On the Day that Anna Died

...this happened in Iraq:

Iraqi Army, Cavalry take fight to the enemy…again

MOSUL, Iraq – Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 7th (2-7) Cavalry Regiment conducted a raid on several houses in the Al Wahda neighborhood in east Mosul Feb. 4, after receiving intelligence about specific high-priority targets.

Upon reaching the area near the Sabrine mosque, the Thunder element Soldiers dismounted and began searching their target area. As they reached the roof, they began taking small-arms fire from a group ofinsurgents. The insurgents also began lobbing grenades at the 2-7 Cavalry troops.

Regrouping back down the stairs, the “Garry Owen” troops encountered two near misses. In one instance, a grenade bounced off of two Cavalry Soldiers before exploding in the living room of the house. In a second incident, Sgt. Konyaku Kaili, an infantryman with 2-7 Cavalry, was engaged by small-arms fire and received a round into the front SAPI plate of his body armor. The armor stopped the round, and he was not seriously injured.

During the engagement, one insurgent blew himself up with an explosive vest, and another was shot and killed when quick-reaction reinforcement troops arrived from the Iraqi army and 2-7 Cavalry, effectively sealing off the target area.

Simultaneously, five mortar rounds landed in the area and a large ammunition cache, that was stored in the house, sympathetically detonated due to the fire created by the insurgent attack.

Soldiers from the Iraqi Army swept in and cleared all of the remaining houses, detaining five males in a car who were headed through the blockade, into the fight. The detainees had individual weapons with them as well as rocket-propelled grenades and launchers.

All evidence was collected and detainees processed by the Iraqi Security Forces who were working on matching up the two killed insurgents with the descriptions of the high-priority targets.

BAGHDAD – Iraqi and Coalition force members fought unidentified enemy fighters Feb. 8 in Baqubah, Diyala Province, after responding to investigate an improvised explosive device attack against a Coalition Forces convoy.

Iraqi and Coalition force members searching the area discovered a command wire which they followed from the explosion site to nearby buildings.

While searching for the bomber, they began to receive heavy small arms and rocket propelled grenade fires from several enemy fighters in several buildings in the area including a mosque, was later identified as an abandoned mosque no longer in use, from which heavy fire was directed against Coalition and Iraqi Army Soldiers.

Iraqi and Coalition force members returned fires and called for support from an Aerial Weapons Team. Iraqi and Coalition force members fired at several identified targets, including enemy fighters in the abandoned mosque, to neutralize the threat.

Damage was caused to the abandoned mosque and surrounding buildings during the engagement.

Iraqi Army Forces entered the abandoned mosque to conduct a search for enemy fighters and weapons.

Iraqi Forces confiscated five assault rifles, Iraqi Army uniforms and explosives and material for constructing IEDs during the search.

One enemy fighter was killed.

There were no Iraqi Forces or Coaltion Forces casualties.

There were no reports of civilian casualties.

BAGHDAD– Coalition Forces killed an estimated 13 terrorists during an air strike Thursday morning targeting a senior foreign fighter facilitator northeast of Amiriya.

Intelligence reports indicated an individual associated with foreign fighter facilitation was in the targeted area.

During the operation, Coalition Forces detained five suspected terrorists and found a cache including armor piercing ammunition.

Information gained from the target area led Coalition Forces to two suspected foreign fighter safe houses where suspected terrorists were assembled.

Coalition Forces observed the structures to confirm intelligence reports and engaged with precision guided munitions and rotary wing close air support, killing an estimated 13 terrorists.

Coalition Forces continue to dismantle the foreign fighter networks.

This operation significantly reduces foreign fighter facilitators’ ability to operate inside Iraq.

BAGHDAD – Coalition Forces conducted an air strike Thursday evening after receiving heavy enemy fire during a raid targeting al-Qaida in Iraq terrorists and foreign fighter facilitators.

