Combat Camera: Marines Night Patrol in Al Anbar, Iraq

A U.S. Marine with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, searches an Iraqi civilian on alternate supply route Long Island while conducting a security patrol on Oct. 24. 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, is deployed within the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Photographer: Cpl. Robert Morgan, Joint Combat Camera Center.

U.S. Marines with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, change a flat seven-ton tire on the side of Route Fiesta outside of Camp Taqaddum on Oct. 24. 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment is deployed within the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Photographer: Cpl. Robert Morgan, Joint Combat Camera Center.

A convoy passes on Route Fiesta as Marines of Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, change a flat tire on a seven-ton on Oct. 24. 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment is deployed within the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Photographer: Cpl. Robert Morgan, Joint Combat Camera Center.

An Iraqi truck driver shows the contents of a locked box on the side of his truck while Marines of Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, conduct a vehicle search while on a security patrol on alternate supply route Long Island on Oct. 24. 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment is deployed within the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Photographer: Cpl. Robert Morgan, Joint Combat Camera Center.

U.S. Marines of Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, conduct a vehicle search while on a security patrol of alternate supply route Long Island on Oct. 24. 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, is deployed within the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Photographer: Cpl. Robert Morgan, Joint Combat Camera Center.

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Combat Camera: Tip Leads Troops to Bomb Factory in Iraq

Soldiers from Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., discovered a home, Oct. 31, in Husseiniyah, Iraq, that contained these 10 fully-formed explosively formed penetrators and enough material to make 150 more. A concerned local citizen led the Soldiers to the cache. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

Working off a tip from a concerned local citizen, soldiers from Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., discovered a home, Oct. 31, in Husseiniyah, Iraq, where explosively formed projectiles were being produced. In this photo, a hidden room in the floor contains a large, fully-formed, already-camouflaged EFP, and stacks of C-4 explosives. Photographer: 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

Coalition forces, working off a tip from a concerned local citizen, found a large explosively formed projectile cache, including these varying-sized copper disks used to make EFPS, in a home in Husseiniyah, Iraq, Oct. 31. This is the second large EFP cache discovered by coalition forces in Iraq in the past week. Photographer: 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

More than 200 pounds of C-4 explosives and other materials used in making explosively formed projectiles were discovered in a home in Husseiniyah, Iraq, Oct. 31. The discovery is the second time in a week that coalition forces, working off tips from concerned local citizens, have discovered large EFP caches in Iraq. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

A soldier from 1st Platoon, Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., holds up a 12-inch copper plate (the largest size found in Iraq) used to pierce armored vehicles when fired from an explosively formed projectile. The plate was part of a large EFP cache discovered in a home in Husseiniyah, Iraq, Oct. 31. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

Dispatches from the Front:

HUSSEINIYAH, Iraq; Nov. 2, 2007 -- A concerned local citizen led coalition forces to a home where explosively formed penetrators and improvised explosive devices were being constructed, Oct. 31, in Husseiniyah, Iraq.

Soldiers of Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., discovered a large cache of explosives at the home, including 10 fully-assembled EFPs of various sizes (including one 12-inch EFP, the largest size found in Iraq), 89 copper plates of various sizes used in making EFPs, more than 200 pounds of C-4 explosive, other explosive materials including TNT, and numerous other materials used in manufacturing EFPs.

“We are getting these weapons off the street, which feels great,” said Sgt. Damon Farmer, team leader with 1st Platoon, Battery A, 2-12 FA, who was one of the Soldiers who first discovered a buried container filled with explosives in an outbuilding outside the home. “That stuff isn’t going to blow up my truck. It isn’t going to kill U.S. Soldiers and it isn’t going to kill Iraqis.”

EFPs are one of the enemies most dangerous weapons, as they are able to pierce armored vehicles. According to 4-2 SBCT officials, they are effective approximately 50 percent of the time, a much higher percentage than the enemy’s other weapons. The EFP is a favored weapon of anti-coalition Shia militias.

“In our area of operations the EFP threat is significant, and there was enough material there to make 100 EFPs, so we may have saved approximately 50 lives and eliminated about two months of (enemy) militia activity,” said Lt. Col John Drago, 2-12 FA commander, noting that the discovery would not have been possible with out Iraqi help.

