Dear Interested Readers,
Mid-level AQI leader captured, as well as many other criminals and terrorists killed or captured. Large weapons caches continue to be turned in by SoI. Some essential training by our Engineering Forces to further advance Iraqi Forces in rebuilding and securing their country.
Joanna
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Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
May 5, 2008
Iraqi Security Forces capture mid-level al-Qaeda in Iraq leader
BAGHDAD - Iraqi Soldiers and a Muqdadiyah SWAT team, advised by U.S. SF detained a mid-level AQI leader and detained 6 other suspected terrorists in an op in As Sa'diya, approx. 55 miles northeast of Baghdad, May 3.
ISF conducted the op to detain the leader and disrupt the ops of an As Sa'diya-based AQI organization. The AQI group leader is suspected of managing AQI finances in the area and providing a safe haven for foreign fighters in the Hamrin Mountains. His group is also believed to be responsible for kidnapping Iraqi citizens and attacking ISF with IEDs.
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SOI turns in large weapons cache
BAGHDAD - A SoI member turned in a large cache to Spartan Soldiers of Co A, 1st Bn, 30th Inf Regt, May 2, containing an operational DSHKA anti-aircraft gun with 300 rounds, 17 rockets of various sizes, a RPG launcher with 7 RPGs, a 120 mm projectile and other small arms munitions.
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MND-B soldiers seize munitions
BAGHDAD - May 4, the cache seized by soldiers from 4th Bn, 64th AR, attached to 1st BCT, 4th ID, consisted of 8 RPG rounds, 7 81mm mortar rounds, 5 60 mm mortar rounds, a bag of grenades, a 70 mm rocket, 8 Iranian-made mortar rounds, 5 cans of homemade explosives, and other munitions.
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SOI recover cache in Kartani Fahal village
BAGHDAD - A local citizen's tip led to a cache find in Kartani Fahal village in Sadr al-Yusifiyah, about 25 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, May 3.
After receiving the tip, Soldiers from 187th Inf Regt, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn Div (Air Assault), arrived on the scene to find SoI already recovering the cache, with IA troops providing security.
The cache contained 36 mortars, 17 RPG rounds, 11 RPG launch motors, an improvised rocket launcher, 2 rockets, 7 50-pound bags of homemade explosives, over 300 rounds, and 400 blasting cap primers, a mortar tripod and 3 mortar tube sites, as well as other bomb making materials.
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Iraqi Security Forces highly visible in Basra
BASRA - Op Charge of the Knights has successfully completed missions in several districts -- rooting out criminal elements all across the city since it began on March 25.
The IA and IP have formed a combined effort to systematically move through the districts of Basra, in some areas going house by house, to restore order and the rule of law.
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MND-B soldiers strengthen ties with SOI leaders
A local SoI leader signs a contract promising to maintain security. Criminal activity has decreased since the formation of SOI checkpoints with the support of local leaders and MND-Baghdad Soldiers.
Spc. Angel Batista, front, provides security with Spc. Bryon Reiger.
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MND-B Soldiers kill five criminals in Sadr City in separate ops
BAGHDAD - At approx. 11:45 p.m., May 3, MND-B Soldiers operating an UAV positively identified 2 criminals preparing for a potential attack on soldiers conducting a barrier mission. The UAV engaged the criminals with a Hellfire missile at approx. 12:05 a.m., May 4, killing both men, destroying their observation post position.
At approx. 12:15 a.m., May 4, an MND-B AWT positively identified armed criminals with rifles and RPGs, engaging the men with 2 Hellfire missiles, killing 3 criminals.
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ISF, CF detain 26 suspected terrorists north of Baghdad
TIKRIT - In various ops in Diyala and Ninewa provinces, Iraqi SF and CF detained 26 suspected terrorists, May 3.
In Ninewa, 9 suspected terrorists were detained in eastern Mosul, and 10 were detained during an intel-driven op in southern Mosul.
In Diyala, 7 suspected terrorists were detained. Three of the 7 were detained in Baqubah.
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Iraqi QRF 1 clears al-Latif
BASRA - To date QRF 1 has participated in the clearing of al-Quibla, al-Hyyaniyah, al-Huteen, al-Jumhuriya and now al-Latif. These ops have netted hundreds of mortars and rockets, dozens of detainees, machine-guns and thousands of rounds of ammo.
The clearing of al-Latif resulted in several cache discoveries, including dozens of automatic weapons, mortars and IEDs. The QRF 1 also detained several criminals, raided and demolished the residence of a known IED maker and militia leader.
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MND-B soldiers kill four criminals in New Baghdad
BAGHDAD - May 4, after criminals attacked soldiers from 2nd Bn, 30th Inf Regt with small-arms fire, the MND-B soldiers returned fire. Two AWTs supported the infantrymen and engaged weapons fire, and 4 criminals were killed.
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Victory starts with training
BAGHDAD - For the members of the IA and the Soldiers of the 35th Eng. Bde's 769th Eng. Bn, victory means conducting multiple training exercises and demonstrations to strengthen the bonds of their joint efforts and partnership.
Since arriving at Camp Liberty in October 2007, the 769th Eng. Bn. has had the overall mission of constructing COPs, FOBs and JSSs. The rigors of the day-to-day missions are successful due in large part to the battalion's subordinate units.
The HQ Support Co and the Forward Support Co, both based out of Baton Rouge, La., support their fellow companies logistically, administratively and with maintenance support and planning ops. The 231st Survey and Design Team, from Gulfport, Miss., has been the crucial asset to getting the future constructed bases off the ground by surveying the site of construction.
The Soldiers of the 821st Horizontal Eng. Co, based out of Summersville, W.Va., move out to the site to sanitize and prime the local landscape for its vertical efforts. Lastly, the 851st Vertical Eng. Co, from Little Falls, Minn., provided the vertical assets to get FOBs up to initial capabilities, regardless of the location on the battlefield.
Spc. Matthew Grundyson talks about the uses of multiple electrical construction tools with Maj. Haleem.
Spc. Christopher Herrera, talks about the function of a pipe wrench with Col. Achmed.
Staff Sgt. Alexander Zivic, talks about the uses of a survey machine.
Sgt. James Bridges talks about the functions and ops of a concrete mobile truck to Pvt. Lahmoud.
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