Dear Interested Reader,
Progress continues as plans are made for IA to take over authority in southern Baghdad. A most interesting success story of 10,000 detainees released this year, with only a re-internment rate of less than 1%. Enjoy a perfect picture of "The Best Medicine." Terrorists continue to be captured, as more weapons caches are uncovered.
Joanna
_______________________________________
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
Aug. 5, 2008
The Best Medicine
Army Sgt. Thomas Dwyer laughs with Iraqi children while on a patrol in the Sadr City district of Baghdad, July 28. Dwyer is a MP assigned to the 4th ID's 3rd BCT.
Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Cohen A. Young
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Briefing discusses increase in IA authority
BAGHDAD - The 17th IA Div. comm. gen. met with the MND - Center comm. gen. in Mahmudiyah, July 31 to discuss IA authority increasing in southern Baghdad.
During the meeting, Iraqi Maj. Gen. Ali briefed Maj. Gen. Michael Oates on plans that would allow the 17th IA Div. to assume control over FOBs currently occupied by 3rd BCT, 101st Abn Div (AASLT).
"We will look to you for whatever assistance you request of us," Oates said. Ali said the plans set in place will allow for CF to decrease the influence in southern Baghdad and will give more missions to IA troops to counter terrorism. The main mission for his div., Ali said, is to put together a combat unit to attack any remaining terrorist groups and stop them from interfering with the GoI's progress. This will help establish grounds for the GoI to work more openly in the area.
Ali also plans on exercising control as the SoI supervise and secure checkpoints along key roads. He will continue to work with the citizens of Baghdad to cooperate with Iraqi SF and the GoI.
Furthermore, Ali would like to establish reserve components ready to support missions when in need, as well as an extra bn of cmdrs. This will require approval from the Ministry of Defense.
Eventually, the 17th IA Div. will take over 18 bases, most of which are patrol-sized structures. Some of these bases will help support Iraqi units specializing in equipment, maintenance and transportation. During this process, the Iraqi forces will continue to work with MiTTs improving the capabilities of the IA.
Maj. Gen. Michael Oates talks with Maj. Gen. Ali, during a brief in Mahmudiyah July 31.
(Army photo by Staff Sgt. Michel Sauret)
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10,000 Detainees Released This Year; Re-internment Rate Less Than 1 Percent
Dr. al-Meshhadany, president of Iraq's Parliament, tells releasees not to give up at the Lion's Dawn ceremony held June 26. The release ceremonies, known as Lion's Dawn, are held monthly as part of a cooperative initiative between the GoI and MNF - Iraq. Detainees are released when they no longer pose an imperative threat to the security of Iraq.
Photo by Chief Petty Officer Terry L. Rhedin.
BAGHDAD — More than 10,000 detainees have been released from Coalition detention facilities in Iraq this year, since implementation of programs designed to better prepare detainees for reintegration into society and to reduce recidivism.
“A recent innovation is to have a social worker and an Islamic cleric counsel detainees before they go before their first MNF Review Committee (MNFRC), said Rear Adm. Garland Wright, cmdr. of Task Force 134 Detainee Ops in Baghdad. “Also, last February we started having officers from MNC – Iraq’s capturing unit sit on our MNFRC boards.”
MNFRC Boards were instituted last August as part of several agreements MNF – Iraq has with the GoI regarding detainee ops. After an individual is detained, his or her case is heard by the MNFRC board within six months of being detained.
TF 134 also has instituted a number of religious, educational, and vocational programs since 2007 to enhance its reconciliation programs. According to Wright, “Engagement services are highly desired by the detainees. Most of the detainees have had a positive experience with the Islamic Discussion Program and the Level 1 education (Grades 1-3). We have witnessed many of the detainees returning from class and sharing notes and thoughts with their compound members.”
General David H. Petraeus, comm. gen. of MNF-I, noted that “due to changes in the conduct of detainee ops and programs to prepare detainees for reintegration into society, we have not only gone over 10,000 releases, but our re-internment rate is less than 1 percent.”
Coalition detention programs currently hold just under 21,000 detainees, approx. 17,000 at Camp Bucca near Basrah, and approx. 3,000 at Camp Cropper in Baghdad. CF are currently detaining about 30 a day and releasing 45 a day.
