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TF Danger Soldiers Find Large Cache KIRKUK, Iraq - Task Force Danger Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment led explosive ordnance disposal teams to weapons cache near here May 29. The EOD teams recovered more than 70 artillery and mortar rounds, 23 anti-tank munitions, an antipersonnel mine and three hand grenades. While the EOD team was at the site, an Iraqi child brought one SA-7 surface to air missile to the Soldiers. The cache was taken to a Coalition base for destruction.  Release #040530c ~ May 29 ~ 1st ID Soldiers Destroy Car Bomb TIKRIT, Iraq - 1st...

Multinational Force Iraq Reports on Operations American Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, May 19, 2004 -- Two 1st Infantry Division soldiers died in separate incidents and a Marine assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq's Anbar province died from nonhostile causes May 18, Multinational Force Iraq announced in news releases today. One Soldier was killed by small-arms fire while on patrol near Muqdadiyah around 4:30 p.m. The attacker fired on the patrol from a cemetery, officials said. The second Soldier died after an electrical accident around 6 p.m. at a coalition base near Bayji. Combat lifesavers and medics treated...

Soldiers Keep Promise to Village, Gain Trust ABU ETHA, Iraq - 1st Cavalry Division Soldiers recently set up a soccer field in the tiny village of Abu Etha, fulfilling a promise made by the 82nd Airborne Division.  The village had been a hostile area for the Soldiers up until a month ago when First Team troopers started doing daily patrols in the area. "When we first arrived, the locals were very afraid, very nervous of our presence because this village had seen a lot of turmoil and a lot of raids in the past," said Capt. Ben Ring, company...

New Commands in Iraq to Replace Combined Joint Task Force By John D. BanusiewiczAmerican Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, May 14, 2004 – Two new military commands will stand up in Iraq May 15, replacing the current coalition military organization. Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq will replace Combined Joint Task Force 7. Coalition military spokesman Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, at a Baghdad news conference today, said the change addresses a concern that a combined joint task force headquarters was not sufficient to handle the military workload in Iraq efficiently. "It's certainly more than a formality," he said. "It...

Northern Iraq Regional Training Center Graduates 80 New Iraqi Soldiers MOSUL, Iraq - Two ceremonies were held May 13 to celebrate the graduation of 60 Iraqi Civil Defense Corps soldiers from basic training and 20 ICDC soldiers from the Primary Leader Development Course at the Northern Iraq Regional Training Center in Qarrayah. Basic training is a six-week program designed to transform Iraqi civilians into soldiers through classes taught by the U.S. Army. Instructions cover basic rifle marksmanship, the law of war, human rights, security and checkpoint operations, basic communication, and maneuver skills. The 60 soldiers will move to their...

  Iraqi Police Arrest Seven, One Officer Wounded BABYLON, Iraq - Iraqi police arrested five murder suspects and two attackers during separate incidents April 28. The murder suspects, who were also suspected of armed robbery and organizing illegal checkpoints, were captured by a police patrol in Karbala around 2 p.m. About eight hours later, Iraqi police captured two suspects in Al Hillah who fled after firing small arms at the police. One police officer was wounded during the incident.Release #040429f Seven Iraqi Police, One Civilian Killed During Attacks MOSUL, Iraq - Seven Iraqi Police and one civilian were killed...

  Task Force Danger Soldiers Detain Six, Confiscate Weapon Caches TIKRIT, IRAQ - Soldiers from Task Force Danger detained six suspects and confiscated several large weapon caches during three raids in north central Iraq April 28. In a 9 a.m. raid, Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment detained six suspects near Tikrit. The suspects were discovered loading munitions and scrap metal into a vehicle. The soldiers confiscated 30 120mm mortar rounds and 8 with fuses. The detainees were turned over to the Iraqi Police. In a second raid around 10:20 a.m., Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 150th Armor Regiment...

