Dear Interested Reader,
FOB War Eagle partake in the traditional Iftar dinner. Kazahkhstani soldiers share EOD smarts with IA. Continued progress allows the pening of the W. Baqubah Rd. Marines help those most in need through "Op Widow." Iranian backed Kata'ib Hezbollah suspects detained, as well as other criminals and AQI terrorists. Significant water projects ongoing in Erbil Province.
Joanna
____________________________
Sept. 27, 2008
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
Soldiers, IA share Iftar dinner
FOB WAR EAGLE - About 40 people gathered Sept. 25 for a traditional Iftar dinner. "Thank you for coming tonight and for all the great work that you are doing in Sadr City," said Col. John Hort, cmdr. of the 3rd BCT, 4th ID. "For all of us here, I want to continue to work closely together to bring peace and progress to Sadr City."
Inviting leaders from this northeastern Baghdad district is seen as a sign of progress and a step toward unifying the country. "An Iftar meal is very important in Islam. It keeps us close; it keeps us brothers to do our best for Sadr City," said Col. Farris, Iraqi cmdr.
The group gathered for the meal, Sheikh's sitting next to civilians, U.S. Soldiers next to Iraqi Army Soldiers. The topic many chose to discuss was the future. "Things are improving in Sadr City and we have control over there. You hear about small issues here and there, but I'm going to tell you we are controlling in Sadr City. We achieve all of this with cooperation of the CF, with the big help from the CF," said Farris. "For example Jamilla Market is the heart of trade for not only Jamilla and Thawra, but you can consider all of Iraq.
Many who attended the dinner hoped it was a step toward mutual trust for all involved.
"The relationships that we're forming tonight and every day are going to be what helps this country get over the difficult times it's in right now. If the local sheiks trust the IA, and the IA trusts us and the sheiks trust us and we trust them, then we'll all pass info. That's how you get after the bad guys," said Lt. Col. Craig Simonsgaard, Farris' advisor from the MiTT for 44th Bde.
Breaking the Ramadan fast with a traditional Iftar dinner.
(Army photos by Sgt. Jerry Saslav)
Col. John Hort greets Sheikh Kadhim as they prepare to break the Ramadan fast.
Sheikh Hassib (left), a Sadr City sheikh, shakes hands with Col. Hort as they prepare to break the Ramadan fast.
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IA captures suspected AQI member
BAGHDAD - Sept. 25, in Tarmiyah, approx. 33 km northwest of Baghdad, IA soldiers led the op, and CF from the 1st Bn, 14th Inf Regt, 2nd Stryker BCT, acted as overwatch, in the joint raid to apprehend the suspected AQI terrorist.
The suspect is an alleged explosives expert and is believed to have plotted several kidnappings, murders and indirect fire attacks in Taji and Tarmiyah and their surrounding areas northwest of Baghdad.
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IP, IA, MND-B Soldiers seize weapons caches in Baghdad
BAGHDAD - Sept. 26, Soldiers serving with Co A, 1st CAB, 68th Armor Regt, 3rd BCT, 4th ID, found a weapons cache in the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad at approx. 9 a.m. The munitions consisted of 9 AK-47 rifles, 6 grenades, 2 cans of blasting caps, 2 IP uniforms, 10 digital cameras and a VHS camcorder.
At approx. 8:30 p.m., IP found a cache in the W. Rashid District of Baghdad, including 10 60 mm mortar rounds, 6 Iranian-manufactured 81 mm mortar rounds, 9 82 mm mortar rounds, a white phosphorous 82 mm mortar round, a 120 mm mortar round, a 100 mm high-explosive projectile, 13 85 mm rounds, 2 Iranian-manufactured anti-tank rounds, an Iranian manufactured AT-1 PG-7, 8 expelling charges, 3 hand grenades, a mills bomb, propellant for the PG-7, an improvised grenade, a 6-inch long IED filled with approx. 1.5 pounds of explosives, an IED encased in foam consisting of 2 82 mm mortar rounds, a 57 mm projectile and a bottle of homemade explosives.
With the help from a tip from a local citizen, Soldiers serving with Co C, 1st Bn, 14th Inf Regt, 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th Inf Div, found 6 107 mm rounds in a canal northwest of Baghdad at approx. 9:15 p.m.
