Operations in Iraq

Posted By Blackfive

Operationally, Al Qaeda has been rendered impotent.  They can still pull off a flaming car bomb once in awhile, but their ops are severely hampered.

Now, JAM and militias, plus Iran, need to be brought into line.  Hence, Petraeus's plan is evident in its genius for how we're rolling through the strategy.

Via the American Forces Press Service:

Coalition, Iraqi Forces Kill, Capture Insurgents in Iraq
Posted on 10.22.2007 at 10:21AM

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces working in concert with Iraqi security forces killed four insurgents and nabbed roughly 16 others during recent operations in Iraq, military officials said.

In Iraq yesterday:

-- Coalition forces captured two wanted individuals and three others during an operation northwest of Muqdadiyah. Military officials believe one suspect is a senior al-Qaida in Iraq leader operating in the northern Diyala area. Troops destroyed an improvised explosive device on site.

-- Troops detained six suspected terrorists during an operation in Beiji targeting an associate of al-Qaida in Iraq senior leaders, military officials said. The targeted individual allegedly is part of a network responsible for supplying weapons and supplies to foreign terrorists.

-- Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers killed one and captured several other individuals who military officials believe to be ranking members of an al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist cells in Doura, a southern district in the Iraqi capital.

-- In a separate early-morning raid in Doura, troops arrested two men believed to be responsible for making improvised explosive devices used to destroy mosques in western Rashid, military officials said.

-- A terrorist killed in Baqubah, on Oct. 19, was positively identified yesterday as Thamir Aziz Abbas Ashuri, an al-Qaida in Iraq IED-cell leader. Reports indicate he led some 250 terrorists, directing IED attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces. He also was believed to act as a judge for an illegal terrorist court system in the area, military officials said...

That was just yesterday.  Here is a report about what some paratroopers are doing in Iraq right now on the Shia side of the COIN operation:

Militia in Iskandariyah Targeted, Leaders Captured
Story by Sgt. Johnnie French

KALSU, Iraq – During the course of three days, paratroopers captured four high-ranking milita leaders from north Babil. Paratroopers from the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division conducted the operations and captured the leader of the militia in Iskandariyah and several commanders and lieutenants, Oct. 12-14.

“We captured four of our 10 most wanted,” said Sgt. 1st Class Richard Williams, from Abbottstown, Pa., the non-commissioned officer in charge of intelligence for the 3-509th PIR. “Two of those guys were on the brigade’s most wanted list, including the second most wanted man in all of Babil.”...

The paratroopers have been working hard to bring security and stabilization to the city with the help of concerned citizens and Iraqi security forces.

The Concerned Citizens Programs in Iskandariyah are fighting back against a campaign of murder, kidnapping and intimidation waged by Shia militias and other extremist groups.

“CCPs are a huge help. Those guys don’t need Shia militias or any other extremist group,” said Williams. “We took out their top level leaders and the CCPs are securing their own neighborhoods. Those things combined have put the militia on the defensive. It is something the militias have never had to deal with.”

The paratroopers recently launched a massive offensive to drive al-Qaida out of the Euphrates River Valley. Following the paratrooper’s offensive push, CCPs sprang up all throughout the Valley and Jurf As Sakhr region, making it one of the safest places in all of Iraq.

The Iraqi security forces working side by side with the 3-509th PIR are emboldened as well.

“The ISF have more confidence in what they are doing. It is growing every day,” Williams continued. “They want to do more because they are finally seeing the fruits of their labor pay off.”

While the majority of the militia leadership in Iskandariyah and Haswah have been captured, a challenge remains.

“Right now the Shia militia has started a huge propaganda campaign to try and undermine our efforts, but the locals aren’t reacting to it,” Williams said. “In fact, the locals are becoming more receptive and we are receiving a positive reaction to our efforts.”

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Operations in Iraq

Operationally, Al Qaeda has been rendered impotent.  They can still pull off a flaming car bomb once in awhile, but their ops are severely hampered.

Now, JAM and militias, plus Iran, need to be brought into line.  Hence, Petraeus's plan is evident in its genius for how we're rolling through the strategy.

Via the American Forces Press Service:

Coalition, Iraqi Forces Kill, Capture Insurgents in Iraq
Posted on 10.22.2007 at 10:21AM

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces working in concert with Iraqi security forces killed four insurgents and nabbed roughly 16 others during recent operations in Iraq, military officials said.

In Iraq yesterday:

-- Coalition forces captured two wanted individuals and three others during an operation northwest of Muqdadiyah. Military officials believe one suspect is a senior al-Qaida in Iraq leader operating in the northern Diyala area. Troops destroyed an improvised explosive device on site.

-- Troops detained six suspected terrorists during an operation in Beiji targeting an associate of al-Qaida in Iraq senior leaders, military officials said. The targeted individual allegedly is part of a network responsible for supplying weapons and supplies to foreign terrorists.

-- Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers killed one and captured several other individuals who military officials believe to be ranking members of an al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist cells in Doura, a southern district in the Iraqi capital.

-- In a separate early-morning raid in Doura, troops arrested two men believed to be responsible for making improvised explosive devices used to destroy mosques in western Rashid, military officials said.

-- A terrorist killed in Baqubah, on Oct. 19, was positively identified yesterday as Thamir Aziz Abbas Ashuri, an al-Qaida in Iraq IED-cell leader. Reports indicate he led some 250 terrorists, directing IED attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces. He also was believed to act as a judge for an illegal terrorist court system in the area, military officials said...

That was just yesterday.  Here is a report about what some paratroopers are doing in Iraq right now on the Shia side of the COIN operation:

Militia in Iskandariyah Targeted, Leaders Captured
Story by Sgt. Johnnie French

KALSU, Iraq – During the course of three days, paratroopers captured four high-ranking milita leaders from north Babil. Paratroopers from the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division conducted the operations and captured the leader of the militia in Iskandariyah and several commanders and lieutenants, Oct. 12-14.

“We captured four of our 10 most wanted,” said Sgt. 1st Class Richard Williams, from Abbottstown, Pa., the non-commissioned officer in charge of intelligence for the 3-509th PIR. “Two of those guys were on the brigade’s most wanted list, including the second most wanted man in all of Babil.”...

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