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The Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations told a University of South Dakota audience Wednesday Oct. 22 that he came to tell the story that most Americans don’t hear about his homeland. “I believe the American people have the right to hear what is going on in Iraq from an Iraqi perspective. You don’t hear it much,” Ambassador T. Hamid Al-Bayati told a packed room of about 200 in the Al Neuharth Media Center. Al-Bayati spent time as a prisoner of deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime. Saddam hired two people to kill Al-Bayati, who led Iraqi opposition in London...

3/14/2008 - BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- For Airmen stationed at Balad Air Base and Soldiers at the co-located Logistics Support Area Anaconda, staying hydrated is crucial in the desert heat of Iraq. In order to keep hydrated, servicemembers here need to have the confidence the water available to them is safe, so the water undergoes extensive testing by multiple sources to ensure its safety. "Not only is the water safe for personal use, but we even ensure that the bottled water and ice meet the same standard," said Master Sgt. Anthony Dudley, the Logistics Support Area Anaconda Mayor's...

BAGHDAD – Coalition forces killed five terrorists, detained 26 suspects and found several weapons caches Saturday and today during operations to disrupt al-Qaeda networks operating in central and northern Iraq. Coalition forces conducted an operation northwest of Samarra today, targeting an alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq leader involved in propaganda operations for the network in al-Anbar province. The suspect is believed to be associated with several AQI leaders, including foreign terrorists operating outside of Iraq. As Coalition forces arrived in the area, they received enemy fire from four individuals they observed departing the target building and moving into a nearby field....

HADITHA, Iraq – A two-year-old Iraqi girl returned to Haditha March 7 after undergoing open-heart surgery at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University. Ala Thabit Fattah, the girl’s father, and several family members traveled with Marines to Baghdad International Airport to meet Amenah, who departed Iraq Jan. 22 with his wife. “I am very happy. I was very worried that my daughter would not come home alive,” Fattah said. “I am very grateful for the great treatment the American people gave to my family.” The family then flew to Al Asad Airbase in Al Anbar Province, where...

FOB KALSU — Based on a tip, Coalition forces found a weapons cache containing (20) 100 mm guided Cobra missiles near Babbahhani, March 4. Soldiers with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, currently attached to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, made the discovery. “We have to continue to take steps to create a better environment for the Iraqi people and Coalition forces,” said Sgt. 1st Class Xavier Perdue, from Philadelphia, 2nd Platoon sergeant. The old and unserviceable missiles were disposed of by an explosive ordnance disposal team via controlled detonation.

WASHINGTON — Ten terrorists were killed and 16 captured in operations across Iraq Friday, military officials reported. Northeast of Samarra, Coalition forces targeted an alleged al Qaeda in Iraq leader for the Kanan village. In the raid, forces killed eight terrorists, including the wanted individual. Seven suspects were detained. Also in Samarra, forces captured three suspected terrorists. One of the suspects allegedly is a leader for the al Qaeda in Iraq network in Samarra. Another is believed to be a direct associate of al Qaeda in Iraq senior leadership. North of Tarmiyah, forces captured an alleged associate of the al...

FOB HAMMER — Coalition leaders from the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) met with leaders of the Iraqi security forces (ISF) in the Mada’in Qada, March 5, at Forward Operating Base Hammer. Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., commander of the 3rd HBCT, hosted the meeting to discuss security in the qada, the brigade’s area of operation, and to welcome Maj. Gen. Kassim, commander of the 9th Iraqi Army (IA) Division. “From this day on, you are part of this family,” said Grigsby, from Prince George’s County, Md. “We are all working together to support the mayor and the good...

Voters from Southeast Rashid raise their hands in favor of a candidate during elections at Joint Security Station Doura in southern Baghdad, March 5. The elections were the first of their kind, providing the people with seven representatives to the Government of Iraq. Photo by Pfc. Nathaniel Smith, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. BAGHDAD — In the United States, “Decision ‘08” is getting into full swing with political parties holding primaries and caucuses in states around the Nation. In southern Baghdad, the story is no different as the people of East Rashid held elections this week to determine...

Coalition Troops Free Captive Iraqis, Detain Suspected Terrorists American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, May 21, 2007 – Coalition forces freed five captive Iraqis and detained six suspected terrorists during operations throughout Iraq today. Coalition forces freed five Iraqis who had been held captive and tortured by terrorists, targeting the building where the captives were held northeast of Karmah during continued operations to disrupt the al Qaeda network operating in the area. After a thorough search of the building, ground forces found a padlocked room. Inside were a boy who had been kidnapped and severely beaten with chains, cables and hoses,...

The United States is maintaining the pressure on Iran for its support of both Shia militias and Sunni insurgents. Yet again, Multinational Forces Iraq has detailed the Iranian involvement in supplying weapons and support for the Shia militias. In today's press brief, Major General William Caldwell also stated some aid from Iranian intelligence services was being given to Sunni insurgents. The United States has also rejected the Iranian demand that five Iranian Qods Force officers captured in Irbil last January be released. Iran has been pressing for their release, particularly since the release last week of 15 British sailors and...