“The cache was found based on the tip of a local citizen, which is significant because it shows the population is supporting our efforts to provide for their security. There is no doubt in my mind that the information about this find will be well received by the local population and further their willingness to support coalition and Iraqi security forces efforts.”

On Oct. 23, another 4-2 SBCT unit discovered the largest EFP cache ever found in Iraq in Sa’ada village, near Khan Bani Sa’ad, Iraq. That cache included 124 fully-assembled EFPs, 159 copper disks, 600-plus pounds of C4 and other explosive materials, 100 mortar rounds of various caliber, 31 107 mm rockets, two mortar tubes and 20 claymore-type mines.

“Finding this cache along with the other cache in almost the same week delivers a huge blow to the enemy,” Drago said. “This really interdicts their ability to sustain their efforts.”

(Story by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.)

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Navy Deep-Sixes Littoral Combat Ship (LCS 4)

Marinette, Wis. (Sept. 23, 2006) -- The nation’s first littoral combat ship, USS Freedom (LCS 1) makes a spectacular side launch during her christening at the Marinette Marine shipyard. Photo courtesy U.S. Navy / Lockheed Martin.

On the Home Front:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2007 -- Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced today that the Department of the Navy is terminating construction of the fourth littoral combat ship (LCS 4) for convenience under the termination clause of the contract because the Navy and General Dynamics could not reach agreement on the terms of a modified contract.

The Navy had not yet authorized construction on LCS 4, following a series of cost overruns on LCS 2. The Navy intended to begin construction of LCS 4 if the Navy and General Dynamics could agree on the terms for a fixed-price incentive agreement. The Navy worked closely with General Dynamics to try to restructure the agreement for LCS 4 to more equitably balance cost and risk, but could not come to terms and conditions that were acceptable to both parties.

The Navy remains committed to the LCS program. “LCS continues to be a critical warfighting requirement for our Navy to maintain dominance in the littorals and strategic choke points around the world,” said Winter. “While this is a difficult decision, we recognize that active oversight and strict cost controls in the early years are necessary to ensuring we can deliver these ships to the fleet over the long term.”

“I am absolutely committed to the Littoral Combat Ship,” said Roughead. “We need this ship. It is very important that our acquisition efforts produce the right littoral combat ship capability to the fleet at the right cost.”

(Compiled from a U.S. Department of Defense press release.)

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Afghan Army Defeats Taliban In Key Southern Province

Bloggers' Roundtable:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2007 (AFPS) -- Afghan National Army soldiers assisted by coalition advisors have completely wiped out Taliban insurgents in a key southern province, a coalition commander said today.

"My assessment of the threat in this province is that the insurgency has suffered a total defeat this summer due to the combined efforts of the ANA and coalition forces," Army Lt. Col. Karl Slaughenhaupt told online journalists and "bloggers" during a conference call from the tiny Afghan town of Qalat.

Slaughenhaupt is senior advisor to 2nd Brigade, 205th Corps, of the Afghan National Army. He and his coalition team members support ANA troops as they patrol vast, sparsely-populated Zabul province, through which runs the vital but extremely dangerous highway that links Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, with its major southern city, Kandahar.

"Anti-government elements initially began their spring offensive by conducting fairly spectacular platoon-size, complex attacks and ambushes along Highway 1 targeting Afghan and coalition security forces," the colonel said. "However, these attacks resulted in significant enemy losses."

In response to massive firepower and calculated combat of Afghan soldiers, the colonel explained, Taliban fighters resorted to planting IEDs, ambushing citizens on secondary roads, and planning attacks on coalition forward operating bases.

Second Brigade just wrapped up a week-long campaign during which one such planned attack on Forward Operating Base Baylough, in Deh Chopan district, a remote area in northern Zabul province, was decidedly foiled. "This operation was a complete success on a variety of levels," Slaughenhaupt said.

Afghan soldiers tracked nearly 100 Taliban fighters as they approached the coalition base, the colonel explained. They then pinned down the enemy in rugged terrain, blocking any chance of escape. U.S. commanders verified insurgents' position using an unmanned aerial vehicle then called in airstrikes by two F-15 fighter jets, Slaughenhaupt said. Meanwhile, U.S. and Romania ground forces, Afghan National Police officers, coalition special operations teams, as well as provincial reconstruction, civil affairs and medical teams, rushed in to assist, he said.

