectrum of assets in order to engage the population and neutralize the enemy,” Army Maj. Gen. Thomas R. Turner, commander of Multi-National Division-North, said in a news conference via satellite from Iraq. Iraqi security forces have taken the fight to the terrorists and insurgents throughout Multi-National Division-North. Numerous combined and increasingly Iraqi-only operations continue to disrupt the enemy's decision-making process and disrupt their freedom of movement.

”A year ago, only one Iraqi Army battalion was in the lead in the north. Today, 35 battalions, eight brigades and two divisions have assumed the lead and have been assigned an area of operations," Turner said. He added that the majority of all operations in the region are led by the Iraqi Army.

Now that the majority of the Iraqi army combat units are in the lead, the Coalition is focused on building combat support, Turner said. When these units are fully established, they will provide critical support, such as logistics, transportation, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Iraqi police in northern Iraq also have made great improvements, although they are still behind the army in capabilities. General Turner said that more than 31,000 police have been trained in the region, and by December, more than 43,000 should be trained and fully equipped, he said. Almost 100 police stations were constructed this year, and 30 more are under construction, according to the general.

“It was not so long ago that we saw Iraqi police either abandoning their post or throwing down their arms when attacked or confronted by the enemy,” he said.

“Today they are much stronger, and we continue to see progress."

While developing the Iraqi security forces, Coalition forces in the north also have reduced their presence. General Turner said Coalition forward operating bases have been reduced from 35 to 11 in the last year. Important challenges still lay ahead in Iraq, such as building trust across ethnic lines, defeating terrorists who promote sectarian conflict, establishing security and rule of law for all Iraqis, increasing economic growth to provide jobs, delivering essential services and fighting corruption, Turner said.

The key to the future is the development of the political process, which will allow the government to bring hope to the Iraqi people, who are ready to move beyond the country’s violent past, he said.

“The majority of Iraqis are tired of the bloodshed, and this enemy presents no challenge that cannot be overcome,” he said.

“This was most evident after the horrific bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra, where we saw the restraint of the Iraqi people in the face of massive provocation by those who respect nothing except their own destructive agenda for Iraq.”

Iraqi citizen’s tip helps IA stop kidnapping attempt, detain terrorist suspects

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – BAGHDAD, Iraq –Iraqi Army soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, foiled a kidnapping attempt while acting on a local citizen’s tip at approximately 12:10 p.m. Thursday in the vicinity of the Al Amien mosque in Mahmudiyah.

A large number of men carrying weapons, reportedly dressed in military uniforms and traveling in civilian vehicles, kidnapped two civilians from the mosque and then traveled north.

The IA battalion commander communicated to local checkpoints to be on the lookout for the vehicle.

The vehicle was stopped at an IA checkpoint, where the victims were recovered and five suspected terrorists were detained for questioning.

Iraqi Army Targets Anti-Iraqi Forces In Multiple Raids

Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Army units, with Coalition Force advisers, conducted multiple raids on September 6 to capture individuals connected with insurgent activities that target Iraqi Army, Coalition Forces and Iraqi citizens.

In a raid in Habbiniyah, Iraqi Army forces captured two individuals engaged in insurgent activities against Iraqi and coalition forces. One individual was especially wanted as he was a suspected improvised explosive device emplacer believed connected with multiple attacks against coalition forces. Two other individuals were detained during this operation.

In another raid in Taji, a suspected insurgent engaged in an intimidation campaign against Iraqi citizens was captured. The suspect had recently taken control of an insurgent cell whose previous leader had been captured by Iraqi security forces and was currently engaged in the systematic kidnapping of fellow citizens.

In an additional raid in Ramadi, a suspected sniper and four others suspected of detonating IEDs against Iraqi and coalition forces were captured.

All raids occurred without further incident with no reported casualties.

MND-B Soldiers seize large weapons cache, thwart terrorists’ ambush

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers discovered a large weapons cache and detained 20 suspected terrorists Wednesday night after stopping a suspicious looking truck in east Baghdad.

After searching the truck, Soldiers from Company A, 3rd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, seized 23 AK-47 assault rifles, 10 body armor vests, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, two RPG rounds, a grenade, an RPK machinegun, a drum of RPK ammunition, a G3 assault-rifle, 15 ammunition vests, a 9mm handgun and more than 100 AK-47 magazines of ammunition.

The MND-B Soldiers detained 20 suspected terrorists and confiscated the vehicle.