Coalition Chronicles Recent Operations American Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, April 26, 2004 – A series of Combined Joint Task Force 7 news releases provided details of various recent operations in Iraq. A Task Force Baghdad soldier was killed and three others were wounded as a result of an improvised explosive device attack on their convoy in Baghdad April 25. While attempting to recover a vehicle damaged in the blast, soldiers came under small-arms attack from both sides of the road. In the ensuing firefight, a number of civilians, including children who were attempting to take cover near the damaged vehicle,...

Tips Lead to Capture of High-value Target, Munitions and IED Components CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq -- After getting a tip from a local Iraqi near Karmah early Friday morning, Marines captured an individual who has orchestrated attacks against Coalition forces. Marines were conducting "knock-and-talk" operations, moving through neighborhoods and asking residents if they had seen suspicious activities. Upon knocking on the door of one house, they discovered a family holding a wake for a teenage boy killed by anti-Coalition forces, according to the father. The father pointed out the location of the man suspected of the crime and Marines detained...

Anti-Coalition Forces Shell Abu Ghurayb Prison CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq - At about 1:20 pm. April 20, Anti-Coalition forces fired 18 mortar rounds into the Abu Ghurayb prison, killing 22 detainees and wounding nearly 100 detainees. No Coalition forces were killed or wounded in this attack. Coalition officials expressed their deepest sympathies for the families who lost loved ones in this attack. The I Marine Expeditionary Force is assisting in the transportation and treatment of the wounded. Anti-Coalition forces have fired on the prison compound before, killing and wounding several inmates. These terrorists who repeatedly kill and maim Iraqi citizens...

  81st Brigade Combat Team Arrives Safely To Iraq BALAD, Iraq – 81st Brigade Combat Team (BCT) arrives safely –The convoy into Iraq was a success. The final leg of the 81st BCT’s journey went smoothly, with nothing worse than a few maintenance challenges. Prior to the departure, the brigade conducted extensive convoy operation training at Fort Lewis, the National Training Center, and Camp New York Kuwait. Soldiers in Kuwait underwent live fire exercises that allowed them the opportunity to engage known threat targets from a moving vehicle. Training also emphasized the establishment of a secure zone after responding...

  2 Soldiers Dead; Enemy Employing New Tactic in Iraq By Kathleen T. RhemAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, April 15, 2004 – Two American soldiers died in Iraq April 14, one of them as a result of enemy action, and five others were wounded. Also in Iraq, coalition officials reported a new tactic used by terrorist forces: using aid convoys to smuggle arms. Two attacks with improvised explosive devices near Samarrah left one soldier from Task Force Danger dead and another five wounded, according to a news release from Combined Joint Task Force 7. The first IED attack on...

1st Cavalry Division Takes on Baghdad Responsibility By Jim GaramoneAmerican Forces Press Service BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 15, 2004 – Task Force Baghdad, made up mostly of the 1st Cavalry Division, has assumed responsibility for Baghdad and its environs from the 1st Armored Division. Maj. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey handed over the responsibility to Maj. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli in a "no-fuss, no-muss" manner. "We weren't going to have a ceremony for this," said Army Lt. Col. Jim Hutton, the public affairs officer for Task Force Baghdad. "Our people have more important things to do." News reports indicate that at...

  Marines Raids Target Terrorists Making IEDs CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq - Raids conducted by Marines and soldiers assigned to 1st Marine Division netted several suspects throughout cities in eastern Al Anbar Province April 14. Raids near Habbiniyah by soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team on a series of objectives turned up an improvised explosive device factory. Soldiers discovered parts for making IEDs, weapons and a suspected IED testing area. Soldiers killed 16 enemy combatants and detained another 10. Soldiers with 1st Brigade Combat Team also captured seven enemy suspected of launching IED and mortar attacks near Khalidiyah, just...

