Photo By Sgt. Armando Monroig | An Iraqi soldier from 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division provides...... read more read more
Subscribe
Sgt. Armando Monroig
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
BAQUBAH, Iraq (Dec. 2, 2006) - The Iraqi Army led a recent offensive operation in Baqubah, Iraq, which yielded 10 suspected insurgents and rescued a kidnapped 16-year-old Iraqi boy being held for a $150,000 ransom.
The U.S. Army's 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, cordoned off several of the city's neighborhoods while units of the 5th Iraqi army conducted the search.
Maj. Kalil Malek Ahmad, commander of 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army, said his Soldiers were able to identify insurgents with the help of intelligence sources.
Lt. Col. Morris Goins, the commander of 3rd Brigade's 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, which provided the cordon for the search, said the operation gave the Iraqi army an opportunity to demonstrate it's capability to play a primary role in military operations.
"Iraq is a sovereign nation. They have an Iraqi police department. They have an Iraqi Army," said Goins, a native of Southern Pines, N.C. "It's important for them to conduct these operations. They are in the lead and we assist when needed."
This most recent search for insurgents, which is part of a larger effort," will help local residents by "driving a wedge between the Iraqi people and Al Qaeda," said Goins.
Al Qaeda operatives have been attempting to disrupt coalition forces and have been threatening local residents in the neighborhoods of Khatoon and Mufrek, he said.
Capt. Scott Steele, a member of the U.S. Army's military training team in Baqubah, and a native of Faribault, Minn., said it is important for the Iraqi Army to lead such operations until they can be conducted entirely on their own.
"If the Iraqis take over, the United States can leave," he said. "We're just helping them along so that they can secure their own country by themselves."
Goins said his unit was presented with some challenges while working with the Iraq's army, such as language barriers and differences in communications platforms, but those obstacles were overcome with prior coordination.
"As with any brand new government, you have challenges," said Goins. "People often think the United States was born yesterday. It'll take a little while. There's a lot of promise here. The work is hard but it's good."
| Date Taken: | 12.02.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 12.14.2006 10:06 |
| Story ID: | 8571 |
| Location: | BAQUBAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 375 |
| Downloads: | 143 |
This work, Iraqi Army rounds up Baqubah insurgents, by SGT Armando Monroig, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT