Dear Interested Readers,
Progress being made in women's concerns at conference in Irbil. General Patraeus visits Sadr City to view progress, and support the start of a Neighborhood Guard. Great strides are being made to make sure people have potable water. Increased security in Kirkuk allows for Inaugural Criminal Justice Conference, and in Mosul Iraqi SF builds trust with the people. Weapons and criminals continue to be neutralized.
Joanna
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Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
June 6 2008
MND-B Soldiers find weapons caches in Baghdad
BAGHDAD - June 4, Soldiers serving with the 1st BCT, 4th ID, seized 180 pounds of a conventional plastic explosive, in the West Rashid district of Baghdad at approx. 6 a.m.
Approx. 45 minutes later, Soldiers with the 3rd BCT, 4th ID, discovered a weapons cache in the Istaqlal area north of Baghdad. The items included a flak jacket, six AK-47s, 6 AK-47 magazines and numerous 7.62 mm rounds.
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IA Soldiers find IEDs, IED-making materials, weapons caches in Sadr City
BAGHDAD - IA Soldiers seized and disposed of IEDs, IED-making materials and weapons caches in
the Sadr City district of Baghdad, June 4.
All 4 IEDs consisted of 3 "daisy-chained" 120 mm rounds buried underground.
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Women's conference held in Irbil
IRBIL - Members of the GoI, provincial govts and Coalition and Iraqi SF met June 4, to discuss the enfranchisement of women in Iraq.
The conference supports ops to strengthen the nation of Iraq, specifically addressing Iraqi women's participation in the security, economic and political processes of Iraq. Topics covered during the conference include job opportunities, education, health and legal issues.
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Gen. Petraeus visits MND-B troops
Gen. David Petraeus, the comm. gen. of MNF-Iraq, meets with one of the first members of the Sadr City Neighborhood Guard, June 4. The Neighborhood Guard is patterned after the successful SoI program created in other districts of Baghdad. It is designed to provide the members of the Guard the training necessary to help protect the neighborhoods where they live.
Gen. Petraeus and Dr. Barham Salih, the deputy prime minister of Iraq, walk through the bustling Jamilla Market to observe the resurgence of an important hub of commerce for a large portion of Baghdad.
Gen. Petraeus thanks a MND-Baghdad Soldier for his hard work and sacrifices in the recent weeks.
Gen. Petraeus meets with a local Sheik to discuss security, the Neighborhood Guard and revitalization of the surrounding community.
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Patriot Bde assists with water distribution project
Staff Sgt. Matt Meadows
FOB LOYALTY - Baghdad Water Authority officials and Iraqi SF are about to begin bringing 9 Nissan residents truckloads of purified, potable water with a little assistance from Patriot Bde Soldiers from 4th BCT, 10th Mtn Div (Lt).
A combined project, dubbed Patriot H2O, to establish 3 water-distribution sites and coordinate transportation to disburse water, began in late April and is scheduled to be complete around the middle of June.
The project entails distributing water to residents via BWA trucks, installing water tanks to support Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit operations to purify water, fixing water leaks to prevent cholera, and installing a waterline from Abu Nuwas pump station to a water treatment plant in Rasheed.
The Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit is a system that purifies water drawn from a raw-water source to provide one of three necessities of life, said Maj. Jeffrey Smith, who serves as brigade civil-military ops officer for 4th BCT. "In addition to ROWPU operations, educating the populace is important for preserving this valuable resource as well as fixing water leaks and preventing and discouraging locals from illegally tapping the water lines as this generally causes more harm to the water system," said Smith. "Other projects, such as installing a waterline from Abu Nuwas raw-water pump station to the Rasheed Water Treatment Plant, will assist in bringing higher quality water to the end user through providing better quality water upstream from industrial complexes.
There is a water shortage in 9 Nissan, and an infrastructure to alleviate such water issues is not yet in place, said Capt. Benjamin Curtis, asst. civil-military ops officer for 4th BCT.
While Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has pledged such water problems will be resolved by 2009, Curtis said he is looking for short-term solutions in the meantime. "The problem is we have 2008 to worry about, so we came up with this plan to have water purification systems installed and to start a distribution network as a temporary stopgap," said Curtis.
"They (local contractors) have been bringing small armies to the jobsite to get everything done," said Curtis. "The contractors selected for the construction at each site are really good, and we're extremely happy with everything they've done so far. They've got all the equipment needed - and then some. What we've done with this project is we're trying to build a sustainable network," said Curtis. "People can stay hydrated and we can prevent cholera outbreaks because we're drying up a lot of leaks. It's more of a humanitarian issue that we've tackled as an infrastructure issue, and we'll see where it goes from there. It's an Iraqi issue; they identified the problem, along with us, and they helped identify a solution. So we are all working in partnership with them to solve the problem. We are providing the means; they are providing the network to get the water out."
A contracted Iraqi worker repairs a leaky waterline as a BWA engineer supervises at JSS Al Khansa in
eastern Baghdad, June 2.
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Iraqi Security Forces build trust with local population
MOSUL - More than 1,000 Iraqi SF backed by CF, executed Op Spearhammer, a cordon and search op in
the central Mosul neighborhood of Al Farouk, which resulted in the appreciation of local residents.
Although neither detainees nor caches were discovered, the residents welcomed the IA into the area as a warning to insurgents that they are no longer welcomed.
"This is the largest combined dismounted op conducted to date and perhaps the largest to enter this neighborhood since 2003-2004," said Maj. Thomas Feltey, EO 3rd Sqdrn, 3rd ACR.
The ISF and CF executing Eagle Roar, a cordon and search op in East Mosul received similar gratitude. One business owner said his home had recently been searched by IA forces and he was happy ISF were in the neighborhood.
