Coalition Reclaims al-Jamea'a

30 July 07
By Spc. Alexis Harrison
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs.

BAGHDAD - As Operation Arrowhead Ripper moves along in Diyala, ever so quietly, Operation Rogue Thunder swept through a section of the capital in hopes of ridding the area of anti-Iraqi forces for good.

The 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army, their Military Transition Team and Soldiers from the U.S. 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, cleared al-Jamea'a of caches, bombs and insurgents while helping to ramp up security efforts to reclaim the area terrorized and bullied by al-Qaeda.

Terrorists in the area had been ruthlessly controlling every action of the people according to Maj. Chris Norrie, the transition team's commander. Women were forced to cover their faces, men were arrested for no apparent reason and children weren't even allowed to play soccer in the streets.

At one time al-Jamea'a was occupied by white-collar professionals until insurgents began scare tactics that led many of the well-off residents to leave their homes. Many of the mansion-sized homes in the neighborhood are empty, and as Capt. Peter Kilpatrick said, the empty homes are seen as an opportunity for insurgents to move in.

"Only 30 percent of al-Jamea'a was occupied," said Capt. Kilpatrick. "The vacancies made it vulnerable."

Several caches had been found during previous operations around the Najra Mosque area. During the first day of this operation, streets and shops around the mosque were empty. A few people cautiously came out to see the Humvees, tanks and Iraqi army vehicles stage. This would begin the lengthy process of securing the area.

Sgt. Kenneth Swartwood said many of the residents are happy to see the Coalition forces move into their neighborhood. More importantly, the combined presence of Iraqis and Americans working together proved to the people just how important the area's security was.

"We came in with open arms to the Iraqi army," said Sgt. Swartwood. "A big reason Adel and Jamea'a are good now is because of the partnership with the IA. They actually worked with them hand-in-hand. The civilians feel a lot better when it's a partnership. They feel like it's twice as secure."

After many of the new security measures were in place, the commander of the Iraqi Army battalion, Col. Raheem went to the mosque to use its loudspeaker to make an announcement to the people in the neighborhood.

He let it be known to the people that coalition forces were in the area to make a change for the better. He said security will improve for the people and that they have not only God watching them, but the entire coalition.

"Almost immediately, people began to come out of their homes," Col. Raheem said. "These people deserve to live in peace after al-Qaeda had oppressed them for so long."

Now that security measures are in place, Capt. Kilpatrick said coalition forces in the area will have 24-hour surveillance over the entire area.

"We've established several static positions," he said. "However, I don't think locals would have felt comfortable with putting a coalition outpost next to the mosque without help from the Iraqis."

Col. Raheem said many of the locals feel that having a combined presence in the area is good and that it helps gain the trust of the people even faster.

Photo - The commander of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, Col. Raheem, points out locations of traffic control points and other security measures being placed in Al Jamea'a during Operation Rogue Thunder. The Iraqi army battalion, along with a Military Transition Team and Soldiers from the U.S. 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, swept the area and implemented several new security measures during the operation. Photo by Spc. A. Lexis Harrison.

Iraqi, Coalition forces move forward despite attacks

21 Jun 07
by Spc. Carl N. Hudson
Combined Press Information Center.

BAGHDAD – The Fardh Al-Qanoon spokesman and a Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman held a press conference at the Combined Press Information Center Wednesday.

Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Qassim Atta Al-Moussawi, Fardh Al-Qanoon spokesman, and U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mark Fox, a Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman, discussed the progress of Fardh Al-Qanoon.

“Our military operations are still ongoing in many places in Baghdad to pursue the terrorists,” said Al-Moussawi. “Terrorist attacks will not make us stop our operations in Baghdad, and we’ll move forward with steady steps.”

Al-Moussawi addressed the progress made by the Iraqi Army in the past week.

“We’ve killed 32 terrorists, detained 170 others, freed five kidnapped (victims), defused eight improvised explosive devices and 17 car bombs, found 2,000 different kinds of weapons and seized eight tons of TNT,” said Al-Moussawi.

With the Iraqi Army in the lead, Iraqi locals continue to provide information in response to attacks made by terrorists.

Fox also explained the ongoing security efforts.

“All of the additional requested forces for the ‘surge’ are now in place and are simultaneously conducting coordinated core-level offensive operations throughout Iraq,” said Fox. “Coalition forces are strong and focused and are concentrating our effort and might against the extremists, taking the fight to where they are, going after the terrorists to deny them sanctuary and taking back neighborhoods in order to build a secure future for the Iraqi people.”