"This is a great example of full-spectrum, counterinsurgent operations, combining kinetic and non-kinetic operations to simultaneously defeat the insurgents while reaching out to the Afghan people," he said. "This is a decisive victory in what has been traditionally considered an insurgent safe haven."

This is the second such counterinsurgency mission conducted in the province in recent months, the colonel explained. And once again, he said, Afghan soldiers proved they have what it takes to get the job done. "The ANA on more than one occasion demonstrated incredible tenacity by rallying back after being ambushed and inflicting heavy losses on the enemy by fire and maneuver," he said. "Bottom line: that when the ANA gets in a fight, they win."

Ultimately, securing the country will depend upon gaining the support and trust of its citizens, Slaughenhaupt said, adding that Afghan troops understand that. As an example, he cited a recent search operation in an Afghan village that turned up no sign of insurgents or weapons. It was clearly safe and secure, the colonel explained. Even so, the Afghan commander insisted his troops remain in the village for a few hours just to get to know and befriend those who live there.

"The Afghan soldiers, from the brigade commander down to privates, seem to inherently understand the need to interact in a positive way with the locals," he said. "He understands the importance of winning hearts and minds, and soldiers seem to get it and just do it naturally."

(Story by David Mays, Special to American Forces Press Service.)

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Americans Can Text 'THANKS' to Troops

On the Home Front:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2007 (AFPS) -- For those seeking a quick way to show appreciation to troops serving far from home this holiday season, look no further than "Giving Thanks," a new initiative from the Defense Department's America Supports You program.

America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

"This is a simple way to connect our citizens to our soldiers using modern technology," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison.

Between 6 a.m. Nov. 17 and midnight Nov. 22, people wishing to express gratitude to the troops for their service can text a brief one- or two-line message to 89279. Each text message sent will receive a response from an active-duty servicemember.

"We know that thousands of families will be sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner and thinking about loved ones who are far away from home serving their country," Barber said. "We are counting on other American families to take a moment during their holiday celebration to think of those families and their family members who are serving and say, 'Thanks.'"

"The reassurance that others are thinking about them will mean a lot to our troops," Barber added.

Those who send a message during the six days of the "Giving Thanks" program also will be directed to the America Supports You Web site. There they'll find a sampling of messages from the public and a running tally of how many messages have been received. They'll also be able to read messages from the troops.

Some servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan already have sent messages thanking the public for the support. Angie, an airman serving in Iraq, wrote: "Your support means so much, especially during the holidays. God Bless."

Members of Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan also wrote to express their appreciation for the continued support they receive: "To all the great Americans who go out of their way to support all the Soldiers of the Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan -- Thank You."

Barber is hoping troops around the globe will participate, as well. Troops serving anywhere in the world can e-mail a brief message to americasupportsyou@osd.mil to communicate their gratitude for support from back home. Responses must be received by Nov. 9.

In an effort to reach the Hispanic community, which is represented in large numbers in the armed services, America Supports You is working with Interlex, an advertising, marketing and public relations firm with multicultural capabilities.

"What we are doing is complementing the general market efforts to mobilize the Hispanic community to become involved in America Supports You," said Rolando Rodriguez, Interlex's managing director for public relations and community-based outreach. "Obviously that's important because many Hispanics do consume different press than the general market would."

The firm's goal is to inform the Hispanic communities that a number of Hispanic youth are serving in the military. "There (also) are a number of Hispanic families that (will be) impacted during the holidays because (the servicemembers) are not sitting at the table with them, so it's important to show their appreciation," Rodriguez said.

He added that his team is working to get the message out to the Hispanic communities in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Dallas through Spanish-language media outlets, as well as entertainment and sporting venues. These are the same types of venues that will carry information about the America Supports You "Giving Thanks" program to the general market.

(Story by Samantha L. Quigley, American Forces Press Service.)

Related: America Supports You Web Site

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Troops Kill 10 Insurgents, Capture Three in Iraq

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2007 (AFPS) -- Coalition and Iraqi forces killed 10 insurgents, captured three others and destroyed weapons in Iraq over the past two days, military officials said.

