THE TENSION: Coalition Forces Continue Surge Operations in Iraq

News in balance:

In Saturday's headlines out of Iraq, the mainstream U.S. media leads with continued pessimism, highlighting casualties over success.

The Associated Press reports roadside bombs killed seven American troops in Iraq on Saturday, including four in a single strike outside Baghdad, the military said, as U.S. and Iraqi troops captured two senior al-Qaida militants in Diyala province.

Reuters reported events differently, stating four U.S. soldiers were killed on Saturday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle northwest of Baghdad.

The Washington Post criticized the size of forces involved in operations and The New York Times re-ran Friday's headline, reporting 80 percent of the top Qaeda leaders in the city fled before the American-led offensive began earlier this week.

Other major news outlets simply did not lead with news out of Iraq.

However, the Pentagon released detailed news of ongoing success, stating that Coalition forces continue to kill and detain suspected terrorists and discover weapons caches during ongoing missions within Operation Phantom Thunder, a large-scale operation targeting al Qaeda strongholds in and around Baghdad.

LTG Ray Odierno, Commander of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, speaks with reporters at the Pentagon via satellite, providing an update on ongoing security operations in Iraq.
Link: Iraq Briefing 22 June 2007
Video: Lt. Gen. Odierno, Part 1
Video: Lt. Gen. Odierno, Part 2
Video: Lt. Gen. Odierno, Part 3
The general briefs the media in Baghdad on operation Phantom Thunder, the increase in sectarian violence, attacks on coalition forces, U.S. forces conducting offensive operations to secure important structures and expanding operations to force terrorists out of Baghdad. He then answers some questions from the media.

Two coordinated operations in Mosul today targeted a Kurdish extremist known for helping al Qaeda in Iraq facilitate foreign fighters and conduct financial and media operations, military officials reported.

While troops maneuvered through a targeted building, an armed man engaged them with small-arms fire, endangering the force and the innocent family members. Coalition forces defended themselves, the women and the children by killing the armed terrorist.

Troops identified the terrorist as a member of the al Qaeda in Iraq network who recruited and transported foreign fighters into Iraq to participate in suicide bombings and other terrorist activities, officials said. Coalition forces detained seven other suspected terrorists during the raids for their alleged involvement in the network.

In Baghdad, coalition forces conducted an operation to capture an al Qaeda in Iraq senior leader in the area. As forces entered the building, a man continuously made hostile attempts to evade the ground forces and ignored the translator’s instructions to comply with the forces’ orders. Reacting appropriately to the perceived hostile threat, officials said, coalition forces shot and killed him.

Inside the building, coalition forces detained 10 suspected terrorists, including two who have alleged close ties to al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders. Coalition forces also destroyed a vehicle used in transporting weapons and personnel for terrorist activity, officials reported.

West of Tarmiyah, coalition forces targeted an individual suspected of helping foreign fighters enter Iraq. The ground force captured the individual and three more suspected terrorists allegedly tied to the al Qaeda in Iraq foreign fighter network.

Coalition forces raided a building northeast of Habbaniyah in search of an al Qaeda senior leader there. The ground force detained eight suspected terrorists for their alleged involvement with the senior leader.

“Al Qaeda in Iraq members continue to threaten the safety of Iraqis with indiscriminant violence, even deliberately endangering their own family members,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. “Al Qaeda’s operatives, many of them foreigners to Iraq, do not represent the will or the desires of the Iraq people.”

In other operations today, officials reported that attack helicopters from the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade engaged and killed 17 al Qaeda gunmen after ground forces from the 1st Cavalry Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team saw the men attempting to circumvent Iraqi police who were conducting security operations southwest of Khalis.

During Operation Sledgehammer today, transition team paratroopers from the 25th Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team and Iraqi security forces found 10 82mm mortar rounds, 10 102mm mortar rounds and two improvised explosive devices while searching offices of a cleric’s organization.

Eight individuals were detained during the combined search operation conducted by the Iraqi army, the Hillah Special Weapons and Tactics Team, and coalition forces in Jabella. The operation is designed to disrupt militia influence and violence.

Three operations conducted northwest of Baghdad today by 1st Cavalry Division troops resulted in the detention of seven suspected insurgents.

"We are tightening the noose on the IED cell members in our area of operations, and disrupting their operations," said Lt. Col. Peter Andrysiak, deputy commanding officer of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st "Ironhorse" Brigade Combat Team. "We have been able to increase our troop presence in the more remote areas of our sector because of the increased number of 'surge troops.’"

In the early morning hours today, scouts from the 8th Cavalry Regiment raided a suspected insurgent location in an isolated farm house in the Taji area. All seven suspected insurgents were captured in the house. The cell is believed to be responsible for planting bombs on Highway 1 and other locations area.

In a village in Abu Ghraib, 5th Cavalry Regiment soldiers conducted an air assault operation to conduct cordon-and-search operations at several homes suspected of housing insurgents.

A resident questioned at the scene claimed his home had been taken over by insurgents, but that they left when they heard the aircraft. At the home, a small cache was found, including a hand grenade and a pistol.

During operations conducted yesterday by troops attached to the 1st Infantry Division, two caches were discovered during clearing operations in the eastern portion of the Rashid district of the Iraqi capital.

Troops from the 38th Infantry Regiment seized a cache consisting of 12 AK-47 assault rifles, 15 AK-47 magazines, 12 60mm mortar rounds, four 82mm mortars, 60 anti-personnel mines, a mortar tube, a machine gun with 150 rounds, 12 motorcycle batteries, switches, wires, black powder, fuses and rocket-propelled-grenade boosters.

