Dear Interested Reader,
Our troops and their Iraqi counterparts have been busy with successful missions. Clearing insurgents and weapons make streets safer. Most of us have seen pictures of horrific sand storms, and for 2,000 Iraqis to brave the storm and come out for an IP recruitment drive is awesome.
An enemy that would kidnap a 12 year old child has a happy ending.
Joanna
_______________________________________
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
June 21, 2008
ISF clear insurgents out of Amarah
AMARAH - Iraqi SF started clearing ops in Amarah June 19 following a 4-day amnesty period for weapons turn in. The op, planned and led by Iraqi SF, is focused on routing out criminals and militants in the area. CF are providing advisory assistance to Iraqi SF.
During the amnesty period, 17 artillery rounds and a machine gun were turned into Iraqi SF. A militia HQ was seized by Iraqi SF after a weapons cache was discovered containing 676 mines, 249 mortar rounds, 241 RPGs and 4 homemade-rocket launchers.
In ops surrounding Amarah, a total of 273 mortar rounds were discovered, along with numerous other accelerants.
Iraqi Security Forces line the streets of Amarah with a weapons cache discovered in a militia HQ.
-30-
ISOF capture suspected criminal leader in Baghdad
BALAD - In southern Baghdad June 19, the ISOF conducted the operation to capture the suspected
criminal believed to be an influential advisor in west Baghdad. The suspect allegedly has close ties to the Office of the Sadr in Najaf, and is suspected of having the ability to nominate Special Groups command positions in Baghdad.
-30-
Iraqi Army soldiers discover multiple weapons caches in Sadr City
BAGHDAD - June 19, Iraqi soldiers seized multiple weapons caches containing 56 RPGs, 9 82 mm round, a mortar aiming device, 9 RPG-7 propellants, a RPG-7 scope, 2 rifles, a flare gun, 6 full AK-47 mags, 2 Katusha rocket and 4 propellants; an RPG propellant charge, blasting caps, approximately 2 pounds of shrapnel, 12 hand grenades, a block of C4, a bazooka rocket, 50 meters of wire, 11 AK-47 rifles, a day vision scope, 3 sets of body armor, 5 RPG launchers, a 120 mm mortar round, 12 RPG rockets, an anti-tank mine, 100 mortar propellants, 4 60 mm mortar rounds, a day sight optic, 6 propellant charges, a 60 mm bipod, 8 82 mm mortar cap charges, 5 grenade blasting charges, 10 exploder primers, 5 120 mm propellant charges and approx. 250 pounds of TNT explosive.
-30-
MND-B Soldiers confiscate munitions in, around Baghdad
BAGHDAD - June19, Soldiers with the 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th ID, seized t2 handheld grenades north of Baghdad at approx. 4 a.m.
At approx. 9 a.m., Soldiers with the 1st BCT, 4th ID uncovered a 155 mm round, a 60 mm mortar tube and 2 artillery fuses in the East Rashid district of Bagdad.
Soldiers from 2nd SBCT, 25th ID., also seized 20 60mm mortars and 4 artillery rounds northwest of Bagdad at approx. noon.
-30-
MND-B Soldiers detain suspected criminal, locate cache in Rashid
BAGHDAD - June 19, at approx. 4:15 a.m., Soldiers from the 1st BCT, 4th ID, detained a person suspected of Special Groups attacks against MND-B Soldiers and Iraqi SF in the Aamel neighborhood.
At approx. 9:30 a.m., Soldiers from the 4th Inf Regt, attached to the 1st BCT, 4th ID, located a 155 mm artillery round, a 60 mm mortar tube and 2 artillery fuses in the Jazeera area.
-30-
ISOF capture four suspected ISI cell members
BALAD - In eastern Mosul, June 19, the ISOF conducted an op to capture senior planning and ops members of an ISI cell reportedly responsible for IED and mortar attacks against Iraqi and CF. The members are also suspected of kidnapping and murder in order to intimidate and extort the people of Mosul.
-30-
Thousands endure storm to become IPs
BAGHDAD - Approx. 2000 Iraqi citizens began the process of becoming IP at the Furat IP Training Facility in Baghdad June 17, despite a sandstorm that blanketed the city.
IP officials and MP Soldiers with the 18th MP Bde set up a 4-day recruiting drive at the Furat facility to reach a goal of sending 1300 new recruits to Basic Recruit Training.
"A little over 2000 civilians showed up today," said 1st Lt. Christopher Gehri, officer in charge of the Furat IP Training Facility. "We can process through about 400 recruits a day with a total goal of 1300 recruits in 4 days."