Southeast of Baghdad in Salman Pak today, coalition forces targeted an alleged foreign terrorist facilitator with ties to senior al Qaeda members in the Arab Jabour area.

As troops approached the targeted building, armed terrorists engaged them with small-arms fire. To suppress the enemy fire, troops engaged the terrorists and called for supporting aircraft. Ground forces observed multiple secondary explosions from one of the buildings after coalition aircraft engaged it, which may indicate explosives were housed inside, military officials said.

The ground force continued to receive fire from several individuals who emerged from the target area. Coalition aircraft engaged and killed the enemy fighters. After the firefight, coalition forces found the lifeless bodies of 10 terrorists, two of whom were armed with suicide vests.

At the site, troops also discovered a small weapons cache, which included several suicide vests, heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft artillery. The building and cache were safely destroyed to prevent further use by terrorists, officials said.

In a separate operation today near Shaqat, coalition forces captured a wanted individual and another suspect. Military officials believe the wanted individual is an al Qaeda cell leader responsible for facilitating communications from network members to senior al Qaeda leader Abu Ayyub al Masri.

In Kirkuk, troops nabbed one suspect during an operation targeting a leader of the al Qaeda suicide-bomber network. Reports indicate the targeted individual is responsible for organizing, planning and directing car-bomb attacks against local Iraqi citizens. Military officials believe he is also a foreign-terrorist facilitator associated with al Qaeda in Iraq and foreign terrorist leaders.

"We're continuing to clear and hold areas where terrorists think they can hide," said Army Maj. Winfield Danielson, a Multination Force Iraq spokesman. "By disrupting their operations, we are helping to ensure the safety of Iraqi citizens."

South of Baghdad yesterday, pilots destroyed an anti-aircraft weapon, military officials said. The Apache pilots, members of 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, spotted two suspected insurgents walking away from the weapon, which they had covered with a tarp. The pilots destroyed the weapon with a Hellfire missile.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

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First Shipments of Mine Resistant Vehicles Arrive in Iraq

A U.S. soldier from the Nemesis troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, conceals himself through a smoke screen after one of his regiments' vehicles gets hit with an improvised explosive device, Oct. 18, Baghdad, Iraq. Photographer: Spc. Luke Thornberry, Joint Combat Camera Center. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

The new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle gets taken out for a spin during a training course at Camp Liberty in western Baghdad, Nov. 1. The 40-hour course is designed to teach Soldiers how to operate, maintain and drive the new MRAP vehicles. Photographer: Sgt. Mark Matthews, 27th Public Affairs Detachment. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

The first shipments of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles arrived at Camp Liberty in western Baghdad and are being fielded to units who operate in areas with the highest threat levels. These are the first of an estimated 7,000 MRAP vehicles expected in theater by early summer. Photographer: Sgt. Mark Matthews, 27th Public Affairs Detachment. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Colorado Springs, Colo., native Pfc. Nicholas Lane, an infantryman with Company C, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, opens the hood of one of the first Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles in theater during a training course at Camp Liberty in western Baghdad, Oct. 30. With an initial 7,000 vehicles expected in theater by early summer, the MRAP is set to become the new standard combat vehicle for the U.S. Army. Photographer: Sgt. Mark Matthews, 27th Public Affairs Detachment. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

San Pedro, Calif., native Pfc. Peter Medina, an infantryman with Company C, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, sets high in the turret of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle during a training course at Camp Liberty in western Baghdad, Oct 30. These MRAP vehicles are the first of 7,000 MRAP vehicles expected in theater by early summer. Photographer: Sgt. Mark Matthews, 27th Public Affairs Detachment. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Dispatches from the Front:

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq; Nov. 1, 2007 -- Towering high overhead and aligned one after the other in a seemingly endless row, the next generation of combat vehicles roll into Iraq.
The new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle is currently being fielded here for the first time anywhere, and Soldiers are getting their first hands-on look at the latest development in troop protection.

“I’m really impressed by the vehicle, mainly because of the height, and the fact that it can drive about 20 to 30 degrees on its side without rolling over,” said Brooklyn, N.Y., native, Spc. Marquis Dawkins, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. “It is also much more comfortable. The makers of the MRAP were definitely thinking about the Soldiers.”

