Dear Interested Readers,
Huge weapon caches found, and high level criminals captured. Economic growth is coming to Fira Shia Market, and displaced families are returning home, which is evidence of improved security.
Joanna
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Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
February 26, 2008
MND-B Soldiers patrol Baghdad streets
From left) 1st Lt. Jonathan St. John, Spc. Nathaniel Bankston, and Sgt. Paul Williams, enter a compound during a patrol.
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Weapons cache destroyed in Arab Jabour
BAGHDAD - Soldiers from Co C, 1st Bn, 30th Inf Regt, 2nd BCT, 3rd ID found and destroyed a large weapons cache Feb. 22 in southern Arab Jabour, consisting of 166 57 mm mortars, 6 of which were attached to command wire, 18 liters of homemade explosives and a DSHKA heavy machine gun.
This is the 7th cache they've found this week in the area, said Co C exec officer, 1st Lt. Timothy James Williams, adding that by reducing the amount of caches, his Soldiers are drying up the well from which insurgents can draw weapons to fight if they try to return to the area.
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CF kill 7 terrorists in firefight near Khan Bani Sa'ad
TIKRIT - MND-North Soldiers killed 7 terrorists during a firefight east of Khan Bani Sa'ad, in the early morning hours of Feb. 25.
Soldiers from 2nd Sqdrn, 1st Cav Regt, 4th Stryker BCT, 2nd ID from Fort Lewis, Wash., were ambushed while conducting an op to capture a known al-Qaeda-in-Iraq operative. When the Soldiers closed within 30 feet of the target house, they came under attack by small arms fire and grenades. Three MND-N Soldiers were injured in the initial attack.
The troops, shielding the wounded with their bodies, returned fire, killing 3 terrorists. A scout weapons team observed several more fighters fleeing the target house and engaged them with rockets, killing 4. Two suspected AQI were detained, including the targeted AQI member.
"Everyone fell back on the training, and no one panicked," said Staff Sgt. Carl VanDyke, section leader, 2nd Plt, Troop C, 2-1 Cav., who was one of the Soldiers involved the attack. "Everyone was calm and engaged the enemy bravely. This was an example of great teamwork between the ground and air units." The wounded Soldiers are in stable condition at Coalition hospitals.
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Iraqi Police find more than 500 munitions in cache
BAGHDAD - Iraqi police manning a checkpoint near Jurf as Sakhr, discovered a large weapons cache with more than 500 munitions Feb. 22.
The cache contained 240 60 mm mortars, 189 100 mm mortars, 107 fuses, 3 82 mm rockets and 2 88 mm mortars. Further investigation yielded discovery of 3 cache sites.
Soldiers from 3rd Plt, Co A, and an EODl team worked with the IPs to prepare the site for disposal. After the initial blast, approx 60 more rounds of miscellaneous ordnance were unearthed.
Large munitions cache.
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MND-B leaders discuss economic growth for Fira Shia Market
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Displaced families return home
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MND-B Soldiers capture special groups leader
BAGHDAD - In Baghdad's Sha'ab neighborhood Feb. 24, Paratroopers with 2nd Bn, 325th AIR, 2nd BCT, 82nd Abn Div, detained the suspect after receiving actionable intel on his activities. Several other suspected criminal members were captured with him. The suspect is accused of being involved in multiple IED attacks.
The detainees were captured with components of explosively formed projectiles. The components were allegedly imported from neighboring countries. "This suspected criminal is allegedly responsible for multiple IED attacks," said Lt. Col. David Oclander, exec. officer for 2nd BCT, 82nd Abn Div. "He is suspected to be associated with the foreign-influenced Special Groups networks that continue to blatantly disobey the cease fire directives from al-Sayyid Maqtada Al-Sadr that have been in place since Aug. 29, 2007. Recent tips from locals show they want these criminals off their streets, and the support of the people continues to move toward the legitimate govt of Iraq," Oclander said.
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