“Iraqi and Coalition forces are conducting carefully planned and executed operations, demonstrating their resolve to deny terrorists safe havens,” he said. “We’ll continue to pursue these terrorists wherever they go by attacking their networks and damaging their ability to wage horrific and calculated violence against the citizens of Iraq.”

Al-Moussawi and Fox also expressed their sympathies to the killed and injured from the al-Khalani mosque bombing in Rusafa, Iraq.

“We share the outrage of the Iraqi people against this despicable attack,” said Fox.

“We face a summer of hard fighting,” he said. “I’m confident there’s good prospects for continued progress in the months ahead and that can be matched by progress in the political and economic areas here in Iraq giving us hope for the way ahead.”

Photo - Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Qassim Atta Al-Moussawi (right), Fardh Al-Qanoon spokesman and U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mark Fox, a Multi National Force-Iraq spokesman, discuss the progress of Fardh Al-Qanoon at athe Combined Press Information Center in Baghdad. Photo by Spc. Emily Greene.

Dragon’ Soldiers Seize, Destroy Bomb Factory

12 Jun 07
By Multi-National Corps-Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory.

BAGHDAD — Baghdad soldiers seized a bomb-making factory, along with another large weapons cache while on patrol in the eastern portion of the Rashid District of the Iraqi capital June 11.

"This is tremendous work by our soldiers to take more than 300 (improvised explosive devices) off the streets," said Col. Ricky D.Gibbs, commander of 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

Troops from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, and Company A, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 4th IBCT, discovered the factory, a complex of small buildings deep in the thick palm groves of East Rashid, after receiving word of the objective's location from other Coalition Forces.

The find consisted of one vehicle wired and loaded with explosives as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device; 54 82mm mortars; 27 155mm artillery shells; one 500-pound bomb; 64 anti-tank mines; two 200-pound bombs; three 100-pound bombs; 30 130mm projectiles; 30 hand grenades; 200 artillery boosters; 10 40mm rounds; one bag of blasting caps; one rocket of unknown caliber and origin; one bag of booster charges; six bags of propellant; 300 five-gallon cans of nitric acid used to make homemade explosives; one bag of breaching charges and 15 bags of anti-personnel mines with 100 mines per bag. Also found in the cache was enough wiring and bomb-making material to create more than 300 improvised explosive devices.

In a separate cache near the complex, an additional 125 five-gallon containers of nitric acid were found.

Three other vehicles were also found at the site wired as car bombs, but did not contain explosives.

A Coalition explosive ordnance disposal team catalogued the weapons and explosives found and will dispose of them properly, preventing them from being used against innocent Iraqi people or Iraqi Security and Coalition Force personnel.

"This find further emphasizes our ability to get after the extremists and take away their tools of destruction, as none of these weapons and explosives will ever be used to harm others," Gibbs said.

Photo - Electrical wiring and other components used to make improvised explosive devices were discovered by troops from the Multi-National Division – Baghdad in a bomb-making “factory” in Baghdad’s East Rashid District June 11. Components seized were enough to build 300 IEDs. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ben Washburn.

Army's Newest Modular Combat Team Makes Mark in Iraq

May 31, 2007
BY Fred. W Baker III
Armed Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - In its first deployment to Iraq, one of the Army's newest modular light infantry brigade combat teams is making its mark under the president's troop plus-up plan, the brigade's top officer said in a May 25 briefing to Pentagon reporters.

The 1st Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team from Fort Riley, Kan., is deployed as part of the troop plus-up to the east and west Rashid security districts in the Multinational Division Baghdad area. It is partnered with the 2nd Infantry Division's 3rd Stryker Brigade from Fort Lewis, Wash., and three Iraqi security force brigades. Together, the troops are clearing an area about 58 square miles, roughly the size of San Francisco, home to about 700,000 Iraqis.

In the past three weeks, under Operation Dragon Fire, the troops have cleared 45 neighborhoods, detained 94 terrorist suspects, freed two kidnapped citizens and captured 397 explosive munitions, 245 weapons systems, 150 IEDs and enough components to make 3,000 more IEDs, said Col. Ricky Gibbs, commander of the BCT and Task Force Dragon.

They've also destroyed two torture houses and a terrorist safe haven, Col. Gibbs said. It has not come without loss to the units, though. Seven U.S. Soldiers have been killed in the plus-up to clear the area. Initially, attacks were high against the troops as they moved in and secured the area. Now, direct attacks are down, but the use of IEDs against the troops has increased, Col. Gibbs said.