While receiving enemy fire from several directions, ground forces called in for air support. Eight terrorists barricaded themselves inside one of the buildings and continued to fire at the ground forces. Coalition aircraft dropped precision bombs on the building, resulting in its destruction and the deaths of the eight terrorists.

No Coalition Forces or innocent Iraqis were injured during the air strike.

The operation was part of ongoing efforts to eliminate terrorists and disrupt their operations in the Arab Jabour area.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Using close air support, coalition forces engaged and disabled a man who was attempting to detonate an improvised explosive device (IED) near here Feb. 8.

Shortly after discovering an IED on a road they were traveling, Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment reported seeing five men who had been standing near a wall at the site running to a vehicle to flee the area. The men were allegedly waiting for coalition forces to drive by so they could detonate the device.
Aircraft in the area observed the men driving at a high rate of speed to a house, where four of the men left the vehicle and fled into the building. After pausing at the building, the driver of the vehicle sped off and continued traveling at a high rate of speed.

An aircraft engaged the vehicle. The suspect fled the vehicle, running to a field and jumping over a fence near the Nassar factory here—while still being engaged by the aircraft.

The man sustained leg injuries during the pursuit. The 2-8 Cavalry Soldiers rushed to the scene and apprehended the man. They treated his wounds and medically evacuating him from the site. Following medical treatment, the man will be detained for further questioning.

BAGHDAD – Coalition Forces conducted an air strike Wednesday targeting an al-Qaida in Iraq-related vehicle-borne improvised explosives devices network near Arab Jabour.

Intelligence reports indicated that this network is responsible for a large and devastating number of VBIED attacks in the Baghdad area. They are also responsible for IED and sniper attacks conducted against the Iraqi people and Iraqi and Coalition Forces.

As Coalition Forces approached the targeted building they came under intense enemy fire. Ground forces assessed seven suspected terrorists were in the targeted building. Coalition Forces determined the targets too hostile for ground troops and called for air support. Two precision guided munitions were dropped destroying the targeted building and an associated structure.

Coalition Forces continue to tear apart the al-Qaida leadership inside Iraq. This operation significantly reduces this VBIED terrorist network’s ability to operate, and increases the safety of all Iraqi citizens, Iraqi forces, and Iraq’s Multi-National partners.

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Army troops detained four suspected insurgents southeast of the Iraqi capital Feb. 8 with a little help from Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers.

Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division acted on a tip passed to them from paratroopers of the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, and detained the four suspects in Suyyid Jihad, Iraq, south of Baghdad.

The Iraqi troops stopped the suspects in a sedan and found that each had three different identification cards. The suspects also had four pistols and two AK-47s.

The four were taken into custody by the Iraqi troops for further questioning.

MOSUL, Iraq – Soldiers from the Iraqi army, in conjunction with Coalition Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division conducted a raid Feb. 4 on a photo shop in northeast Mosul with the intent of eliminating a source of improvised explosive device manufacturing as well as locating a specific mortar cache that information sources said was there.

Dubbed “Operation Camera Shy,” the cordon and search involved the camera shop, several houses in the area, as well as a large field near the store. While searching the field, several marking sticks were found, as well as an initiator approximately five meters from the northeast corner of the field. Upon digging, a cache of two mortar tubes, seven 120mm rounds, two pipe bombs, a bag of fuses, two ammunition cans, and other assorted IED-making material was found.

Five males were taken into custody, with four of them testing positive for explosive residue on their person. All of the suspects were remanded into custody.

All of the explosives were taken to Al-Kindi and reduced by the 2nd Iraqi Army Division soldiers who were spearheading the mission.

MOSUL, Iraq – At approximately 12:30 a.m., Feb. 6, soldiers from the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division were on a routine patrol when they accidentally collided with a civilian vehicle. The vehicle’s occupants immediately attempted to flee the scene, but were quickly apprehended by the IA soldiers. After tactical questioning, one of the two detainees told the IA where a huge weapons cache could be found.

