Operation Turki Bowl
Tuesday, 23 January 2007
BAGHDAD — American and Iraqi military leaders held a joint press conference at the Combined Press Information Center in the International Zone Monday via video teleconference to discuss Operation Turki Bowl.
Commanders on the ground explained details of the operation.
“Our division led many successful operations in the Diyalal and Balad Ruz, Baqubah,” said Maj. Gen. Shakur al - Kaabi, commander, 5th Iraqi Army Division.
After gathering information and tips, Coalition Forces succeeded in locating the terrorist groups.
“We developed a plan in coordination with the 5th Iraqi Army Division,” said Col. David Sutherland, commander of 3rd brigade combat team 1st Calvary Division.
“We briefed our forces on it and then, starting on the 4th of January, began major combat operations against a group of terrorists, known as The Council, in the Turki Village, Tuwilla and 30 Tamuz area south of Balad Ruz.”
The operation, which lasted for 10 days, was conducted with Iraqi Army supported by Iraqi police from the Balad Ruz area and with Coalition force enablers, to include Air Force and Army aviation assets, artillery and security reconnaissance forces.
“During the operation we came in contact with and killed over 100 terrorists,” Sutherland said. “We captured an additional, close to, 50 terrorists and found over 25 caches of supplies.”
Some of the supplies found included 1,100 RPG rounds and launchers, sniper weapons, ammo, and sniper systems.
The forces met with stiff resistance as these were not un-disciplined insurgents but instead an organized fighting force.
“As far as the enemy that we faced with, this was a well-trained, well-determined, Wahhabist al Qaeda terrorist group,” said Capt. Stephen Dobbins, a company commander with 3-505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. “They are not the normal insurgency seen. These men moved in squad formations, take care of their weapons systems and are good marksmen.”
Any doubts as to how the Iraqi security forces performed in the operation, were quickly dismissed, said Sutherland, who praised the security forces for their deeds and efforts during the operation.
“My Soldiers are absolutely committed to working with the Iraqi Security Forces and the Iraqi Army and we take great pride when we conduct operations like we did in Turki,” Sutherland said. “During those operations, we saw improvements in the Iraqi Army and we see partnering taking place with the Iraqi Police.”
All efforts were made to minimize collateral damage and civilian casualties.
“These operations were led according to accurate tips,” Shakur said. “In order to avoid the innocent people, we coordinated with Coalition Forces in the Diyala province to provide safe haven for the citizens there.”
Sutherland also invited media to come see how the Iraqi Security Forces and his own forces are performing in person to further disregard rumors that surround how both forces are doing.
“One of the problems we have up here is a lack of local media to display the correct picture,” Sutherland said.
Sutherland also expressed pride when it came to both American and Iraqi Soldiers during this operation and their involvement in the war.
“If I could convey anything from this message to the American people, it is that the American Soldier is the best fighting man and fighting woman in the world, the best I have ever seen” Sutherland said. “I cannot help but brag about the American troopers.”
Shakur also wished to express his gratitude for the assistance Coalition Forces were able to provide.
“I’d like to thank the Coalition Forces for supporting us in this operation,” Shakur said.
(Story by Army Spc. Scott Kim, Combined Press Information Center)
16 TERRORISTS KILLED, 10 DETAINED IN RAIDS
Jan. 23, 2007
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed 16 terrorists and detained 10 suspected terrorists while conducting operations Tuesday morning in the Baghdad and Haditha areas.
Intelligence reports indicated foreign terrorist facilitators were operating in an area northwest of Haditha. As Coalition Forces approached the area, several armed men exited buildings. Coalition Forces killed two armed terrorist and detained six other suspected terrorists as they attempted to flee the area.
Three terrorists made their way to a boat along the bank of the Al Qadisiyah Lake. They sped away to the opposite end of a small peninsula where they met up with four more men and were seen entering a tent. As Coalition Forces approached the area, the men exited the tents with weapons and ammunition vests.
Coalition Forces engaged the enemy force with rotary wing aircraft killing seven terrorists. Several weapons including grenades, machine guns and pistols were found in the tents.
In other operations in Baghdad, Coalition Forces approached a targeted building and called for the occupants to come out. Two men, a woman and four children exited the building, while several armed men were seen moving across the rooftop from an adjacent building.
Coalition Forces moved the women and children to a safe area away from the buildings and directed the men to surrender. The men began shooting at Coalition Forces and throwing grenades. One of the grenades started a fire in the building. Coalition Forces returned fire killing six terrorists. The two men who surrendered were detained for questioning.
The woman and her children were placed under Coalition Forces care until the area was deemed safe for return.
A raid in Yusufiyah targeted foreign fighter facilitators and individuals involved in the production of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices. Upon arrival at the objective building, one terrorist fled the building and maneuvered toward the ground forces. Ground forces assessed the terrorist as hostile and shot and killed him. One suspected terrorist was detained.
While searching the building, Coalition Forces discovered materials and equipment used in the detonation of explosive devices.
During a raid in Mosul, Coalition Forces detained a suspected foreign terrorist facilitator.
Operation Wolf
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers and elements from the Iraqi Army launched “Operation Wolf” in eastern Baghdad Jan. 22.
Soldiers with the 2ndBrigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, together with troops from 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division began the security operation in the Adhamiyah section of the city.
The mission is aimed at bringing more security to the area by denying safe haven to insurgents. It is further intended to reduce sectarian violence and is part of an on-going U.S.-Iraqi effort to transition security in the Iraqi capital to Iraqi security forces.
82nd Airborne's 2nd BCT Steps Up Security in Baghdad
Jan 22, 2007
BY
Sgt. Mike Pryor
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
BAGHDAD (Army News Service, Jan. 22, 2007) - The 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team arrived in Baghdad last week as part of the first wave of a planned escalation of forces in Iraq's capital city.
The paratroopers from the 2nd "Falcon" Brigade, who had been based in Kuwait as a ready reserve since early January, are to be followed over the next several months by four more combat brigades, bolstering U.S. forces in Baghdad by approximately 20,000 Soldiers. The increase in troops is designed to help clamp down on violence in the city and pave the way for the Iraqi government to assume full control of Baghdad's security.
The 2nd BCT will be organized under the Multi-National Division - Baghdad, headed by the 1st Cavalry Division. The brigade will conduct operations in conjunction with the Iraqi security forces. As part of its mission, the Falcons will send paratroopers into some of Baghdad's most volatile areas to pursue a "clear, hold and build" strategy against insurgents.
"Our mission will be to secure our area of operation, hold that area, and then, at a said time, to turn that area over to the ISF," said Sgt. Maj. John Bagby, the brigade's operations sergeant major.
Paratroopers' special training and ability to adapt to changing circumstances makes them uniquely suited to overcome the obstacles of counter-insurgency warfare, Bagby said.
"They can turn on a dime if necessary, change missions, and still go out and execute," he said. "There's no doubt in my mind that paratroopers from the Falcon Brigade are ready to go out into sector and take the fight to the enemy."
The Falcon Brigade is one of the most combat-experienced units in the Army. Paratroopers from the 2nd BCT have deployed six times on short-notice deployments since the war on terrorism began.
For many Soldiers, this deployment marks their third or fourth tour of duty in Iraq.
One of the 2nd BCT's battalions just returned from a deployment in December, spending only weeks at home before being sent to Kuwait. Even so, there was little surprise within the brigade that the mission of spearheading the surge into Baghdad was given to the Falcons.
"Our Soldiers are willing to do whatever we ask them to do," said Capt. Priscilla Smoot, commander of Company A, 407th Brigade Support Battalion. "Paratroopers in the 82nd have always had that attitude."
The Falcons arrived in Baghdad trained, equipped and ready to fight. Now that they've put boots on the ground, it will be up to the young paratroopers and junior noncommissioned officers to make sure the mission gets completed, said Staff Sgt. Jack Butler, a platoon sergeant with Company C, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Butler said he has no doubt they will rise to the challenge.
"Whatever they put out in front of us," he said, "we're going to be able to tackle."