The troops man five joint security stations and 20 coalition outposts in the area. They live at the outposts until rotating back to the forward operating base. Col. Gibbs said living in the communities allows the troops to gain the trust of the Iraqi people. This reaps big dividends in the fight, he said. "The tips that are coming in from the people are astronomical, and that's allowing us to find these terrorists, or the Takfir, as the locals call them, and take them off the street," Col. Gibbs said.

The joint security stations are similar to local police stations and are located in the neighborhoods. There has been a decrease in violence, he said, primarily because of the nearly doubled troop presence. Col. Gibbs said his troops are working side by side with an Iraqi army brigade and two police brigades. He said they co-plan, rehearse and share intelligence, and in some cases the Iraqi forces lead the operations.

Even so, Col. Gibbs said, the Iraqi police forces have yet to earn the full confidence of the people there to the level that the Iraqi army has. Col. Gibbs said one of his biggest concerns was the ability of the Iraqi police force to hire enough to fill its ranks. The task force also is working to restore essential services in the area. Priorities have been to restore sanitation services and electrical power, with 127 active projects throughout the districts and another 62 projects planned.

Photo - Spc. A.J. Jackson looks for snipers during a cordon and search in Baghdad on May 16. Spc. Jackson is assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. Photo by Sgt. Tierney P. Nowland.

Clearing operation nets five weapons caches in Baghdad

Sunday, 22 April 2007.

Clearing operation Nets Five Weapons Caches in Baghdad’s Mansour district
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO 3rd SBCT, 2nd Inf. Div. Public Affairs Officer

BAGHDAD – Coalition Force members and Iraqi Army troops continued clearing operations in the Iraqi capital’s Mansour security district, uncovering five weapons caches April 21 during Operation Arrowhead Strike 9.

The weapons and ammunition discovered included one submachine gun, five AK-47 assault rifles with eight full magazines, two pistols with four full magazines, one full can of blasting caps used for improvised explosive devices, two small two-way radios and one sword.

Iraqi Army troops from 1st Battalion, 5th Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, along with U.S. Army Soldiers from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division participated in the clearing operation.

One terrorist killed, 19 suspects captured, bomb-making cache found

Sunday, 22 April 2007

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed one terrorist, detained 19 suspected terrorists and found caches of weapons and chemicals used to make improvised explosive devices during operations Sunday.

An armed terrorist was killed and 19 suspected terrorists were detained when Coalition Forces raided several buildings southeast of Fallujah.

During that raid, Coalition Forces found large amounts of chemicals used to make IEDs, several weapons and bomb-making accessories, including more than 50 pressure plates and a suicide vest. A controlled detonation destroyed the materials on site.

A vehicle found on the scene loaded with explosives was destroyed by an air strike.

“Coalition forces continue to remove dangerous stores of weapons and explosives from the hands of terrorists and the enemies of the people of Iraq," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. "This represents one more small victory in the war against those that would deny safety and security to the Iraqi people.”

Iraqi Police Join the Security Mission in Diwaniyah

Multi-National Division, Baghdad
4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

DIWANIYAH, Iraq, April 10, 2007 — Operation Black Eagle moved into a new phase of operations with the Iraqi police joining the Iraqi army and Coalition Forces in security operations here, April 8.

Iraqi police began manning key checkpoints throughout the city, further adding to the security forces already in place.

"The Iraqi police are now out in force helping to enforce the rule of law in Diwaniyah," said Col. Michael Garrett, commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.

The Iraqi police were not involved in the initial operation for many reasons. They were asked to stay at their stations in order to protect them from the possibility of reprisal attacks from the militias.

"The Iraqi Police lacked the training necessary to conduct this type of operation," said Brig. Gen. Sadiq Jafar Ali, provincial police chief. "Thanks to the help and expertise of the Iraqi army and Coalition Forces, the Iraqi police will now be able to cooperate with them to secure the city."

The Iraqi army was asked by the government of Iraq to rid the town of militia members and other terrorist groups who had waged a campaign of murder and intimidation against the people of Diwaniyah and the security forces charged with protecting them.

Summing up the attacks, Maj. Gen. Oothman Farhood, commander of the 8th Iraqi army Division and leader of the assault against the militia, mentioned hundreds of attacks and dozens of kidnappings and murders in the city.

"We have received more than 700 requests for the help of the Iraqi army from the people of Diwaniyah," he said. "The Iraqi army is here for the people of Iraq and to help the Iraqi police provide security for the citizens of Diwaniyah."

According to Oothman, Operation Black Eagle has achieved tremendous success, but much work remains. From capturing terrorists and their weapons to giving the people of Diwaniyah the hope of returning to their normal lives, the cooperation of the Iraqi army and their counterparts is moving into the next phase of operations.

Fighting continued in the city April 8 as the Iraqi Army and Coalition Forces captured 39 militia members and several larges caches of weapons and explosives.

"We have freed the people of Diwaniyah from murder and intimidation that have plagued the city 24 hours a day, seven days a week for months," Oothman said.

Even with the assurances, concerns remain about the future security of the city once the Iraqi Army and Coalition Forces leave the city. "As with all wars, this is not a one or two-day event," Oothman stated. "We are going to be here until we have returned security and stability to Diwaniyah."

Maj. Gen. Pawel Lamla, commander of the Multi National Division-Central South, also talked about a long and thorough rebuilding and restructuring plan.

"As you can see, we are here together as a coalition of many countries for a common goal," he said. "We are here for the benefit of the city of Diwaniyah and its people."

Lamla also discussed the next phase of Operation Black Eagle, securing the city and repairing damage caused by the fighting.

"The terrorists and militias seek to destroy the city. We want to destroy the militias and rebuild and repair the damages that have occurred," Lamla said. He also talked of the link between the new Baghdad security plan and the on-going operations in Diwaniyah.

"As the Baghdad security plan goes into its next phase, we will do the same. We are going to establish joint security stations throughout the city. The Iraqi Army and police will supervise the stations alongside Coalition Forces," Lamla said. "With the JSS (Joint Security Station), we will maintain a constant presence within the city and improve the capability of the Iraqi police at the same time.

"As soon as the Iraqi police are capable, we will return security responsibilities to them," Lamla continued. "Until then, we will do what is required, for as long as it takes to make Diwaniyah safe."

Photo: Iraqi army troops and policemen patrol the streets of Diwaniyah, Iraq, alongside soldiers and paratroopers from Multi National Division-Central South and Multi National Division-Baghdad during Operation Black Eagle, April 8, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Steven Childers.

Ordnance disposal makes for no ordinary day

11 April 2007
By Master Sgt. Bryan Ripple
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFNEWS) -- Airmen assigned to the 332nd Civil Engineer Squadron's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight have a dangerous mission that keeps fellow coalition forces safe.

It takes nerves of steel and a steady hand to do the work these Airmen do. After all, getting anywhere near an improvised explosive isn't something most people want to do.

Airmen from the EOD flight put their extensive combat training and experience to the test every day in support Operation Iraqi Freedom. When they are not on a mission, they keep busy maintaining their equipment, vehicles and robots for their next time out, or they're destroying unexploded ordnance, or UXOs, from in-direct fire attacks or ridding munitions that have exceeded their shelf lives.

"This is my third deployment to Iraq since the start of the war in 2003. I'm amazed at how the battlefield is ever changing," said Master Sgt. Michael Pitts, deployed here from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. "We get smarter, but so does the enemy. It's a crazy cat and mouse game. Sometimes we win, sometimes the enemy does. Thankfully, we win a lot more!"

The explosives Airmen have two distinct missions, one on base and one outside the wire. They are here on six-month deployments, which are more like eight months when you include their mandatory Combat Skills Training and the Global Anti-terrorism and Operational Readiness training that prepares them for 'outside the wire' work.

The EOD missions vary from day to day. One day the teams might respond to unexploded ordnance, or UXO, on base, or they may assess damage done to buildings and equipment after an indirect fire attack. On another day, they may go off base to perform their Army "in-lieu-of" mission. This can range from rendering IEDs safe that have shut down a convoy route, to conducting a post-blast analysis on coalition vehicles struck by IEDs.

The latter mission can be the most difficult to perform.

"We see ... the personnel who were injured or killed in these attacks. It's hard to focus on the task at hand seeing all the destruction, but we have to. The intelligence we gather from these incidents and others allows us to gain valuable intelligence on how the enemy operates," Sergeant Pitts said.

The equipment and vehicles EOD Airmen have used over the years have evolved to keep up with the ever-changing requirements of the tactical battle space. Armored vehicles have evolved from standard armored Humvees in early 2003, to the Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicle being used today. The JERRV is a massive vehicle that allows EOD teams to safely travel to and from an incident site and allows them to vary operations in and around the vehicle during a call. Inside the armored EOD vehicle, there is room for the EOD team, their robots, and all the other gear needed to work outside the wire, including their 70-pound bomb suits. The JERRV also has multiple optical camera capabilities providing day and night vision, as well as forward looking infra-red technology that allows EOD Airmen better visibility of their surroundings.

Senior Airman Stephen Ohge is deployed from Anderson AFB, Guam, and operates the new joy stick controlled technology provided within the JERRV as easily as a young person playing a favorite video game.