Approx. 2 hours later, northwest of Baghdad, IA soldiers found what appeared to be 5 jugs of nitrogen and called for an assessment by EOD. An EOD team from HHC, 1st Bn, 21st Inf Regt, 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th Inf Div, identified the materials as 4 5-gallon jugs of diesel fuel and a 5-gallon jug of sugar, which were likely to be used as a bomb inside a house.
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Kazakhstani Sappers share EOD smarts with IA
By Sgt. Daniel T. West
FOB DELTA - Kazakhstani soldiers conducted a 3-day course in basic explosives handling and safe demolition techniques for 10 IA soldiers at FOB Delta, Sept 23-25.
The training was designed to prepare the soldiers for the official IA EOD training course at Rusmaya. "It's a good chance for us to share our experience with them," said Mukhamadiev, liaison officer, Kazakhstani contingent. "Our officers are graduates of military academies and have extensive experience in practical exercises and training our troops."
The training consisted of 2 days of classroom exercises followed by a controlled detonation conducted by the Iraqi and Kazakhstani soldiers. "We taught procedures for finding and destroying unexploded ordnance, as well as the safe amounts of explosives to use in destroying certain devices," said Maj. Kulmanzhanov, cmdr. of the Kazakhstani sapper plt. "We also covered how to safely transport explosives and their basic composition."
The Iraqi soldiers were appreciative of the training. "This will help a lot," said one IA soldier. "It helps the Iraqi people, because when they see a bomb or a rocket, they can call and, once we've finished the training, we will be able to destroy it safely."
Kazakhstani Maj. Kulmanzhanov teaches an IA Army soldier about a mine detector during classroom instruction.
(Army photo by Sgt. Daniel T. West)
Iraqi soldiers pass explosives down to the site of a controlled detonation by Kazakhstani soldiers and Iraqi EOD trainees.
(Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Joe Thompson)
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Continued Progress: Security Allows Opening of West Baqubah Road
The mayor of Baqubah cuts the ribbon to re-open a road that has been closed to through traffic for more than a year.
Photo and story by Pvt. Alisha Nye
BAQUBAH — "This was in the workings since early May," said Capt. Kevin P. Ryan, the officer behind coordinating the opening. "My idea is to transition this area of ops (AO) back to the Iraqi people and to open the roads up, to give something back to the people." To do that, though, he had to work with Iraqi SF to set up some conditions, which were to set up a series of checkpoints, Ryan said. There were 3 set up. "Traffic has not been allowed inside the western part of this AO in over a year, so today was a big day giving something back to the people. This was the foothold of AQI, so they banned all traffic due to clearing ops and never allowed traffic to come back in because the situation didn't allow it. For the most part, right now, ISF is in the lead and U.S. forces have been over-watching," Ryan said. "The Iraqi dependency on the U.S. is decreasing. That's the way we need to keep going. Today was one of the steps in the right direction…a big step."
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Marines Help Those Most in Need through ‘Operation Widow’
By Capt. Paul L. Greenberg
CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE — Reserve U.S. Marines delivered food supplies for economically disadvantaged families in Rutbah, a town of about 17,000 residents in western al-Anbar province, Sept. 24.
According to Navy chaplain Lt. Ray Rivers, these Marines created “Op Widow” in June to provide non-perishable food items, fresh fruit, milk and juice to widows and their families in Rutbah. “This has definitely improved relations between the CF and the Iraqis,” said Rivers, who was a Marine Corps inf officer for 7 years before going back to school for a master’s degree in divinity in 1993. “It has helped those who are the most helpless,” continued Rivers. “It shows not only the generosity of the U.S., but it gives the [Rutbah] City Council credibility in the people’s eyes.”
Op Widow, with the help of the IP, who deliver the food directly to the families’ homes, has provided parcels for more than 110 families since June. Each parcel contains enough nourishment for a family of 4 to eat well for several weeks.
Rivers explained that the program, in addition to providing needed aid, breaks down religious barriers between people of different faiths. After the food is taken to the Rutbah City Council, Rivers meets with the city’s imam, a key Muslim spiritual leader who has great influence on the city’s 17,000 residents. The 2 men look for common ground between the different faiths and troubleshoot any issues that arise between CF and local residents.
“The imam was key in forming this relationship,” said Rivers. “By opening up to us and trusting us, he was key in making this program work.” Mahmoud Obid, the gray-bearded imam of Rutbah, expressed his deep appreciation for CF’ efforts in his city and the importance of working together to improve the lives of impoverished families.
