MNN MILITARY BLOG
Homeland Security and Military Matters |
8/02/2008
Call Goes Out to Destroy Remaining Al Qaeda in Iraq |
Iraqi army commander Lt. Col. Mohammed Samee Nagi, 4th
Brigade, 3rd Battalion Iraqi Army Division meets with a local
Iraqi man to get information on possible Al Qaida members that
may still remain in the area during the initial launch of
Operation Benevolent Diyala in the Diyala province, Forward
Operating Base Caldwell, located in Diyala, Iraq, July 30. |
It looks like the Iraqi people have almost fully turned on Al
Qaeda in Iraq as US and Iraqi forces hunt down remaining Al
Qaeda members, according to the following report from the US
Military.
By Spc. Opal Vaughn
14th Public Affairs Detachment
A challenge was put out by the Iraqi ministries, for the Iraqi
forces to rid Iraq of any remaining Al Qaida members and
insurgents, said Commander Lt. Col. Steven Wilson, Army
Military Transition Team chief with the 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi
army division.
Wilson continued saying, the Iraqi ministries stated that no
matter what religious preference or background Iraqi citizens
come from, this is still one Iraq and any man should be
willing to stand up and fight for their home.
As a result, the Iraqi army and national police, along with
the training assistance from the 4th MiTT, all stepped up to
the challenge and launched Operation Benevolent Diyala days
prior to schedule, July 29, in the Eastern Diyala Province of
Iraq.
Operation Benevolent Diyala was scheduled to launch Aug. 1,
but was launched early in order to counteract a press leak
through the media.
"We've been working on Operation Benevolent Diyala for a while
now," said the Iraqi Army Chief of Staff and Iraqi Ground
Forces Commander, Lt. Gen. Ali Kedan.
"We received intelligence information from people in the
community that the Iraqi media leaked out information of this
operation and now we are trying to start this mission early in
order to stay a step ahead of the bad people," Kedan said.
In order to stay one step ahead of Iraqi insurgents, the IA
and NP have been training hard, with the assistance of the 4th
MiTT to accomplish the goal of ridding Iraq of any remaining
Al Qaida and insurgents.
The Military Transition Team's primary mission is to advise
their Iraqi counterparts, which is the 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi
Army Division, said Maj. Corey Givens, MiTT lethal and
non-lethal affects adviser from Orange Park, Florida, with the
4-1 Iraqi army division.
"MiTT is unique, because we work directly with the IA," Givens
said. "We advise them and help point them in the right
direction for their mission. There is a language barrier,
however, we have very good interpreters and all of us on MiTT
are trying to learn Arabic as well to ease with the barriers."
Beyond language barriers, the IA continually train hard and
with the launch of Operation Benevolent Diyala, the IA
continues to make new strides.
"This is the first mission that the IA have actually planned
and executed without any influence from coalition forces, so
this is a very key mission for them," Givens said. "They set a
standard for themselves and they are trying to achieve it.
It’s very rewarding to be here and see the IA's put their
training into action."
Setting the standard for his troops, Brigade commander Col.
Monam Hashim Fahad, for 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division,
continues to challenge the IA soldiers by going out in the
field with his men and gathering intelligence information as
well.
"The people who live in the villages support Al Qaeda and help
them attack innocent people," Fahad said. "We've got
intelligence information on these people and so we're
conducting search operations to eradicate any remaining Al
Qaeda members and insurgents from Iraq by capturing or
arresting them."
"This operation will be successful, I am sure of it," said
Kedan. "We feel comfortable enough to reassure the citizens of
Iraq that we will secure a safer Iraq for them by keeping
troops in the areas at all times. We cannot leave these areas
without security after we search them or else the bad people
will return and continue to terrorize Iraq," Kedan concluded.
In the nearby village of Kalaf Hasun, a weapons cache of
ammunition and rocket containers were found as result of the
IA training, a step closer in ending the terror of Iraq's
people.
"We are working with one hand, on one team, with the U.S.
military," said Iraqi army commander Lt. Col. Mohammed Samee
Nagi, 4th Brigade, 3rd Battalion Iraqi Army Division.
"The U.S. has helped us so Iraq will be able to one day stand
on its own two feet," concluded Nagi.
Operation Benevolent Diyala is only a start for the IP, NP and
U.S. Army MiTT, said Sgt. First Class Jon Smith, the MiTT
medical adviser from Petersburg, Va. with the 4-1 Iraqi Army
Division.
"We went out to find bad guys and weapons caches," Smith said.
"The outcome was the 4-1 QRF were able to utilize the training
they received and detain several Al Qaida members and find a
large weapons cache."
Continuing Smith added, "What the IA's are doing is
commendable because they are making history by being the first
QRF in Iraq. Meaning, this unit, this division, is responsible
for responding to anything that would cause harm to any
province in Iraq," Smith concluded.
The challenge first initiated by the Iraqi ministries, was
taken up by the IA and NP and has started with a strong
beginning. The Iraqi forces continue to push themselves and
work with each other to ensure a safer Iraq. |
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