"Cutting-edge technologies are paramount to today's EOD operations outside the wire," said Airman Ohge. "As new equipment emerges and is integrated into our career field, situational awareness and efficiency are intensified; this results in not only a more cognizant and rapid response, but also an immeasurable increase in our mission capabilities," he said.

"Since our initial employment of our optical systems, we have spotted multiple triggermen and aided our security in the capture and exploitation of these individuals. This is just one of the many benefits we have experienced thus far. These systems also assist our use of robots for remote reconnaissance and disruption of IEDs, directly relating to a decrease of time spent in a kill zone. We're very lucky to have such an amazing apparatus to perform our duties," he said.

Airman 1st Class Robert Wester is also deployed from Hickam AFB. Airman Wester exercises extreme care while operating the Talon Robot, one of three robots EOD uses to respond to IEDs.

"It's my job to disrupt and eliminate IED hazards in hostile situations. I use various robots, one being the Talon," Airman Wester said. "It's an excellent robot, and I would rate it as being the best one in theater. Using the Talon is like an extension of my own arms. There is no time for fumbling or room for error. Robot operators must work quickly and thoroughly without letting stress affect their performance," he said.

The EOD Airmen know that where there is an IED, there is most likely someone watching.

"A good friend of mine was shot by a sniper not long ago. A good robot driver will minimize all team member exposure to sniper fire and explosive hazards. Most hazards can be cleared with a robot, but sometimes there is a need to have eyes on to know the scene is cleared," Airman Wester said.

EOD Airmen are not immune to the dangers IEDs pose, however.

"It's a struggle to stay two steps ahead of the enemy. We learn from other people's experiences and survive based on our strict adherence to our tactics, techniques, and procedures. In this game, you only get one shot to get it right. This is evident by our EOD motto, 'Initial Success or Total Failure," Sergeant Pitts said.

Staff Sgt. Octavia Washington is deployed here from the 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Minot AFB, N.D., and works supply requests for the EOD flight helping ensure EOD Airmen have all the equipment they need to do their jobs.

"Every time we have a successful mission or another controlled detonation to keep the base safe, I know I had a hand in our success," she said. "It's imperative these guys have what they need, when they need it, to do their jobs."

EOD Airmen here feel they are making a positive difference in Iraq.

"When we roll down the street heading out to the next reported IED, and we see a young girl in an Iraqi village heading off to school with her book bag, I know we've changed her life for the better. She has an opportunity she would never have had if our military wasn't here helping Iraq combat this insurgency and establish its new democratic government," Sergeant Pitts said.

Throughout their missions outside the wire with Army units, EOD Airmen here have smoothly integrated with the Soldiers who provide cover for them while performing their EOD duties.

"EOD is a prime example of the joint brotherhood that develops in this area of operations," said Capt. Jay Ferguson, deployed here as the EOD flight commander from Hill AFB, Utah.

Sergeant Pitts agreed. "The soldiers put their lives on the line to protect us, he said. The uniform we wear doesn't matter when we're outside the wire; we're there to help each other."

Photo: Airmen with the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight conduct a controlled detonation March 20 at Balad Air Base, Iraq. The Balad EOD periodically disposes of unserviceable, excess, or dangerous ordnance by fabricating explosive demolition charges in a controlled environment. (U. S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth).

Iraqi Army, Cavalry take fight to the enemy...again

This is an article of brave Iraqi men who have taken their place of Iraq's military. They did not back down. They did not run away. They ran toward the terrorists.

2/9/2007

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 of insurgents. 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.

Yes, they are amazing. I only wish this story would the American press...but how can it when reporters get their news from the enemy?

PS. I know that Cavalry is spelled Calvary, but they spell it that way all through the article. Maybe that is the way it is translated from Arabic? Anyway, what's the harm? Just as long as you know I did not miss that. lol.

Source: CENTCOM Press Release. If you have difficulty with that link, try this one.

Iraqi, Coalition Forces Battle Terrorists After Investigating IED Blast

This is an article I found over at CENTCOM.mil. There are stories in the press release I am going to bring to you today starting with this one:

2/9/2007

BAGHDAD - Iraqi and Coalition Forces 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 Forces 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 Forces returned fires and called for support from an Aerial Weapons Team.

Iraqi and Coalition Forces 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.

This is just one of the slow but sure example we are taking in this new push. I'm grateful no one on our side was injured. Stay careful and great, and keep your powder dry.

Source: CENTCOM Press Release. If you have a problem with that link, you will find the long version over at DoD Daily News-2.