The Police Transition Team was ecstatic to see the number of civilians who braved the weather to become IPs. The increase in police force is intended to strengthen the overall security of Baghdad and is aimed at training more than 25,000 IP recruits by 2008.
Officials say more than 22,000 police have already been deployed in the Iraqi capital as part of the first phase of expansion. "We are getting the job done," said Gehri. "We are providing the amount of Iraqi SF to provide a stable Baghdad, which is our goal." Gehri has been working with IPs in Baghdad for 9 months and says he has seen a great improvement in the IP force since arriving. "They are taking whatever we teach them and they are running with it," said Gehri. "They are doing a great job."
Staff Sgt. William Lile, 223rd MP Co, Kentucky National Guard, agrees with Gehri on the improvements in the IP and Iraqi way of life since his last deployment. "It's amazing to see the difference in quality of life improvements for the Iraqi people," said Lile. "They have electricity, sometimes all day now, water, and they have established a strong infrastructure since the last time I was here. They are doing everything they can to rebuild for themselves. We are just providing security in the process."
"We are succeeding and we will be successful," said Gehri.
SoI wait in line outside the Furat IP Training Facility June 17, to start the process of becoming IP recruits.
-30-
NPs save kidnapped child, seize weapons in New Baghdad
BAGHDAD - Iraqi NP rescued a kidnapped 12-year-old Iraqi boy and seized a weapons cache while patrolling the New Baghdad security district of eastern Baghdad, June 18.
The NPs answered a child's calls for help while conducting a cordon-and-search mission of Muhalla 759 in the Kamaliyah area of New Baghdad, according to a NP Transition Team report.
While in the first suspected kidnapper's house, NPs found and seized a weapons cache consisting of 4 EFPs, 2 RPG launchers, an anti-tank mine, 17 AK-47 rifles, 9 other rifles of various types, a 9 mm pistol, a 60 mm mortar round, a 120 mm mortar round, C-4 explosives and TNT with blasting caps.
An Iraqi father holds his 12-year-old son tightly upon reuniting after criminals kidnapped the boy.
-30-
MND-B Soldiers detain known weapons trafficking criminal, NPs find weapons cache
BAGHDAD - June 18 in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad, at approx. 1:15 a.m. in the Hadar community, Soldiers from the 1st BCT, 4th ID, detained a criminal suspected to be responsible for numerous roadside bomb attacks, weapons trafficking and the murder of innocent Iraqis.
Iraqi NP uncovered a RPG round with launcher, 4 hand grenades, and approx. 650 7.62 mm rounds while conducting a combined patrol in the Bayaa neighborhood.
-30-
MND-B Soldiers detain four suspected criminals, remove weapons from streets
BAGHDAD - Soldiers from the 1st BCT, 4th ID, detained 2 individuals possessing an EFP, 60 fuses, 2 anti-tank mines, 2 RPGs, a 60 mm mortar and a pair of two-way radios June 18 at approx. 10 p.m. in the Aamel neighborhood.
At approx. 12:45 a.m. June 19, after responding to a tip, Soldiers from the 1st BCT, 4th ID arrested 2 triggermen waiting to detonate a roadside bomb in the Zubaida area.
-30-
ISF, MND-B Soldiers seize munitions throughout Baghdad
BAGHDAD - June 18, Iraqi NP found an AK-47, 3 Katusha rockets, 6 EFPs, 4 152 mm rounds, 2 120 mm rounds, 3 105 mm rockets, 7 82 mm mortars, 2 RPG launchers ,6 RPG rounds, 6 OG-7 rockets, a land mine, 51 blasting cap, a 10-inch copper liner, 15 mortar primers, C4 explosives, a box of bulk TNT, several belts of RPK ammo, 3 kilograms of explosive paste and various improvised explosive cables in the Muhalla area of New Baghdad, and the West Rashid area.
Later in the day, Soldiers from the 4th BCT, 10th Mtn Div, found 2 60 mm mortar rounds, 6 homemade
explosive grenades, 3 RPGs, 2 loaded M16 magazines and an AK-47 magazine at 3:25 p.m. in New Baghdad.
Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th Inf Div, seized 28 120 mm mortars and a 120 mm mortar approx. an hour later in northwest Baghdad.
Soldiers from the 1st BCT, 4th ID, found an EFP, 60 fuses, 2 anti-tank mines, 2 RPGs, a 60 mm mortar and 2 radios at 10 p.m. in West Rashid.
-30-