War News

ANO

The "War News" series is comprised of items that the Lame Stream Media cannot make known to the General Public, for the obvious reasons.

Iraqi Soldiers graduate leaders' course
FOB KALSU, Iraq (Jan. 17, 2008) -- Fifty-six Iraqi Soldiers stood alongside 18 Multi-National Division Center Noncommissioned officers at Forward Operating Base Kalsu Jan 15.

The Iraqi Soldiers comprised the first group to begin training at the new Task Force Marne NCO Academy, and the first-ever group of Iraqi Security Forces to attend a leaders' course. [...]

Coalition Forces capture criminal element network facilitator
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Jan 16, 2008) -- Coalition forces captured a suspected criminal network facilitator early Thursday during operations to disrupt criminal element networks in the Baghdad area.

The targeted individual reportedly trained criminals to perform attacks on Coalition and Iraqi forces. He allegedly facilitated the training of numerous criminals in guerilla warfare. The wanted individual was also reported to be an associate of several other senior-level criminal element leaders who were involved in attacks on Coalition forces.

Intelligence led ground forces to the target location where they captured the wanted individual without incident. [...]

Al-Qaeda operations in northern Iraq disrupted; two killed, 17 detained
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Jan. 16, 2008) -- Coalition forces killed two terrorists and detained 17 suspects today during operations targeting al-Qaeda networks in northern Iraq.

In Bi'aj, Coalition forces conducted an operation targeting an al-Qaeda in Iraq leader for the network in the western region of Mosul. Reports indicate the wanted individual is a direct associate of numerous terrorist leaders, to include the al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri. The suspect allegedly has a history of terrorist activity that originated in Baghdad, and is believed to have been recently appointed to a leadership position in the region after the previous terrorist leader was killed. [...]

Kirkuk academy graduates 1,325 police
KIRKUK, Iraq (Jan. 14, 2008) -- A total of 1,325 Iraqi Police recruits graduated Jan. 9 during a ceremony at the Kirkuk Police Academy in northeastern Iraq.

In concert with Iraq's Emergency Services Recognition Day celebration, the IPs conducted a pass-in-review in front of their senior leadership representing Iraq's Police Force, Army, Emergency Services, and other departments within the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense. Kirkuk's city and provincial government officials were also in attendance. [...]

Tip leads MND-North Soldiers to bomb factory
SAMARRA, Iraq (Jan. 15, 2008) -- Multi-National Division -- North Soldiers discovered a car bomb factory, terrorist command cell and large cache in the western desert of Salah ad Din province Jan. 8 as a result of tips from local citizens during Operation Phantom Phoenix, a countrywide effort to kill or capture al-Qaeda and other extremists.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) found an extensive enemy training camp, training manuals, video equipment, four vehicle-borne IEDs, 1,000 pounds of homemade explosives, 30 pressure plate road bombs and multiple mortar rounds. [...]

Defense Dept. announces Marine units for Afghanistan deployment
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 15, 2008) -- The Secretary of Defense has recommended and the President has approved the deployment of additional units to Afghanistan in the spring of 2008.

This extraordinary, one-time deployment involves approximately 3,200 personnel and will enable commanders in Afghanistan to enhance the training of increasingly-capable Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) to build on the military successes of 2007 and to expand the gains of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission.

The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) will deploy approximately 2,200 service members under ISAF command to conduct full-spectrum operations to capitalize on recent ISAF and ANSF successes in providing a safe and secure environment for the Afghan people in which to rebuild their lives. This deployment, of approximately seven months duration, will temporarily fill a standing ISAF request for a maneuver force in southern Afghanistan. [...]

Operation Phantom Phoenix: Pursuit of al-Qaeda continues
TIKRIT, Iraq (Jan. 13, 2008) -- Operation Iron Harvest - a division-level operation in support of Multi-National Corps - Iraq's Operation Phantom Phoenix - continues to pursue al Qaeda across four provinces of northern Iraq.

Within the first week of the operation, Coalition Forces and Iraqi Security Forces have detained 193 suspected extremists, killed 60 suspected extremists and found 79 weapons caches. These caches included over 10,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, over 2,000 heavy machine gun rounds, over 4,000 pounds of home-made explosives, over 300 pounds of TNT, approximately 100 improvised explosive devices in various stages, over 300 blasting caps, over 50 pressure plates, over 2,000 feet of detonation cord and many other items.

