Good News From Iraq

Iraqi National Police discover weapon cache in mosque
IA, MND-B Soldiers eliminate roadside bomb threats, find large weapon cache
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – Iraqi National Police from the 6th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, seized weapons and munitions Saturday after they entered and cleared the Al Rumi Mosque in Baghdad’s Doura neighborhood.

The weapons and munitions seized consisted of an M16A1 assault rifle with a scope, 19 AK-47 assault rifles with magazines, a PKC machinegun, three Sten guns with silencers, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher with two rounds, and more than 750 7.62mm rounds. The national policemen also found 14 grenades, three grenade fuses and various bomb-making materials.

Later Saturday, Iraqi army soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, found and defused an improvised-explosive device in west central Baghdad at approximately 12:30 p.m.

Soldiers found the IED, which consisted of a120mm mortar round, in the Al Yarmuk al Bakir Square.

After cordoning off the area surrounding the IED, they defused it to eliminate the threat.

In another incident, Soldiers from MND-B’s 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armor Division, discovered a weapons cache while conducting area reconnaissance at approximately 1:55 p.m west of Baghdad.

The cache consisted of two rocket-propelled grenade rounds, a sniper rifle, a shotgun, a PKC rifle, 500 7.62mm rounds and 250 PKC rounds.

An EOD team was dispatched to the scene and performed a controlled detonation to eliminate the cache.

As of Friday, Iraqi Security Forces and MND-B Soldiers have cleared approximately 58,000 buildings, 60 mosques and 50 muhallas, detained more than 125 terrorist suspects, seized more than 1,200 weapons, registered more than 700 weapons and found 35 weapons caches. The combined forces have also removed more than 118,037 cubic meters of trash from the streets of Baghdad.

Iraqi Army and Coalition Soldiers discover weapons cache

TIKRIT, Iraq – Soldiers and Paratroopers from the 1st Company, 4th Iraqi Army Division and Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, discovered a weapons cache during Operation Delta Snag on Sept. 14 in Salah ad Din province, northwest of Samarra.

Iraqi soldiers led the mission in which they discovered more than 300 82 mm mortar rounds, 79 fuses, seven 57 mm anti-aircraft rounds, four 130 mm mortar rounds and a cell phone. Three individuals were also detained during the Iraqi-led operation.

“The commander, 1st Company, 4th IAD and his company demonstrated their increasing capabilities and commitment to taking complete control of this sector,” said Capt. Brian Roeder, commander, Company D, 2-505 PIR. “They are capable of conducting these missions with minimal U.S. involvement.”

An explosive ordnance team and weapons intelligence team were dispatched to handle the munitions, which were detonated in place at the cache site.

“This is a significant find for us. Besides making significant progress in defeating indirect capabilities of anti-Iraqi forces, Delta Company and 1st Company have eliminated literally hundreds of potential IEDs from the enemy’s inventory,” Maj. Brian K. Flood, executive officer, 2-505 PIR. “This is a huge boost for the safety of civilians and security forces in Salah Ad Din.”

There were no injuries or damage to IA or CF Soldiers during Operation Delta Snag which continued through Friday.

1-66th Armor Regt., IPs look for local recruits

Spc. C. Terrell Turner

4th Inf. Div. PAO

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – As Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers continue to assist the Iraqi Ministry of Interior in securing and stabilizing the region, Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and the 303rd Tactical Operations Company, which is attached to the 1st BCT, accompanied Iraqi police forces into Hor al Bash Sept. 5 for a police recruitment drive.

As plans move forward to build an Iraqi police station near the town, MND-B Soldiers are looking for local recruits to help reassure the people of Hor al Bash, said 1st Lt. Peter Calvello, platoon leader, 2nd Platoon, 1st Bn., 66th Armor Regt.

“We’re here to inform and convince people of the validity of the Iraqi police and to encourage them to volunteer and answer any questions they may have,” he said. “It’s our goal to get them to participate in the drive and urge them to volunteer to help their community.”

The 463rd Military Police Company, which is also attached to 1st BCT, accompanied an Iraqi police patrol to Hor al Bash to demonstrate the teamwork and cooperation between MND-B Soldiers and the Iraqi Security Forces. The 303rd TOC and Co. B, 1st Bn., 66th Armor Regt., walked around the village and local market to discuss the opportunity and find volunteers.

The mission also received support from local council members.

“We talked to the sheik’s son, who is a local council member. He’s helping us find volunteers,” said Staff Sgt. Frederick Hartz, team chief, 303rd TOC. “The goal is to have more diversity in the police force and more balance between the Shia and Sunni. Having more Sunni police from this area will allow there to be more peace and cohesion in the area.”

Interested volunteers from the ages of 21 to 35 years old were able to bring their documentation: a valid identification, proof of completion of intermediary school and a birth certificate to a local official in Hor al Bash that day for approval before applying for the job.

“Things are changing here slowly with the nahias getting involved by bringing civil affairs projects, fixing things, providing generators and health and welfare operations,” said Hartz. “There are a few people who say they are interested, and most of the people are friendly and open to talk to us. We are trying to get everyone more involved in their communities.”

Iraqi soldiers conduct operations in Diwaniyah

By Cpl. Michael Molinaro

2nd BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

FOB ECHO, Iraq – Iraqi army soldiers from the 8th Iraqi Army Division, along with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers, conducted Operation Wilderness in the city of Diwaniyah and the Qadissiyah province Saturday morning.

The operation was geared toward capturing terrorists suspected of numerous attacks on innocent Iraqi civilians, Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces, in the area over the past few weeks.

In the pre-dawn hours, 8th IAD soldiers conducted a cordon-and-search of houses suspected of harboring the suspects as well as buildings suspected of being used to store illegal weapons as 2nd BCT Soldiers secured routes into and out of the city.

The combined forces detained 32 terrorist suspects and seized 11 AK-47 assault rifles and various additional small-arms weapons.

Iraqis celebrate opening of refurbished operating room at Musayyib Hospital

By Spc. Edgar Reyes

2nd BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div

FOB KALSU, Iraq – Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Musayyib Hospital to celebrate the opening of a refurbished operating room Monday.

Prior to the refurbishment, the operating room lacked air conditioning and ventilation.

Due to the austere condition of the original operating room, there were lengthy delays between surgeries due to cleanliness concerns, said Humam Saif, a Musayyib Hospital physician. If blood splattered on the floor during a surgery, it was cleaned up with gasoline and other solvents. It created a breeding ground for various forms of bacteria and germs, which were capable of causing the death of a patient during surgery despite how minor the injury may have been.

Approximately 10-20 people died a week during surgery due to complications or the severity of their injuries, said Saif. A large portion also died from blood loss as they were transferred to Hillah Hospital to receive a blood transfusion.

In addition to the refurbishments, a blood bank is scheduled to be built inside the hospital to allow doctors to treat patients in Musayyib instead of sending them to Hillah.

“These improvements to the hospital will help a lot of people,” said Mahdi Alnajim, Musayyib city council member. “Not only will it help the people in Musayyib, it will also help people in Iskandariyah, Jurf and everyone in the immediate surrounding area.”

The hospital’s morgue was also improved and is now capable of holding 18 bodies.

During the ceremony, Lt. Col. Patrick Donahoe, commander, 1st Bn., 67th Armor Regt., 2nd BCT, spoke on the future relations he hopes will take place between the Iraqi people and the Coalition Forces.

“We are going to continue our relations with the Iraqi people,” said Donahoe. “This is just one project of many more projects that is going to help the government take care of its people and provide better health care for Iraq.”

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