The MRAPs come in two categories. Category one holds up to six Soldiers and will replace the humvee. Category two is a longer version, which can hold a crew of 10 Soldiers. Both vehicles, although different, bring the same ideas of troop protection to the fight.

“The vehicle has an angled bottom shell on it so it can deflect blasts a lot,” said Colorado Springs, Colo., native, Pfc. Nicholas Lane, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. “Hopefully, it will keep us safer out there.”

Prior to the vehicles being handed over to the units for day-to-day use, the Soldiers are given extensive training on how to operate, drive and maintain the vehicles. This training also introduces Soldiers to some new luxuries the humvee lacked, like pneumatic doors and suspended seats.

“Throughout this week we are learning how to work on the trucks, and we’re learning how to drive them,” said Lane. “This is the first course, and the vehicles are still new so we’re just taking it step-by-step.”

This training not only familiarizes the Soldiers with the vehicles, but gives them confidence in the MRAPs, as well, by giving Soldiers the opportunity to drive the vehicles over steep hills and tight turns.

“I feel blessed,” Dawkins said. “Knowing the capabilities of the MRAP gives me reassurance that even though I have a few more months here in Baghdad that I have a much better chance of getting home to my family.”

The MRAPs were designed to be both safe and effective for Soldiers conducting patrols, convoy security and missions throughout Iraq. As more trucks arrive in theater these trucks should play a vital role in providing security and stability to the people of Iraq.

An estimated 7,000 MRAP vehicles are scheduled to be in theater by early summer. The MRAPs are currently being fielded to units who currently need them the most and operate in areas with the highest threat. Although the humvee is not expected to be fully phased out anytime soon, the MRAPs will begin to take its place as a new standard vehicle for the U.S. Army.

(Story by Sgt. Mark Matthews, 27th Public Affairs Detachment.)

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Combat Camera: Concerned Citizens Fend Off Attack in Hawr Rajab, Iraq

Sgt. Carlos Guerrero, right, of Las Vegas, and Spc. Walter Epert, of Chicago, both scouts with 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska, poise themselves on a rooftop and prepare to engage insurgents in Hawr Rajab, Iraq, Oct. 27. Photographer: 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Paratroopers of 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska, position themselves on the rooftop of a hasty observation post south of Hawr Rajab, Iraq, Oct. 27. The Paratroopers observe a firefight between insurgents and a concerned citizens' checkpoint. Photographer: 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Paratroopers of 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska, position themselves on the rooftop of a hasty observation post south of Hawr Rajab,Iraq, Oct. 27. The Paratroopers observe a firefight between insurgents and a concerned citizens' checkpoint. Photographer: 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

An Iraqi army soldier with the 2nd Mechanized Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division, newly arrived to Hawr Rajab, sits in his tank Oct. 27. Photographer: 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Iraqi army soldiers of the 2nd Mechanized Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division, newly arrived to Hawr Rajab, Iraq, stand near their tank Oct. 27. Photographer: 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Dispatches from the Front:

FOB KALSU, Iraq; Nov. 1, 2007 -- Coalition Forces saw a possible glimpse of the future in Hawr Rajab Oct. 27 when they observed Concerned Local Citizens at a checkpoint come under attack from insurgents, defend themselves and then receive reinforcements from Iraqi army troops Oct. 31.

Paratroopers of Troop A, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska, currently attached to 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., Fort Stewart, Ga., observed the event from a rooftop.

Everything kicked off with a bang.

Paratroopers were en route to the concerned citizens’ southern-most checkpoint just outside of Hawr Rajab, when their casual conversations were shattered by the thunderous sound of a mortar landing nearby.

The Paratroopers moved into a building to avoid any potential threats.

From inside, Paratroopers began to hear bursts of small arms fire coming from the south.

“Get to the roof, go, go,” one Paratrooper shouted.

In a flurry of movement, they ascended the stairs to the second floor and in seconds they were on top of the action, weapons drawn and at the ready.

The momentary confusion of the gunfight cleared up as soon as communication was established with the checkpoint.