Meanwhile, soldiers from another company within the regiment located a cache nearby that contained 15 RPG rounds. Coalition explosive ordnance disposal units destroyed both caches.

Early morning raids yesterday by 1st Cavalry Division troops in northwestern Baghdad targeted terrorist cells believed to be responsible for improvised explosive attacks within the region. Multiple suspects, as well as weapons and equipment, were detained during the raids.

In other news, 37th Field Artillery soldiers conducted an air assault raid on a residence determined by intelligence sources to be an insurgent safe house near the town of Shammar Jarba. Four suspects were detained for questioning, including those suspected to be responsible for attacks on Highway 1, as well as assisting in IED attacks in the Taji area.

Near the village of Awad, scouts from the 8th Cavalry Regiment conducted a dismounted raid on a suspected insurgent safe house. Inside the home, the soldiers detained five suspects, including one suspect believed to be responsible for coordinating car bomb attacks against coalition forces in an area west of Taji. The troops also seized a high-powered rifle with a scope, a pistol, a rocket-propelled grenade scope and a flare gun.

West of Kem village, soldiers from the regiment conducted a dismounted raid on another suspected safe house. Nine suspects were detained in this operation.

Also yesterday, 2nd Infantry Division soldiers recovered a cache and detained three suspects during a security operation in eastern Baghdad. The soldiers recovered 11 AK-47 rifles, an Enfield rifle, a 9mm pistol, two pellet guns, a knife, a bayonet, a weapon sight and an undisclosed amount of money.

Residents in the area were complaining about an increase in militia activity and an increase in small-arms fire within the sparsely populated area. Coalition forces, based on tips from residents, conducted the operation to impair the ability of militia members to target innocent civilians.

"This is a great example of U.S. forces helping the Iraqi people and trying to quell violence in areas that have seen increased security and are trying to return to normalcy,” said Maj. Sean Ryan, a 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team spokesman.

Operation Arrowhead Ripper continued yesterday as Iraqi security forces teamed with Task Force Lightning units to clear Baqubah and surrounding areas.

"We are shoulder-to-shoulder with Iraqi Security Forces in this fight," said Army Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek, commander of Operation Arrowhead Ripper. "The weeks ahead are absolutely key in not only holding and retaining the ground that is cleared in partnership with coalition forces, but also in building trust and confidence with the citizens of Diyala."

In support of the operation, attack helicopters from 82nd Attack Reconnaissance Battalion provided assistance to Iraqi and coalition ground forces, killing at least 13 al Qaeda operatives and destroying an al Qaeda compound during the second day of the operation.

In a separate engagement during the operation yesterday, soldiers discovered an empty school complex rigged with explosives in Baqubah, the capital city of Diyala province. An investigation of the area determined the school and surrounding buildings had been abandoned.

Coalition forces destroyed the school due to risk to the community, but were unable to disable the explosives because of instability. Ground forces effectively coordinated a precision-guided munitions strike and destroyed the school.

After a search of a house yesterday, soldiers from 37th Field Artillery Regiment seized two suspected insurgents after finding $1,500 in U.S. $100 bills and multiple forged identification cards in the home.

The house had been targeted for search because of its alleged involvement as a lookout point for IED attacks on coalition and Iraqi security forces. Coalition forces demolished the home today to prevent its further use by insurgents.

Coalition forces intercepted an ambulance carrying seven suspected al Qaeda operatives attempting to circumvent security elements operating in Baqubah on June 19. The ambulance was stopped by soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division’s 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, who are conducting missions in the area as part of Operation Arrowhead Ripper.

Soldiers checked the ambulance and found a driver and six men, who appeared to be in their 20s and 30s. Two of the men were injured.

"Using emergency service vehicles to move fighters and equipment is a common tactic of al Qaeda in Iraq," said Col. Steve Townsend, commander of 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. "We are controlling ambulances and other service vehicles in the city to ensure they are being used legitimately."

Also on June 19, Iraqi and coalition forces discovered pipe bombs, artillery shells, and 200 to 400 pounds of explosives during a raid at a house in west Mosul.

Gunmen engaged the soldiers with small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire but were turned away by coalition attack helicopters armed with rockets.

Four hours later and 50 miles to the south, Iraqi soldiers raided a suspected explosives storage house in the village of Heschel. The soldiers detained one suspect and discovered more than 200 pounds of TNT, as well as other bomb-making materials.

Shortly after midnight, soldiers detained a key suspected al Qaeda financier who had been operating in Mosul.

In other news, CENTCOM reports:

Coalition Forces killed seven terrorists and detained 10 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders and operatives Friday and Saturday.

Coalition Forces targeted an al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leader during a Saturday raid in Tikrit. While the ground force was securing the target building, a vehicle approached on the road at a high rate of speed. Source.

Coalition Forces detained three suspects during operations before dawn on Saturday in Sadr City as part of an effort to deny Iranian influence in Iraq. Source.

Iraqi Special Operations Forces conducted an early morning operation June 22 and detained a key rogue Jaysh al-Mahdi insurgent leader in Sadr City. The key insurgent leader is allegedly responsible for coordinating and conducting kidnappings, death squad killings and improvised explosive device attacks against innocent civilians and Iraqi and Coalition Forces. He is also suspected of smuggling weapons into Iraq. Source.