“According to the Quran,” said Obid, “if you help the crying of the widows, God will bless you. We must take care of them … this is our religion. We love everybody. Our God orders us to open our hearts toward others. There is no difference between Christians, Jews and Muslims. Our goal is to live and work in peace.”
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MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
PRESS DESK
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Coalition forces catch three Iranian backed Kata’ib Hezbollah suspects
BAGHDAD – CF apprehended 3 suspected members of the Kata'ib Hezbollah network early Sept. 28, in Naharwan, about 25 km east of Baghdad.
Acting on intel info, CF targeted a suspect who has been linked to Kata'ib Hezbollah ops in and around Baghdad. CF entered the suspect’s location, where he was identified to be the wanted man. The alleged criminal and 2 of his associates were detained without incident.
Kata'ib Hezbollah is assessed to be a proxy of Iran and its members are believed to employ improvised rocket assisted munitions as well as EFPs in civilian areas.
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MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
PRESS DESK
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Al-Qaeda bombing, financial networks degraded (Baghdad)
BAGHDAD – An op in Baghdad Sept. 27 netted a wanted man who is believed to be a key player in AQI’s IED network. Another suspect was also detained during the op.
CF, acting on a tip from a suspected terrorist already in custody, targeted a wanted man assessed to be one of AQI’s financial bookkeepers in eastern Mosul early Sept. 28. When forces arrived at the location, the man was taken into custody without incident. Then the detained man, who is believed to oversee AQI’s terrorist payroll, led CF to a second location where they arrested 4 more men believed to be his associates.
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Three significant water projects ongoing in Erbil Province
By LuAnne Fantasia, Gulf Region North district
Erbil - "Approx. 40,000 people will go from 2 hours of water every 3 days, to 3 or 4 hours of water everyday," said Younnis Talib, project engineer in the Erbil Resident Office.
A short distance from the Iraq/Iran border, the Sakran natural spring water flows into a recently constructed catchment, where a 5.5 mile pipeline carries it to a 450 cubic meter holding tank. Another 5 miles of pipe delivers the water to the town of Choman below and its 2 neighboring villages, where it connects to an existing water network. At one point, local farmers prevented the contractor from working at the spring catchment area until the Kurdistan Reg. Govt negotiated a mutual agreement. Scheduled to finish mid-Dec., the Choman Water Project employs an average of 90 local Iraqi workers a day. It's one of 3 water projects currently ongoing in the Erbil Resident Office.
Rosti Valley Phase II
Over a year ago, Rosti Valley in the Erbil Province suffered devastating damage from a flash flood that gained power and speed as it descended the mountain, leaving remnants of bridges, homes, and river banks behind. Phase I of the Erbil Resident Office’s Rosti Valley project replaced a critical bridge and provided a massive clean-up of the debris the flood left in its wake. Today, work is over 50% done on Phase II—a gabion weir and renovation of irrigation canal intakes along the mountain river that will minimize or diminish floods to come. “We had to prevent future damage to the agriculture and irrigation for the people of these 17 mountain villages,” said Gailani Mahmud, project engineer in the Erbil Resident Office.
Sareshma Water Project
A third water project in the village of Sareshma will provide clean water to approx. 15,000 Iraqi citizens. The project is scheduled to complete late November.
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Sign Language
Army Staff Sgt. Robert Groves nails a sign in place as an Iraqi boy holds it. The sign instructs visitors to the newly opened Civil Military Ops Center on JSS Sadr City. Groves is assigned to the 4th ID's 3rd BCT. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Zachary Mott.
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A Little Hand
A U.S. Soldier assigned to the 1st Bn, 8th Inf Regt shakes hands with a young Iraqi girl during a market assessment at Cherry Market in Al Karama, Mosul, Sept. 17, 2008.
U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Sarah De Boise.
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Say Ahhh
Army Capt. Chris Prevette checks a young Iraqi boy for any health problems during a free clinic set up by the 101st Abn Div's 65th MP Co in Mahmudiyah, Sept. 22, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Richard Del Vecchio.
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Powered Down
An F-16 Fighting Falcon sleeps aboard Joint Base Balad, Sept. 24, 2008. The F-16 is deployed with the 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Sqdrn from the Oklahoma Air National Guard's 138th Fighter Wing in support of Op Iraqi Freedom.
Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jason Epley.
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