  Children Lead 1st Infantry Division Soldiers to Cache TIKRIT, Iraq - Task Force Danger Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment discovered a weapons cache consisting of 18 60mm mortar rounds near Kirkuk April 11 at around 9:45 a.m. The Soldiers found the cache after following up on information from some children playing near a Coalition base. The Soldiers have secured and transported the rounds to a storage facility for destruction.Release #040412h http://www.cjtf7.com/media-information/April2004/040412h.htm   Central Command, Task Force 1st Armored Division Staying the CourseBy Sgt. Merrion Lasonde122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment BAGHDAD, Iraq – U.S. forces will remain...

Negotiations Continue As Marines Take Fire Around Fallujah By Gerry J. GilmoreAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, April 12, 2004 – Coalition Provisional Authority and Iraqi officials are continuing negotiations with insurgents in Fallujah and southern Iraq, CPA officials said in Baghdad today. Fighting across Iraq has caused about 70 U.S. and coalition combat deaths since April 1, Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt told reporters at a Baghdad news conference. The general estimated enemy casualties to be "10 times" over coalition forces' losses during that period. At present, Kimmitt added, "there's no reliable figure" on the number of civilian casualties...

  Coalition Overpowering Pockets of Resistance in Iraq By Donna MilesAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, April 9, 2004 — Coalition forces today unilaterally suspended offensive operations in Fallujah, Iraq, at the request of the Iraqi Governing Council, officials in Baghdad reported. This move, they noted, will allow council members to meet with the city leadership and leaders of anti-coalition forces in an effort to quell the violence. The coalition called the suspension at noon Iraq time so Iraqi government- provided supplies could be delivered to the area and to enable the city's residents to tend to the wounded and...

  United States Department of Defense.News TranscriptOn the web: http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2004/tr20040408-0589.htmlMedia contact: +1 (703) 697-5131 Public contact: http://www.dod.mil/faq/comment.html or +1 (703) 428-0711 Presenter: Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, Commander, Coalition Ground Forces Thursday, April 8, 2004 Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing               GEN. SANCHEZ:  Let me start out with an opening statement, and then I've got only about -- a total of about 30, 40 minutes today.  I've got another meeting to go to fairly quickly, so we'll open it up to your questions.  And I don't think there's much going on out there in the battlespace, right?               Well,...

    COALITION UPDATE BAGHDAD, Iraq - Attacks killed 15 Coalition service members April 6 and 7. The casualties occurred in the following incidents:   Twelve U.S. Marines died battling anti-Coalition forces in Ar Ramadi April 6.   One Ukrainian soldier was killed and five were wounded when their patrol was attacked by small-arms fire in Al Kut at about 11:45 a.m. April 6. The condition of the wounded is unknown.  One 1st Infantry Division soldier was killed and another wounded during a counter-fire mission at Logistics Support Area Anaconda near Balad at about 8:35 p.m. April 6. The...

Task Force Danger Soldiers Locate Cache TIKRIT, Iraq – First Infantry Division soldiers from Task Force 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment discovered a cache north of Samarra on March 31st at about 11:20 a.m. The cache consisted of 220 57mm rockets and one 155mm artillery round. The cache was destroyed at about 1:30 a.m. by an explosive ordnance disposal team. Release #040401ahttp://www.cjtf7.com/media-information/march2004/040401a.htm Task Force Danger Soldiers Apprehend Looters TIKRIT, Iraq – First Infantry Division soldiers from the 9th Engineer Battalion and First Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment detained 147 looters near an ammunition storage facility south of Tikrit on March...

  Task Force, Iraqi Police Detain 10 MOSUL, Iraq - Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) and Iraqi police detained 10 people suspected of anti-Coalition activities during several operations in northern Iraq March 30. In one incident, soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment responded to a rocket attack near Hammam Al Alil, detaining five suspects who were attempting to flee the scene. Elsewhere in Hammam Al Alil, soldiers captured two suspects during a raid and detained one suspect at a traffic control point. Finally, Iraqi police responded to shots fired at a Mosul...

