Great News From Iraq - January 2, 2008

Explosives found, hostage rescued during joint Saydiyah operation, BAGHDAD

Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers destroyed an abandoned house, and rescued a kidnapping victim during clearing operations in West Rashid. Iraqi Army and US Soldiers Task Force Dragon found homemade and plastic explosives during the joint operation aimed at quelling unrest in the Saydiyah area. IA Soldiers entered a house in search of a crane operator who had been kidnapped days before. The man was taken to a Coalition Forces' facility for medical screening. Soldiers also found a cache of eight 120mm rockets, a 107mm rocket, a 105mm projectile, roughly eight pounds of homemade explosives, four canisters of an unknown liquid and a car battery with wires.

Coalition capture 3 extremists, BAGHDAD

Multi-National Division - Baghdad troops arrested three suspected extremists after receiving a tip from a local citizen on their whereabouts in the Doura neighborhood in southeastern Baghdad. Soldiers attached to Task Force Dragon, arrested the three suspects after informants identified them as having transported al-Qaeda snipers in and out of Doura, and allegedly being part of an improvised explosive device cell.

ISF, CF host meeting with sheiks to reaffirm security, express vision for future, FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq

Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division Center Soldiers will host the North Babil Tribal Council meeting at Forward Operating Base Kalsu Jan. 3. More than 60 Sunni and Shia sheiks are expected to attend the ceremony, which will focus on reaffirming security in North Babil, empowering the tribes and tribal leaders against al-Qaeda, and advising tribal leaders on how to increase their focus on capacity building. The NBTC is designed to promote unity of mutual understanding between influential sheiks, ISF, Iraqi Police and CF in the North Babil area. The meeting will also provide an opportunity for tribal and community leaders to come together to express their vision for the future, decide on a plan and forge ahead to build a secure, prosperous region for all of North Babil citizens.

2 caches found near COP Murray FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq

In two separate finds, Concerned Local Citizens turned over extremist weapons caches to Multi-National Division - Center Soldiers near Combat Outpost Murray. The first cache consisted of eight protective masks, one 100 mm high explosive round, three six-volt motorcycle batteries, two AK-47 rifles and one propane canister. CLCs directed Coalition Soldiers to the second cache. It consisted of three 57 mm anti-aircraft rounds, four propellant charges, one compressed gas cylinder and one initiation device for a pressure-plate-detonated improvised explosive device.

CLCs find majority of caches, extremists in Arab Jabour, FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq

Since Dec. 24, the Concerned Local Citizens group in the Arab Jabour area has played a significant role in diminishing al-Qaeda in Iraq's ability to attack Coalition Soldiers, Iraqi Security Forces and local residents. The CLC has assisted Soldiers by turning in weapons caches and improvised explosive devices. Eleven IEDs were taken to 1-30th Inf. Reg., 2nd BCT Soldiers at an observation post. Three of the IEDs were rigged with pressure-plate detonation systems. Other Soldiers were given a cache of seven 57 mm projectiles, two 60 mm mortars and four pressure plates by the CLCs.

15 more IEDs were turned over to Soldiers on Dec. 25. The IEDs were made from unknown bulk explosive, projectiles and landmines. Soldiers were given a cache of three 57 mm projectiles, seven soda cans filled with unknown bulk explosive, one 122 mm projectile, a one-pound bag of UBE, four pressure strips and one spool of wire.

Two weapons caches were discovered by CLCs on Dec. 27. The caches consisted of two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, one 122 mm projectile and other IED-making materials. Two suspected extremists were also detained during the week. One man admitted to Coalition Forces he was an IED emplacer. On Dec. 30 a local Iraqi was identified as a member of al-Qaeda by CLCs. The CLCs have been a driving force in the success of operations in Arab Jabour.

Renovated elementary school reopens in Baquba

U.S. and an Iraqi Soldiers provide security at the reopening of the Al Terbia Elementary School Dec. 31 in Baquba, Iraq. The school, which was damaged during the summer's fighting, received major renovations, including fixing the septic system, windows, exterior and plumping. The school also received new desks and a playground.

Multi-National Corps - Iraq
January 2, 2008