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Increased security gains in Kirkuk allow focus to expand to Rule of Law procedures
KIRKUK - Kirkuk Provincial Rule of Law judges and lawyers met with their key provincial and city police leadership during the inaugural Criminal Justice Conference at FOB Warrior in Kirkuk, May 29.
"The security gains of the region are evident -- over a 70% decrease in violent attacks. As a result, we can now begin our transition from a form of martial law to rule of law," said Lt. Col. Kevin Brown, 1st Bde, 10th Mtn Div dep. cmdr.
"The 2 crucial stages of a case are the initial contact and determination that a crime has been committed by the police," Chief Investigative Judge Othman said. "The second is the collection of evidence and the questioning of suspects. The manner in which the police and investigators handle those stages, could determine the outcome of that case."
Kirkuk Provincial Police Chief Maj. Gen. Bakr, a former lawyer, agreed with the judges that better understanding between what is expected of police officers and additional training in interrogation procedures are necessary to safeguard the rights of Kirkuk's citizens and ensure criminals are jailed.
The inaugural Criminal Justice Conference at FOB Warrior in Kirkuk.
Lt. Col. Kevin Brown and Jamal Bakr speak with Kirkuk Chief Judge Ahmad.
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IA trains first class of Sadr City Neighborhood Guard recruits
by Sgt. Zach Mott
FOB WAR EAGLE - Programs such as the Awakening Movement in Anbar province and the SoI across parts of Baghdad and Iraq have played a critical role in those areas moving toward security and economic stability.
Soldiers with the 3rd BCT, 4th ID, recently conducted a recruiting effort in Sadr City for a similar program, known as the Neighborhood Guard.
More than 50 recruits from the Jamilla neighborhood of Sadr City spent 3 days at FOB War Eagle from June 2-4. They were trained on everything from common courtesies to weapons familiarization and military bearing.
"This is what's going to get the IA out of the cities and eventually turn them over to police," said Maj. Philip Halliburton, the MiTT chief for the 42nd Bde, 11th IA Div.
IA soldiers are leading the training for their eventual replacements. The instructors, who were mentored by MND-B Soldiers, don't allow for even the smallest discrepancy to distract from their detailed instruction.
For many of these men, who range in age from late teens to late 40s, this is their first experience with military-style organization and discipline. The 3-day training requires the recruits to march to meals, stand in formation and speak only when spoken to. Any deviations from this protocol are dealt with quickly.
"This is great training that will help us secure our neighborhood," said Abdul Kassim, a 20-year-old former blacksmith and recruit from Jamilla.
When these new recruits take their posts, Halliburton said it will be a another sign the Iraqi people are providing security for themselves. "Now it's somebody they know providing security not just some nameless face," he said. "Anything that's going wrong, they'll be more inclined to share, because they live and work in that neighborhood."
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IA, MND-B Soldiers find multiple weapons caches
BAGHDAD - June 3, in the Karkh security district, IA Soldiers seized 2 rocket components, 2 RPGs, 2 MP-5 magazines and an armored vest.
Soldiers from 3rd BCT, 4th ID, discovered 6 60mm high-explosive mortar rounds, 2 82mm mortar rounds, 3 RPGs, 7 mortar tail booms and a grenade, in the Sadr City district of Baghdad.
IA Soldiers found an IED, 2 rocket warheads, 12 RPGs, an RPG launcher; approx. 4,000, 7.62mm rounds; 14 boxes of various ammo, a PKC and a AK-47, a rocket motor, 3 radios, 5 RPG motors, 4 blasting caps, 5 flak vests and 3 pounds of explosives, in the Baladiat area of New Baghdad.
A tip from an Iraqi citizen led Soldiers from 3rd BCT, 4th ID, to a weapons cache in Adhamiyah, consisting of 5 anti-personnel mines and a 57mm rocket.
In the Hadar area of Rashid, Soldiers from 1st BCT, 4th ID, seized 3 60mm mortar rounds, 2 60mm mortar tubes, homemade explosives, 5 grenades, 2 AK-47s, a blasting cap, 2 120mm mortars, an improvised rocket and 2 improvised rocket tubes.
IA Soldiers and Soldiers from 2nd BCT, 101st Abn Div (AASLT), seized 21 82mm mortar rounds while conducting a joint patrol in the Shulla area of Kadhamiyah.
In the Khadra area of Kadhamiyah, IA Soldiers and Soldiers from 2-101 Abn. Div., found a 155mm mortar round, 3 100mm mortar rounds, 5 60mm mortar rounds, homemade explosives, a grenade, a mortar accelerant, detonation cord and a cell phone charger.
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Raider Bde. Soldiers detain wanted criminals, seize munitions
BAGHDAD - June 3, in the Doura neighborhood of the Rashid district in southern Baghdad, Soldiers from HHC, 2nd Bn, 4th Inf Regt, attached to the 1st BCT, 4th ID, captured 2 suspects at approx. 1:30 a.m. The detainees were wanted for allegedly committing crimes and acts of violence.
In the Abu T'shir community of southern Baghdad, Soldiers from the 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th ID, captured a suspected criminal at approx. 3 p.m.
An hour later, Soldiers from Troop A, 7th Sqdrn, 10th Cav Regt, discovered 2 30mm mortar tubes, 3 60mm mortar rounds, 5 hand grenades, 2 AK-47 rifles, homemade explosives, various ammo and a blasting cap during a security patrol in the Karb de Gla region of southeastern Baghdad. The Soldiers detained 5.
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ISOF capture suspected AQI cell leader
BALAD - In eastern Mosul, June 2, the ISOF conducted an op to capture a suspected terrorist who is believed to serve as an IED cell leader for AQI. The man is suspected of numerous VBIED attacks.
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