Two Suspected Insurgents Netted in Baghdad Raid American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, March 31, 2004 – Acting on a tip from an Iraqi informer, coalition forces raided a suspected insurgent safe house in Baghdad and captured two men March 30. The raid netted Basim Ali Rahim and Khalid Mahmoud, both suspected of involvement with the March 18 attack on the Berj Al Hyatt hotel in Baghdad, Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy operations director for Combined Joint Task Force 7, told reporters at a news conference in Baghdad today. Mahoud, Kimmitt pointed out, is a former Iraqi soldier and...

A recent spike in attacks against coalition forces in Iraq has left two more coalition soldiers dead, a coalition military spokesman said today at a Baghdad news conference. A coalition soldier was killed and one was wounded today in an improvised explosive device attack on their patrol near Ramadi, said Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, Combined Joint Task Force 7 deputy operations director. The wounded soldier was taken to the 31st Combat Support Hospital, Kimmitt added, but he provided no further details. Another soldier, from the 13th Corps Support Command, Fort Hood, Texas, was killed and one was wounded March...

Iraqi Air Base Renamed in Honor of Revered NCO TAJI, Iraq — The memory of a 1st Armored Division senior noncommissioned officer's service and sacrifice will live on at one of the U.S. Army’s base camps in Iraq. The former Iraqi Air Force base in Taji was officially renamed Camp Cooke March 23 during a dedication ceremony in honor of Command Sgt. Maj. Eric F. Cooke, 1st Brigade Combat Team command sergeant major. Cooke was killed Dec. 24 during a combat patrol in Baghdad when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.Camp Cooke is one of several Coalition forward...

A new Army report reveals that soldiers committed suicides at elevated rates during 2003, with those deployed to Iraq and Kuwait experiencing the greatest increase. But the spike in suicides dipped significantly during the first three months of 2004. But Lt. Gen. James Peake, the Army surgeon general, said "any suicide is something we worry about and want to stop." Recommendations in the report, some already being put into place, include beefing up the Army's suicide prevention program and making behavioral health care more accessible to soldiers in combat and other high-stress environments. The report follows the Army's first mental...

A 1st Infantry Division soldier was killed and two others were wounded today by an improvised explosive device near Baqubah, Iraq, according to a Combined Joint Task Force 7 news release. The soldiers had arrived at the scene after the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps reported an IED. As the soldiers investigated, it exploded, the news release said. The wounded soldiers were reported to be in stable condition at a nearby military hospital. Also in Iraq, the morale of the country's national police remains high, even though they've been the targets of deadly terrorist attacks over the past few months, a...

  United States Department of Defense.News TranscriptOn the web: http://www.dod.mil/transcripts/2004/tr20040322-1302.htmlMedia contact: +1 (703) 697-5131 Public contact: http://www.dod.mil/faq/comment.html or +1 (703) 428-0711 Presenter: Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, Deputy Director for Coalition Operations and Dan Senor, Senior Adviser, CPA Monday, March 22, 2004 9:20 a.m. EST     Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing              MR. SENOR:  Good afternoon.  I just have a short statement and General Kimmitt has an opening statement, and then we'll be happy to take your questions.               In response to allegations of the former regime's misconduct in the administration of the oil-for-food program, Ambassador Bremer has issued...

Violence continues in Iraq, and coalition forces continue their efforts to kill or capture enemies of the coalition and the Iraqi people. At a press briefing today in Baghdad, Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy operations director for Combined Joint Task Force 7, provided details of various recent incidents and operations. In the 24 hours leading up to the briefing, Kimmitt said, the coalition conducted 1,336 patrols, 20 offensive operations and 16 raids, and captured 69 anti-coalition suspects. In the northern zone of operations, coalition and Iraqi security forces conducted 75 patrols, three offensive operations, and detained nine anti- coalition...

