| Iraqi citizens pour out to fight al Qaeda. |
| By Multi-National Division – Baghdad Public Affairs Office |
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BAGHDAD, June 29, 2007 — Hundreds of volunteers from area tribes, willing to fight against al Qaeda, turned out for a screening to become Iraqi Police candidates in Baghdad’s Nasir Wa Salam and Abu Ghraib neighborhoods starting June 25.
The three-day recruiting drive by the Ministry of Interior saw more than 600 men participate. During the recruiting drive, potential candidates were screened for identification, health, and fitness. “The first day was a resounding success,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Peter Andrysiak, deputy commander for 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. “The large turn out was not entirely unexpected. We have been working with reconcilable tribal leaders and the government of Iraq to make this happen.” Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment assisted the identification screening process while workers from the Ministry of Interior conducted the heath and fitness screening to determine the candidate’s eligibility for work as Iraqi Security Forces. |
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“The additional police presence in the area will allow us to focus our soldiers more on key insurgent leaders and individual insurgent cells,” Andrysiak said. “This recruitment drive is a success because the tribes in this area want to reconcile their differences with the Coalition and the Iraqi government and participate in the legitimate legal process.” In a few weeks, the Ministry of Interior is expected to select 1,700 candidates from area volunteers to begin training as Iraqi Police. |
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