Utilizing the newfound intelligence, the 2-2 IA conducted a raid on a house located behind a sheep market in the Nablis neighborhood of west Mosul. There they detained six suspected insurgents and, upon a thorough search, found a false wall in the house.

It was behind this wall that a large stockpile of weapons was found, to include eight AK-47s, four RPK machine guns, six rocket-propelled grenade launchers, one SVD, one SKS, three PKCs, nine load bearing vests, nine ski masks, 4,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 32 rocket-propelled grenade rounds, 10 fragmentation grenades, 130 mortar rounds (primarily 60, 81 and 82 mm), and a complex fully functional improvised explosive device.

Five of the detained suspects tested positive for plastic explosives and were remanded into custody with their confession statements from the IA questioning.

Additionally, the IA conducted a second raid the following night based on intelligence gained from the first, netting three more suspected anti-Iraqi forces.

The 2IA continues to aggressively patrol the neighborhoods of Mosul.

SHAFA’AT, Iraq –Troops from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division (3-2 IA) joined Soldiers from the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division (5-82 FA, in conducting a humanitarian assistance visit to the village of Shafa’at Feb. 1.

The joint mission delivered much-needed medical supplies, food, and cold- weather clothing. The 3-2 IA soldiers also unloaded several trucks filled with water and distributed toys for the children, who greeted the soldiers with hugs and smiles.

After distributing the necessities to the village, medics from the 3-2 IA, 5-82 FA, and 45th Transportation Support Battalion gave a medical check-up and administered aid to Shafa’at’s 45 children.

Future joint humanitarian missions are planned for the Ninewa Province’s outlaying villages and towns that require assistance.

BAQUBAH–The Provincial Government and coalition forces are working earnestly to improve the way of life for the people of Diyala through reconstruction efforts focused on the needs of the citizens throughout the province.

“We have big plans for the people of Diyala,” said Gov. Ra’ad Hameed Al-Mula Jowad Al-Tanimi, governor of Diyala, during a previous press conference. “There are lots of projects being worked … to improve the health, school and education, electricity,water and housing.”

The Provincial Government continues to identify new projects based on the needs of the residents and is prepared to commit to improve living conditions across the province, said Ra’ad.

In addition to the Iraqi Government projects, coalition forces are focusing efforts on projects, totaling over $213 million, which are currently underway throughout Diyala.

To date, 20 coalition-led projects have been completed in the province since the start of the Fiscal Year , including five electrical projects by the Government of Iraq and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to improve the reliability of power for the people of Diyala.

“The coalition projects are planned, assessed and executed based on the goal of the Diyala Provincial leadership. They have a better situational awareness of what is needed by their people and we support the efforts of the Government, as we do their Security Forces,” said Col. David W. Sutherland, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division commander and senior U.S. Army officer in the Diyala province.

The projects, which began as early as April 2005, include a $31.2 million rehabilitation and expansion of a 400kV/132kV substation and five feeders designed to improve reliability of power for over 63,000 residents in the Buhriz and Muqdadiya regions of Diyala.

Of the 141 projects, 38 reconstruction projects will be near completion within the next two months. The projects, when complete, will provide more reliable water and electricity, improvised irrigation, improved sanitation, heightened security and road improvements.

“All of the projects are done in a holistic view as systems of systems, as well as the employment opportunities for the local population.

They are linked to security because the people are able to get better services while having an impact on the economy, and in the long run, this assists in defeating the terrorists that do not want to allow the people to modernize,” Sutherland said.

The Provincial Government is also working hand-in-hand with the 5th Iraqi Army Division to repair damage caused by indiscriminate terrorist attacks, or from collateral damage resulting from offensive operations.

Anti-Iraqi forces will continue to attempt to slow the progress of these projects and, at times, even attack or damage completed projects, said Ra’ad.

“This is slowing us, but it has not stopped us,” he added.

“We want to complete these projects, but I need [the people’s] help to make the security situation better,” Ra’ad said. “I ask our people to help rebuild this province.”