Coalition officials said today that the March 17 bombing of Baghdad's Mount Lebanon Hotel killed only seven people, not 27 as previously believed. Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy operations director for Combined Joint Task Force 7, briefed reporters on the bombing at a Baghdad news conference. Kimmitt said a suicide bomber triggered the device inside a vehicle and died in the explosion. "The bomb was estimated to consist of approximately 1,000 pounds of explosives and artillery shells," he said. The bomb caused structural damage to the hotel and a number of nearby buildings. Kimmitt said that Iraqi Police service...

Iraq: One Year After The Beginning of The WarA special PresentationIt has been almost one year since "Operation Iraq Freedom" commenced, and, for many Iraqis it has brought a lifetime of change: 25 million Iraqis are free, Saddam Hussein is in custody, his two sons are dead, and the country has a new transitional administrative law. President Bush said the adoption of that law marks "a historic milestone in the Iraqi people's long journey from tyranny and violence to liberty and peace." The seeds of democracy have been planted and the foundation for democratic elections has been established. The goal...

An explosion at a Baghdad hotel today killed at least 27 people and wounded at least 40, according to news reports citing U.S. military officials at the scene. White House spokesman Scott McClellan called the bombing "a terrible terrorist attack on innocent civilians," and said it would not deter progress toward a free Iraq. "This remains a time of testing in Iraq," he said. "The stakes are high. The terrorists know the stakes are high, but they will not prevail. "We will meet this test with strength and with resolve," he continued. "Democracy is taking root in Iraq, and there...

  1/14th Cavalry Puts Eyes in The Sky MOSUL, Iraq - A cavalryman completes the five-count sequence and issues the command "launch, launch, launch." The tactical unmanned aerial vehicle is suddenly airborne moving at 70 knots. The crewmembers exchange grins, knowing the mission has started off on the right. They also know that when it ends, the information gathered on this mission might save lives. The UAV, otherwise known as a Shadow, is operated by Fort Lewis-based Troop D, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team). UAVs continuously provide real-time imagery for...

Translator Killed, Family Members Injured in Mosul Attack American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, March 16, 2004 -- A translator for coalition forces in northern Iraq was killed and two family members were injured today in an attack in Mosul, Iraq. The translator and the family members were in their vehicle when it was struck by small-arms fire. They were taken to an Iraqi hospital in Mosul. Iraqi police are investigating this attack. "These deliberate attacks show a total disregard for innocent human life," said Brig. Gen. Carter F. Ham, the Task Force Olympia commander in Mosul. "Killing and injuring...

  Task Force 1 AD Finance Soldiers Train Iraqi Counterparts BAGHDAD, Iraq - Soldiers from 1st Armored Division's 8th Finance Battalion and the 1st Cavalry Division's 15th Finance Battalion conducted a three-day course to give Iraqi Civil Defense Corps members a lesson in "paying for freedom." The U.S. finance battalions trained dispersing agents, paymasters and fund certifiers. "We're training the ICDC on internal pay operations," said Lt. Col. Stan Brown, the 8th Finance Battalion commander. The ICDC is one facet of Iraq's defense services. It was built from scratch after the fall of the former regime to act as...

Soldier, Iraqi Team Gets 'Beans, Bullets' to the Troops BAGHDAD, Iraq -- American soldiers here of the 501st Forward Support Battalion and Iraqi civilians are working side by side completing missions that influence the readiness of every unit within the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. The 501st FSB's Supply Support Activity is responsible for receiving, processing, issuing and storing parts for the brigade's fleet of vehicles and providing food and water to the BCT's Soldiers. The SSA's wartime mission differs vastly from its garrison mission because it has the monumental and critical task of providing the "beans...