Initial reports from concerned citizens indicated the insurgents were attacking from a position behind a canal, approximately 400 meters from the checkpoint.

As 1-40th Cav. Regt. troops saw the events unfold, 1st Lt. Daniel L. Doverspike, a platoon leader for Troop A, contacted the Iraqi army troop commanders in the area. He asked IA commanders to move the tanks belonging to the newly arrived IA mechanized company into position and assist the concerned citizens at the checkpoint.

When the tanks arrived, they engaged the enemy forces, alongside their concerned citizen counterparts.

Soon an Apache attack helicopter air weapons team from 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, arrived on site and was scouring the nearby canals for enemy forces.
The insurgents retreated after a 45-minute ‘cat and mouse’ game with IA and concerned citizens, which resulted in no injuries.

The determination and team work of the IA and concerned citizens showed Paratroopers that both groups could work together effectively.

Spc. Charley Stetson, an infantryman with 1-40th Cav. Regt. said he felt his unit had done a good job of rooting out insurgents in the area around Entry Control Point 20, but the addition of concerned citizens and now the Iraqi army has helped the security situation.

Their actions during the insurgent attack gave insight into the growing relationship between the two groups.

Stetson, a native of Falmouth, Maine, said the IA’s resources add much to the concerned citizens’ capabilities and the concerned citizens add much to the IA’s knowledge of the area.

“It’s like the best of both worlds,” he said.

Capt. Frederick B. Giles, effects coordinator for the military transition team assigned to the 5th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division said the concerned citizens were happy about the Iraqi troops moving into the area and assisting with security.

“I haven’t sensed any tension between the CLC leadership and the IA leadership,” said Giles, a native of Honolulu.

The good relationships developing between the concerned citizens, the IA and Coalition Forces in the urban farming community of Hawr Rajab may signal the beginning of a community with a secure future.

(Story by Sgt. Luis Delgadillo, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div.)

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Combat Camera: Firefight at Al-Qaida Safehouse During Operation Ultra Magnus

Cpl. Adam Margio and Spc. Randy Stevens from 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., engage al-Qaida in Iraq operatives who fired on them from trees near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala province, Iraq, Oct. 29, during Operation Ultra Magnus. The Soldiers killed four al-Qaida members and wounded another during the safehouse raid. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Soldiers 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., return fire at al-QaIda in Iraq operatives firing at them from trees near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala province, Iraq, Oct. 29, during Operation Ultra Magnus. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Spc. Mabour Atem, Sgt. David Bokor and Spc. Nicholas Morgan 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., return fire at al-Qaida in Iraq operatives firing at them from trees near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala province, Iraq, Oct. 29, during Operation Ultra Magnus. Earlier the troops working side by side with the Iraqis, cleared the village of al-Qaida, and an Apache helicopter working with the Soldiers spotted someone fleeing the village to the safehouse. When the Soldiers arrived at the home, a fierce, 20-minute gun battle ensured. Four AQI operatives were killed and a fifth was wounded. No coalition forces were harmed during any phase of the three-day operation. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Sgt. David Bokor, Alpha Section team leader, 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., fires at al-Qaida in Iraq operatives near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala province, Iraq, Oct. 29, during Operation Ultra Magnus. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Sgt. 1st Class James Tembrock, platoon sergeant of 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., fires his M-4 rifle during a firefight with al-Qaida in Iraq operatives near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala province, Iraq, Oct. 29, during Operation Ultra Magnus. Coalition forces killed four AQI members who were using the home as a base of operations to conduct terrorist activities in southern Diyala province. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

First Lt. Ron Vinyard, platoon leader, 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., throws a grenade at an enemy position south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala province, Iraq, Oct. 29, during Operation Ultra Magnus. A 20-minute firefight ensued when coalition forces raided the al-Qaida in Iraq safehouse. Coalition forces killed four enemy insurgents and wounded a fifth. No coalition forces were hurt. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