In a separate event, MND-B Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, arrested a terrorist and confiscated his weapons while conducting operations to disrupt terrorist movement during the Shabaniyah pilgrimage south of Baghdad Wednesday night.

The arrest took place after Soldiers were conducting vehicle searches and observed six suspects behaving suspiciously. The patrol moved towards the suspects and identified one terrorist with a loaded RPG launcher. Soldiers engaged the terrorist and the group fled. One terrorist remained behind in an attempt to ambush the patrol.

Soldiers arrested the potential attacker, who was wearing body armor, and confiscated an RPK machinegun, two AK-47 assault rifles and a loaded RPG with an additional round.

Meanwhile, Iraqi policemen, in a combined patrol with Soldiers from Company B, 4th Battalion, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, detained a terrorist suspect and reported that two others were wounded after a failed vehicle-borne improvised-explosive device attack in northeast Baghdad early Thursday morning.

While conducting the combined patrol, IPs and Soldiers moved to an intersection to investigate a reported VBIED attack. The combined patrol received a tip from a concerned Iraqi citizen that a taxi driver picked up two suspects and dropped them off at a gas station, where they got into a truck and proceeded to follow the taxi in their truck.

The citizens reported that the back seat of the taxi exploded and wounded the two suspects in the truck following the taxi.

The suspects were taken to a hospital before the patrol arrived at the site and the taxi driver was detained for questioning.

MND-B Soldiers, IPs walk beat in Taji, Assyria
By Spc. C. Terrell Turner
4th Inf. Div. PAO

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – The Iraqi police continue to work on improving their peacekeeping skills as they conduct missions alongside Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers in the northern Baghdad.

Currently, Soldiers from Battery B, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, operate in tandem with local Iraqi police forces in the Assyria Village and Taji Market areas.

This is a new mission for the Soldiers who just swapped missions with Btry. A, also of 4th Bn., to go from manning an entry control point to patrolling the towns and roads right outside Camp Taji.

“This was an initial security assessment mission basically to go into Taji Market and get a feel for the people, and how they feel about the Iraqi army and Iraqi police in the area and get the Iraqi police more involved to facilitate the long-term turnover of responsibility.” said Capt. Tucker Shosh, commander, Btry. B, 4th Bn.

The goal for Btry. B is to bring the Iraqi police along for every mission in Taji Market and Assyria Village, he added.

Assyria Village is a former military town from the days of Camp Taji’s previous incarnation as officer housing for the Iraqi Republican Guard. In fact, one of the local sheiks of the region is a retired sergeant major who meets weekly with Shosh, the commander of Troop C, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regt., 1st BCT, and a civil affairs representative.

"We meet with the local sheiks every week to discuss concerns with the local nahias,” said Shosh. “There was a sniper incident against the Iraqi army checkpoint next to the market, and there were concerns among the sheiks about security. The problem is that we talk to the locals, who tell us: ‘We have no concerns; thanks for stopping by.’”

Despite the initial inconsistencies, and no serious incidents reported in more than a month, Shosh said he plans to continue to speak to local nationals, hand out tip cards and provide contact numbers in the hope that someone will call on their own.

“The complaints that we do get about sectarian violence and crime are problems the Iraqi police handle,” said Shosh. “The Iraqi army will be pretty busy in the long term. I see the Iraqi army and Iraqi police working side by side. They have a mutual respect for one another because I think they realize they are both out there to help the country.”

For Kazil Mohammed, a rookie policeman with three months on the job in the Taji area, the opportunity is a new beginning.

“I was unemployed before I became a police officer,” he said. “I joined to serve our country and provide security for the people.”

Mohammed, who is from southern Iraq, said he enjoys the work he does for the people in the area.

“Most of the people here deal with us with good intentions and tell us they appreciate what we do,” he said. “There are good people here and a few bad people. For the most part, I find that the people say they would like more day and night patrols to make them feel safer.”

The Soldiers of Btry. B and the Iraqi police continue to conduct mounted and dismounted patrols in the Taji and Assyria Village areas.

U.S. Soldiers kill insurgent and wound another

TIKRIT, Iraq – U.S. Soldiers killed one insurgent and wounded another near Hawija in the Kirkukprovince of Iraq, Thursday.

The Soldiers, from 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, spotted the insurgents placing a roadside improvised explosive device and engaged them with small arms fire.

An explosive ordinance disposal team was sent to the site and found a mortar round next to the insurgents’ vehicle.

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