Brigade Becomes First to Receive Indianhead Combat PatchSsince Korean War MOSUL, Iraq - All across northern Iraq, Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) stepped forward to be recognized for their service to Operation Iraqi Freedom in ceremonies held over the past two weeks. The men and women of the Arrowhead Brigade received their combat patches, and infantrymen and medics in the unit were awarded with Combat Infantrymen Badges and Combat Medic Badges. Everyone who served in the brigade or attached to the brigade since they entered Iraq is eligible for the patch, according Maj....

  Coalition Forces Detain Suspects, Collect Weapons MOSUL, Iraq -- Task Force Olympia soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division and Iraqi police detained a combined total of five personnel suspected of anticoalition activities and conducted ongoing weapons collection operations in northern Iraq Friday and Saturday. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment conducted cordon-and-search operations Friday in Mosul and detained four individuals suspected of anticoalition activities, including one suspected of conducting attacks against coalition forces. Concerned citizens of Iraq turned in 60 81 mm mortar rounds, 32 90 mm recoilless rifle rounds, five missiles of unknown type, 25...

Class Work Complete, ICDC NCOs Ready to Lead BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi Civil Defense Corps officially welcomed its NCO "backbone" during graduation ceremonies for the first Primary Leadership Development Course Thursday. The NCOs completed the first class of the Primary Leadership Development Course conducted in Iraq by the United States Army. The ceremony was held at the Camp Muleskinner, which is home to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment's Support Squadron. The regiment is part of Task Force 1st Armored Division. One hundred sixteen ICDC soldiers participated in the historic ceremony. The program followed the U.S. Army's traditional ceremonial...

  CPA Announces Measures to Tighten Border Security in Iraq By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USAAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, March 13, 2004 -- The Coalition Provisional Authority announced a new policy today to tighten border security in Iraq, an effort officials say will help stem the flow of terrorists and foreign fighters entering the country. During a briefing from Baghdad, senior coalition spokesman Dan Senor told reporters the new policy calls for "increased personnel, new technology and tighter procedures," beginning at the Iranian border. He said the new policy is the first stage in a multi-stage effort...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 March 13, 2004Release Number: 04-03-34 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4ID AND TF IRONHORSE CAPTURE SUSPECTS, WEAPONS TIKRIT, Iraq - 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse conducted 143 patrols and eight raids and captured 11 individuals Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Fifty-one of the patrols were joint operations conducted with the Iraqi police, Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and the Department of Border Enforcement. Weapons and equipment confiscated in raids and patrols throughout the Task Force Ironhorse area of operations include 15 AK-47...

  Facts Still Unclear in Civilian Employees' Deaths in Iraq By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USAAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, March 12, 2004 -- Clear facts have yet to emerge as the FBI and Iraqi police continue investigating the March 9 murder of three Coalitional Provisional Authority workers, two of whom were Americans who worked for the Defense Department, officials reported today in Baghdad. Despite media reports that the workers and an Iraqi translator were killed by Iraqis posing as police checkpoint guards, Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy operations director for Combined Joint Task Force 7, told...

Al Fayha School Celebrates Completed Renovations MOSUL, Iraq - The children enrolled at the Al Fayha School in eastern Mosul smiled, danced and clapped as they celebrated the completion of their school's much needed renovation with visitors from Task Force Olympia who played a role in organizing the renovations. Yazi Sulaiman, Al Fayha's headmaster, said the students are very pleased with their new surroundings and that even though there have been many new people from the Coalition forces around, they have worked hard and done well on their latest exams. Having coalition Soldiers in the school "has taught my...

Iraqi Armed Forces Celebrate Opening of New Training Facility MOSUL, Iraq - An Iraqi flag waves freely in the breeze over the battalion of Iraqi Armed Forces standing at attention. With crisp precision, the battalion renders the proper salute as the Iraqi national anthem plays. A ribbon is cut symbolizing the opening of Tall Afar Castle, where soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, Iraqi Armed Forces will live, train and provide security in the northwestern region of the country. The ceremony Monday marked the official opening of Tall Afar Castle. "It is important to protect our nation and our country,"...