A soldier from 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4thStryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, searches for al-Qaida in Iraq operatives after a firefight near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala province, Iraq, Oct. 29, during Operation Ultra Magnus. Coalition forces exchanged gunfire with enemy insurgents for 20 minutes during the raid. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Spc. Billy Cassis, Sgt. Brandon Dean and other Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4thStryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, walk away from vehicle they torched near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala province, Iraq, Oct. 29, during Operation Ultra Magnus. The vehicle was used by al-Qaeia in Iraq operatives to conduct mission in southern Diyala province. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Three AK-47s, about 15 full AK-47s magazines, a RPK rifle, one pistol and several grenades were taken from an al-Qaida in Iraq safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala province, Iraq, that was raided by coalition forces, Oct. 29, during Operation Ultra Magnus. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, search for al-Qaida in Iraq operatives after a firefight near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala province, Iraq, Oct. 29, during Operation Ultra Magnus. Coalition forces exchanged gunfire with enemy insurgents for 20 minutes, killing four and wounding another. Photographer: Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

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Forces Target Those Who Aid Foreign Terrorists in Iraq

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2007 (AFPS) -- Coalition forces detained 12 suspects during operations early today targeting al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq.

Surveillance elements led coalition forces to a location in Mosul, where they captured a wanted individual and three suspected terrorists. The wanted individual reportedly is an associate of al Qaeda members involved in foreign terrorist facilitation, to include one who was captured in a coalition operation in Bayji on Oct. 26.

Reports indicate one of the suspect's associates, a senior facilitator residing outside of Iraq, is attempting to communicate with terrorist leaders in the country. During the operation, the wanted individual was identified by his wife and detained without incident.

Also today, coalition forces captured a wanted individual west of Ramadi believed to be involved in a foreign terrorist facilitation network that channels extremists into Iraq. The wanted individual allegedly is a close associate of numerous foreign-based terrorists responsible for facilitating funds and weapons for al Qaeda operations. In addition to the targeted individual, coalition forces detained another five suspects during the operation.

In other operations today, coalition forces conducted an operation in Tikrit targeting an alleged associate of an al Qaeda leader also involved in foreign terrorist facilitation. The targeted individual is believed to have ties to several foreign-based facilitators who may have entered the country recently. The ground force detained two suspected terrorists during the operation.

"The foreign fighters' mission is to derail progress in Iraq, and they have no place here," said Army Maj. Winfield Danielson, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "Iraqi and coalition forces will continue to disrupt al Qaeda in Iraq operations and their facilitation of foreign terrorists."

In operations earlier this week:

• Iskandariyah policemen turned over 26 Iranian-made mortar rounds to paratroopers in North Babil on Oct. 30. The police discovered the munitions and other weapons during a raid on a cemetery in the city and gave them to soldiers from 25th Infantry Division. Policemen and soldiers conducted a search of the cemetery Oct. 29. During that search, an explosively formed projectile, flares, copper wire and other improvised explosive device-making materials were discovered.

• An early-morning combined operation led to the detention of three individuals in the Maderiyah area Oct. 30. Iraqi and U.S. soldiers conducted the mission in an attempt to remove insurgents from the area.

• A large cache of explosives was discovered and destroyed in Arab Jabour on Oct. 30. Soldiers from 3rd Infantry Division discovered the cache while searching a field where a previous cache had been discovered. The cache consisted of 125 hand grenades and 100 rifle grenades.

• Concerned citizens turned over a weapons cache to coalition forces in Hawr Rajab on Oct. 30. The citizens said they found the ordnance buried in a canal. The cache consisted of two 122 mm mortar rounds, a 122 mm mortar round filled with homemade explosives, an 82 mm mortar round, and a rocket-propelled-grenade round. An explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed the cache in a controlled detonation.

• Coalition forces discovered a large weapons cache near the Turki village area, south of Balad Ruz, on Oct. 29. The cache included more than 20 rocket-propelled grenades, five RPG launchers, about 10 60 mm mortar rounds, a mortar base plate, two anti-personnel mines, three hand grenades, about 20 blasting caps and other improvised explosive device-making material. The cache was located in an area where a previous cache had been discovered.

"We will continue to target the terrorists' support base, to include their weapons caches, and command and control elements through persistent offensive operations," said Army Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of coalition forces in Diyala province. "The Iraqi security forces and the coalition forces will continue to target the terrorists' perceived safe havens, denying them the ability to disrupt the lives of Diyala's citizens."

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

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