WASHINGTON (Army News Service, May 31, 2007) - 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.
(Fred W. Baker III writes for the American Forces Press Service.)
Source and Credits:
http://www.army.mil/-news/2007/05/30/3397-armys-newest-modular-combat-team-makes-mark-in-iraq/
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