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2007 – Coalition and Iraqi forces continued to engage suspected terrorists in multiple operations throughout Iraq using ground forces and aircraft over the past several days, military officials reported. Coalition forces captured five suspected terrorists, including the suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq security emir of the Arab Jabour area, during an operation this morning in Baghdad, military officials said. Intelligence reports indicate that the security emir is suspected of involvement in planning attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces in the Arab Jabour area. Officials said forces found several small arms at the targeted area, and these weapons...

TERRORISTS would not win if coalition forces withdrew from Iraq now, the country's oil minister said today. But Dr Hussain al-Shahristani, who is visiting Australia, said while the Iraqi people were committed to winning the battle, they needed help. "They do need time to build their own forces. "More and more Iraqi people are joining the government forces now and expelling and fighting the terrorists from their regions. "Until we overcome this insurgency, we don't think it's wise for the international community to withdraw its support." Dr al-Shahristani said Iraqi troops should be ready to take over the country's security...

KABUL, Afghanistan — An insurgent attack on a British base killed two soldiers and an Afghan interpreter, military officials said Sunday, while at least 20 militants died during clashes and coalition airstrikes. The deaths come amid a massive anti-Taliban campaign in southern Afghanistan involving more than 10,000 Afghan and coalition soldiers. It is the largest military offensive since the former regime's ouster in late 2001. ... There has been a spike of violence in recent weeks as the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force prepares to take over security in southern Afghanistan from the U.S-led coalition. On Sunday, coalition airstrikes killed...

COALITION and Afghan troops killed about 45 Taliban insurgents in strikes in southern Afghanistan overnight, as two soldiers were killed in combat operations in the east, the US-led force said. About 40 insurgents were killed in an attack on a "known enemy camp" in Uruzgan province, while another five were killed in a separate operation in the same province, the coalition said. The two coalition soldiers were killed while on patrol in the eastern province of Kunar, it said, without releasing their nationalities. The larger coalition attack was in the west of Uruzgan where "coalition forces engaged the enemy in...

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Coalition Forces handing out toys BAQUBAH, Iraq – Soldiers from Task Force 1-10 handed out donated toys and stuffed animals August 31 to the children that live around the mayor’s office here. The soldiers and the children enjoyed the interaction with one another and the children left with smiles on their faces. Iraqi police basic marksmanship training FORWARD OPERATING BASE Normandy, Iraq – A group of 20 Iraqi police officers gathered to further hone their skills during an intense marksmanship class August 31. Coalition Forces stood by as seven Iraqi instructors trained the police with intense one on one personalized...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2005 – Afghan and coalition forces stopped several terrorist attacks on Aug. 5 and 6 when they destroyed three improvised explosive devices in southern and eastern Afghanistan, U.S. military officials said today. The first IED was found near Mehtar Lam, in Laghman province, and transferred to a nearby company of Marines. The Marines rendered the device safe before transporting it to a U.S. military base, where it will be destroyed, officials said. The second IED was discovered in southern Afghanistan. Afghan police forces disabled the device, made from an anti-tank mine, before turning it over to U.S....

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2005 – Iraqi and coalition forces successfully defeated a coordinated terrorist attack Aug. 5 at an Iraqi army post south of Baghdad, officials said. Six of the terrorists were killed. Twelve were captured. The terrorists launched the attack with mortar rounds and small-arms fire at 7:55 p.m. Iraqi soldiers returned fire while Task Force Baghdad attack helicopters rushed to the site and engaged the terrorists with rockets and gunfire, officials said. Almost simultaneously, a suicide bomber drove a truck into a nearby Iraqi army checkpoint. One Iraqi soldier was killed in the explosion. Another was wounded. The...

Indigenous forces learning military, reconstruction, humanitarian skillsMulti-National Force–Iraq, representing U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, issued a fact sheet July 4 that details progress made by the coalition and by units of the Iraqi military forces in recent weeks.Following is the text of the fact sheet:BAGHDAD, Iraq: Daily accomplishments, both large and small -– in governance, security and reconstruction –- marked progress toward Iraqi self-reliance as the country marked a year of sovereignty June 28. What follows is a partial list of these successes.• On June 1, in the first move of its kind, Coalition forces officially transferred full responsibility...

IRANA (Reuters) - Albania will increase the number of its soldiers in Iraq to 120 from the current 70, a government spokesman said on Friday. The decision takes effect in April, when soldiers currently serving a six-month stint under U.S. command return home. Albania has been a staunch supporter of the United States since Washington led a NATO bombing campaign against Serb troops accused of killing and expelling ethnic Albanian civilians in Kosovo. Albanian public opinion supports its contribution to the U.S.-led force in Iraq, where two Albanian-born U.S. Marines have been killed. (File photo) Two Albanians in traditional...