Tribal leaders meet on the heels of major cache discovery (Ta'mim Province)

KIRKUK, Iraq – Arab tribal leaders conducted a significant meeting in the Ta’mim province, May 27, a day after a large weapons cache was discovered by the Iraq Army.

Tribal leaders from the Daquq district met with district council members, representatives from the Iraqi Security and Coalition forces in the village of Ghaida in the Southern Rashaad Valley.

At the meeting, ISF, local government leaders and CF discussed community issues with the local tribes. The meeting presented the tribes with an opportunity to have their voice heard by members of the district council which is primarily composed of Kurds and Turkmen.

The meeting comes on the heels of a major cache discovery following an IA led operation, which occurred May 26.

The 15th Iraqi Army Brigade, 4th Division conducted a pre-dawn cordon and search mission near the village of Albu Mirawah in the lower Rashaad valley, approximately 70 miles south of Kirkuk. The IA battalion acted on tips from local citizens and from the recent capture and cooperation of a suspected al-Qaeda leader known as the “Amir of Safra.”

The cache was discovered approximately 130 meters from where the suspected leader was detained earlier this month. It was one of five caches uncovered in the area by the IA in the last two weeks. This cache consisted of materials used to construct improvised explosive devices; rocket-propelled grenades; five RPG launchers; 45 RPGs; 24, 82 mm mortar rounds; 250 mortar fuses; 44 pounds of explosives; and 150 handsets.

“The Iraqi Army’s success from this mission is clearly another example of the growing capacity of the Iraqi Security Forces to conduct independent operations and was a result of a lot of hard work from brave Iraqis,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Brown, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division deputy commander. “I am even more encouraged by the fact that these operations help set the conditions for tribal and provincial leaders to come together to help their people, who have been threatened and intimidated by a group of thugs, and terrorists who have been denying them of the peace and prosperity they deserve.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION – NORTH PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE AT: MNDNPAO@1AD.ARMY.MILThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it OR DSN 318-856-0218

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Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20080531-12
May 31, 2008

National Police finds weapons, explosives cache
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Iraqi National Policemen with the 4th Brigade, 1st National Police Division uncovered a weapons cache during an operation in eastern Baghdad, May 29.

The National Police found the cache while patrolling the New Baghdad security district to clear the neighborhood of illegal weapons and bomb-making materials.

Militants are known to use this area to plan and conduct attacks against Iraqi Security Forces.

The cache included 82 rifles, three pistols, three improvised-explosive devises, an explosively formed projectile, seven rocket-propelled grenades and an undisclosed amount of C-4 explosive.

“The National Police are conducting effective operations such as this every day,” said Maj. Joey Sullinger, a spokesperson for 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. “The National Police display great courage in pursuing militants and protecting Iraqi citizens as they continue to enforce the rule of law throughout Baghdad.”

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FOR QUERIES, CONTACT MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION - BAGHDAD PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT: MNDB_PAO_CIC@MND-B.ARMY.MILThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it OR BY PHONE AT: COMMERCIAL (914) 822-8174 OR IRAQNA 011-964-890-192-4674.

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20080531-13
May 31, 2008

MND-B Soldiers discover cache, detain criminals
1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers “Raiders” discovered a cache and detained two criminals in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad May 30-31.

Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division detained a known criminal at 5 a.m. May 30 in West Rashid.

At approximately 6:15 a.m. May 30, Soldiers from Company C, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, attached to the 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div. discovered a weapons cache consisting of 17 120 mm mortar rounds in the Shurta neighborhood.

“Raider Soldiers are outside the wire every day patrolling the streets to provide a safe and secure environment for the Iraqi people,” said Maj. Dave Olson, 1st BCT Spokesman, 4th Inf. Div. “Coalition forces, along with their Iraqi Security Forces counterparts, will continue to bring the criminals to justice so the citizens may live in a peaceful Rashid district.”

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