Finding these caches continues to reduce extremists' ability to attack CF, ISF and Iraqi civilians. The discovery of 4,000 pounds of homemade explosives takes away the enemy's ability to build eight more massive vehicle bombs of the type that have been destroying Iraqi infrastructure and killing innocent Iraqis. [...]

Large cache, underground bunker system discovered during Operation Phantom Phoenix
TIKRIT, Iraq (Jan. 13, 2007) -- Coalition Forces discovered a complex cache site and underground bunker system inside a dense palm grove Jan. 12 near Esalwid, Iraq, during Operation Raider Harvest, a division-level operation that is part of the countrywide Operation Phantom Phoenix.

Soldiers of Company I, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, found the 70-meter complex, which included a sleeping building, a building for storing food and a building for constructing improvised explosive devices, as well as two underground living bunkers. [...]

Coalition forces target al-Qaeda networks in Baghdad, Mosul; 15 detained
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Jan. 12, 2008) - Coalition forces detained 15 suspected terrorists today and Friday during operations targeting al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq.

In Baghdad today, Coalition forces captured a suspected terrorist reportedly associated with the facilitation of explosive materials, vehicles and suicide bombers for use in terrorist operations throughout the capital city. The individual is believed to be a direct contact of the suspect detained Jan. 10 for his role in the network and his association with foreign terrorist facilitators, and al-Qaeda in Iraq and Ansar al-Sunna leadership (see MNF-I press release A080111b, "Coalition targets al-Qaeda leadership, media networks; two killed, 11 detained," dated Jan. 11, 2008). [...]

MND-North Soldiers kill 4 extremists, destroy HBIED with air strikes
BAQUBA, Iraq (Jan. 11, 2007) -- Multi-National Division - North Soldiers killed four extremists and destroyed a house-borne improvised explosive device near Khan Bani Sa'ad, Iraq, with air strikes Jan. 6.

Soldiers of Troop B, 2nd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, operating at Patrol Base Key West, spotted four men with RPGs and AK-47s operating in and around a nearby building. The Soldiers watched them unroll wire around the building, possibly setting it up to be a HBIED. [...]

No fatalities as two F/A-18s crash in Persian Gulf
PERSIAN GULF (NNS) -- Teams from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) rescued all three aviators after an F/A-18E and an F/A-18F that crashed during operations in the Persian Gulf Jan. 7.

The three aviators are safely back aboard the aircraft carrier, and are reported in good condition following an ejection.

The Super Hornets, from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3, were providing en route close air support from Iraq when they crashed. CVW-3 is currently deployed to the Persian Gulf with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group. [...]

Troops target al-Qaeda in Iraq leadership; six suspects detained
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition forces detained six suspected terrorists Jan. 6, 2008, during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq networks along the Tigris River Valley.

During an operation in Mosul, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to be the deputy al-Qaeda in Iraq leader for the network operating in the city. Reports indicate the suspect is responsible for approving targets for terrorist attacks and previously served as a judge of an illegal court system involved in ordering and approving abductions and executions. [...]

Three power projects completed, turned over In Basrah
BASRAH, Iraq - Army engineers continued their mission of helping the Government of Iraq jump start its electrical infrastructure by completing three essential power projects in the Gulf Region South district.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently turned the three 132kV electrical substations over to Iraqi authorities in the Basrah Province, according to Tom Eidson, head of engineering and construction at GRS.

The Iraqi people currently are enjoying more electricity than at any time in the past, Eidson said. As more and more electrical projects come to completion, he said, the Iraqi people have more electrical power available for greater lengths of time and, thus, enjoy a higher standard of living. [...]

Afghan National Security Forces disrupted two major insurgent rings
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afghan National Security Forces, advised by Coalition forces, disrupted two major insurgent rings by arresting key facilitators responsible for improvised explosive device attacks against civilian and military targets Dec. 24, 2007.

The combined operations, led by Afghan National Police and Afghan Border Police units, were conducted in Kandahar and Paktya Provinces.

The first operation involved tracking and arresting an insurgent in Chamkani District, Paktya Province. The insurgent was suspected to be involved in a number of attacks against ANSF and Coalition forces operating in the area. [...]