    Sanchez Says Security Improving, But More Work Needed By Rudi Williams - American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, March 11, 2004 -- As Iraq's security force continues to grow, so will its responsibilities, and that's the basis for local control, Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, Combined Joint Task Force 7 commander, told reporters today during a Baghdad press briefing. Under the local-control initiative, coalition forces are increasing the Iraqi security forces' responsibilities as their capacities increase over time, Sanchez said. "This is a conditions-based transition," he noted. "There is no timetable for local control. But we're trying...

  Maj. Gen Charles Swannack, Jr.Special Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing 10 March, 2004 Presenter:  Maj. Gen Charles H. Swannack, Jr., Commander, 82nd Airborne Division STAFF: Good afternoon. Welcome to this evening's, or this afternoon's, press briefing, where Major General Swannack will update you on operations within the 82nd Airborne Division's zone of operation. He will make a longer statement and then take your questions. This is a live broadcast to the Pentagon press and they will be given an opportunity to ask questions every third question. If you have a cell phone -- like this one -- and it's...

354th Civil Affairs Brigade Wraps Up its Baghdad Mission BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The 354th Civil Affairs Brigade officially concluded its role in rebuilding Iraq during transfer-of-authority ceremonies Feb. 28. The 354th, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based in Riverdale, Md., provided civil affairs command and control in the Baghdad area of operations for the 3rd Infantry Division and the 1st Armored Division. The brigade is comprised of the 490th Civil Affairs Battalion, 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion and the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion. The brigade worked with the divisions' maneuver brigades, the Government Support Team, the Coalition Provisional Authority, international...

  Mosul Police Station Rebuilt, Opened 32 Days After Bombing MOSUL, Iraq - Security concerns remained high as local Iraqi police officers and Coalition officials attended a ribbon cutting ceremony March 3 at the Althaqafa Police Station, celebrating its reconstruction after a suicide bombing nearly five weeks ago. The Jan. 31 explosion occurred when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated outside the station. The blast killed 10 Iraqi police officers, some of whom were waiting in line to receive their paychecks. Following the attack on the police station, the 503rd Military Police Battalion took responsibility to complete the statement...

Coalition officials in Iraq today struck down rumors surrounding the capture of would-be, failed bombers connected to the March 2 attacks that killed scores and injured hundreds of Shiia pilgrims in Baghdad and Karbala. Senior coalition spokesman Dan Senor and Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy operations director for Combined Joint Task Force 7, addressed the rumors at a Baghdad news conference. Kimmitt said the night before the explosions, a car approached a checkpoint in Basra, and several people jumped out and ran away. It was treated as a car bomb and soldiers conducted two controlled explosions to neutralize it,...

Iraqi police nabbed two persons Feb. 29 who were apparently preparing to launch a rocket-propelled-grenade attack on a local council meeting in Bajar, northern Iraq. The suspects, according to a Combined Joint Task Force 7 press release, were arrested and then turned over to coalition forces along with one RPG launcher and three RPG rounds. Also Feb. 29, U.S. 14th Cavalry Regiment soldiers detained three persons suspected of anti-coalition activities during an operation in Rabiyah in northern Iraq, and American 23rd Infantry Regiment troops in Mosul seized two persons suspected of stealing and selling weapons in northern Iraq. Meanwhile, in...

  4th ID and Task Force Ironhorse Operations TIKRIT, Iraq - 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse soldiers conducted 172 patrols and two raids and captured 28 individuals Friday and Saturday. Twenty-nine of the patrols were joint operations conducted with the Iraqi police, the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and the Border Guard. Weapons and equipment confiscated in raids and patrols throughout the Task Force Ironhorse area of operation include six AK-47 assault rifles, three SKS automatic rifles, seven rocket-propelled-grenade launchers, 35 mortar rounds, 23 sticks of dynamite, 201 tank rounds, 1,201 artillery rounds, 90 rockets of various sizes,...