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Multiple Weapons Caches Uncovered
BAGHDAD - Iraqi SF and MND - Baghdad Soldiers continued their efforts to secure the Baghdad area and uncovered multiple weapons caches, Aug. 3. The caches consisted of 17 60 mm mortar rounds, 2 80 mm mortars with fuses, a RPG launcher, and 2 81 mm mortar tubes.
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MND-B Soldiers, ISF detain suspected Special Groups criminal
BAGHDAD - Aug. 3, Soldiers from Co D, 1st Bn, 22nd Inf Regt, currently attached to the 7th Sqdrn, 10th Cav Regt., 1st BCT, 4th ID, detained the suspected criminal while conducting security ops with IP, at approx. 6:15 p.m. in the Abu T'shir community. The suspect is wanted for allegedly committing acts of violence against Iraqi Security and CF.
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IA, Coalition forces find cache with 100 pounds of C-4
CAMP STRIKER - A tip led Iraqi and CF Soldiers to a cache in the Mahmudiyah area, Aug.1.
Iraqi Soldiers and the 1st Plt, Btry B, 3rd Bn, 320th FAR, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn Div (Air AASLT) found the cache approx. 35 km southwest of Baghdad.
The cache included a 100-pound bag of C-4 explosive, 4 wired blocks of C-4, 3 AK-47s, a Glock 19, a DShK with 400 linked rounds, several hundred rounds of various ammo, 5 wired timers, a sniper sight and 3 load-bearing vests.
The IA detained 3 men who had the cache.
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ISOF, Ramadi SWAT capture five suspected terrorists in separate operations
BALAD - Iraqi SF captured 5 suspected terrorists and detained 2 others in ops around Iraq, July 31- Aug. 2.
On Aug. 2 in Mosul, Iraqi SOF arrested 3 suspected members of ISI, a front org. for the foreign-led AQI, on a local warrant. The suspected terrorists are said to be part of a low-level intimidation cell that uses ransom from kidnappings to purchase weapons. The suspects are also said to be involved in assassinations, and the transfer and distribution of oil to other ISI in the area. One other suspect was detained during the operation.
In Mosul, ISOF captured a suspected mid-level AQI emir, July 31. The suspect is reportedly responsible forIED attacks against Iraqi SF and Iraqi citizens from Mosul to Sinjar. He allegedly uses intimidation to instill fear among the local citizens in order to live safely. One other suspect was detained during the operation.
In a separate op July 31, the Ramadi SWAT team captured a suspected terrorist believed to be part of a terrorist cell responsible for killing local citizens.
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SoI, IA, MND-B Soldiers seize caches in Baghdad
BAGHDAD - SoI, IA and MND - Baghdad Soldiers confiscated weapons caches in Baghdad, Aug. 2.
Soldiers with Co B, 52nd Inf Bn, 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th ID, seized a weapons cache northwest of Baghdad at approx. 8:45 a.m. The cache consisted of 12 artillery rounds, 4 guided missiles, 2 pounds of unknown bulk explosive and various weapon pieces.
At approx. 11:15 a.m., SoI reported a cache in Adhamiyah. Soldiers of the 1st CAB, 68th Armor Regt, 3rd BCT, 4th ID, seized a box containing 3 60 mm mortar rounds.
Two hours later, IA soldiers, along with an MND-B MiTT serving with the 6th IA Div., confiscated a cache in Mansour that consisted of 41 RPG rounds and an undetermined amount of 14mm ammo.
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Dead Reckoning
Rock band "Dead Reckoning," made up of Soldiers from 556th Signal Co and 312th Psychological Ops Co., 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th ID, play music for fellow Soldiers, July 4, at JSS heik Amir, in the Taji Qada, northwest of Baghdad.
Photo by Pfc. Lyndsey Dransfield
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Come on Through
An IP officer guides an ecstatic woman and her children through security toward the Al Manasir School in Karnabaht, a neighborhood in the Abu Ghraib District of Baghdad, to receive medical treatment for her children during a Cooperative Medical Engagement, July 29.
Photo by Sgt. Whitney Houston
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