Palmetto Pundit: Centcom News Roundup #3

Reports From The Front Lines You May Not Have Read In The Headlines:

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq – Approximately 1,000 Iraqi Army Soldiers and 2,500 Marines, Sailors and Soldiers continue Operation Steel Curtain in Husaybah, near the Iraq-Syria border.The force is moving through the city to restore security along the border and destroy the al Qaeda in Iraq's terrorist network operating throughout the region. Husaybah is one of the main centers for transiting foreign fighters, equipment and money into Iraq.The Iraqi and U.S. forces have encountered sporadic resistance – mostly small arms fire and improvised explosive devices - from al Qaeda in Iraq-led terrorists throughout the city. Members of the Iraqi scout platoons, specially recruited soldiers from the al Qaim region, are embedded with U.S. and Iraqi infantry companies and are helping to identify terrorist strong points and areas known to contain these homemade bombs...More

U.S. AND IRAQI FORCES LAUNCH OPERATION STEEL CURTAIN

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq – Approximately 2,500 Marines, Sailors and Soldiers with Regimental Combat Team-2 and 1,000 Iraqi Army Soldiers began Operation Al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) in western Al Anbar Nov. 5. The objectives of Operation Steel Curtain are to restore security along the Iraqi-Syrian border and destroy the al Qaeda in Iraq's terror network operating throughout Husaybah. The operation follows on the heels of Operations Iron Fist and River Gate. During Operation Steel Curtain, elements of the 1st Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division and specially trained scout platoons recruited from the Al Qaim region will take part in this operation. Since early summer, the combat capabilities of the Iraqi forces have grown in Al Anbar province. Iraqi security forces now include almost two full infantry divisions of Iraqi Army Soldiers. During the past six months, two division headquarters have formed in the province, four brigade headquarters and ten infantry battalions have deployed to the Al Anbar to join the fight against al Qaeda in Iraq led insurgency. Operation Steel Curtain marks the first large-scale employment of multiple battalion-sized units of Iraqi Army forces in combined operations with Coalition Forces in the last year in al Anbar Province...More

U.S. FORCES FIND, DESTROY SEVERAL LARGE WEAPONS CACHES

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Task Force Baghdad Soldiers found several weapons caches during combat operations Nov. 3-4 in and around Baghdad.The stockpiles of weapons and munitions now taken out of terrorists’ hands include rockets, homemade bombs, mortars, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, grenades and ammunition.Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division discovered the largest cache west of Baghdad shortly before noon on Nov. 3.The cache included 2,000 7.62-mm rounds, 15 RPG rounds, three 57-mm rockets (and a launcher), eight 80-mm rounds, two mortar base plates, a mortar sighting device and an 18-inch homemade bomb.Soldiers also discovered a second cache, which consisted of 33 81-mm rounds, 26 RPG rounds, 17 60-mm rounds, eight 57-mm rounds, three mortar base plates, two fragmentation grenades, two 120-mm rounds and about 300 7.62-mm rounds.An explosives ordnance disposal team destroyed both caches through controlled detonation procedures...More

TERRORISTS KILLED IN HUSAYBAH AIR STRIKE IDENTIFIED

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces identified five al-Qaida leaders killed by an air strike in Husaybah Oct. 29.Coalition Forces conducted a series of raids on suspected terrorist and foreign fighter safe houses to capture or kill terrorists operating in the town of Husaybah. During the raids, Coalition forces destroyed three safe houses with air strikes using precision guided munitions. One of the safe houses destroyed was the location of an apparent meeting between al Qaida in Iraq (AQIZ) terrorist leaders from the Husaybah and Al Qaim areas. Coalition Forces now confirm the deaths of five key al Qaida in Iraq (AQIZ) terrorist leaders who were killed in that meeting. They are:

§ Abu Asil, a North African terrorist, was the senior AQIZ foreign fighter facilitator in the Al Qaim region and an associate of Zarqawi. His influence stretched across Al Anbar province and he was relied upon to provide foreign fighters and suicide bombers to AQIZ terrorist cells in the region. Asil had contacts throughout the Middle East who were involved in the recruiting, transportation, training and smuggling of foreign fighters and suicide bombers into Iraq.

§ Abu Raghad, a senior AQIZ foreign fighter terrorist cell leader who operated in the Husaybah area. He was responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing attacks against coalition forces. Those attacks include the emplacement of IEDs and mines and the facilitation, production and use of VBIEDs.

§ Abu Talha, an AQIZ terrorist cell leader in the Ubaydi area. Talha directed, planned, coordinated and executed terrorist attacks in and around Ubaydi. Specifically, Talha’s cell was responsible for the production, and emplacement, and implementation of IED and VBIED attacks in the area.

§ Abu Usama and Abu Salman, AQIZ terrorist cell leaders in the Husaybah area who were active in carrying out local terrorist attacks. Besides planning and conducting terrorist attacks, they procured weapons such as rockets, anti-aircraft missiles and mines for use against coalition forces. The weapons then would be distributed to their terrorist cells to be used in attacks against Iraqi Security and Coalition forces.

CACHE SEIZED, TERRORISTS KILLED NEAR RAMADI

RAMADI, Iraq – Iraqi Army troops and Coalition engage terrorists and seized a cache during firefight Nov. 2 northeast of Ramadi.Troops from the 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division and Coalition forces engaged a group of 15 terrorists armed with AK-47s and RPG launchers when their patrol was attacked. Troops killed several terrorists during the engagement.A vehicle loaded with a cache of ordnance was discovered in the vicinity of the initial attack. An inventory produced one machine gun, two automatic rifles, two RPG launchers, over 1,200 rounds of various small arms ammunition, 10 propellant sticks, two license plates, three Iraqi Army uniforms and some documents.The contraband was turned over to authorities for further processing.No injuries to Iraqi or Coalition troops were reported.

TWO TERRORISTS SELF-DESTRUCT WHILE BUILDING CAR BOMB

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Task Force Baghdad dispatched elements to the scene where two terrorists attempting to build a car bomb were killed when the device prematurely detonated in central Baghdad Nov. 2. Elements dispatched included an explosives ordnance disposal team and a patrol from 6th Squadron, 8th Calvary Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team...More

Much More:

ELEVEN DETAINED IN MOSUL CORDON AND SEARCH

ANA, COALITION SOLDIERS FIND CACHES IN EASTER AFGHANISTAN

HUSAYBAH TERRORISTS HIT

BAGHDAD RAID NETS AL QAEDA SUSPECTS

IRAQI, U.S. DRAGNET SCOOPS UP 12 TERRORISTS AFTER ATTACK

U.S. SOLDIERS LOCATE SOURCE OF DEADLY ROCKET ATTACK

TERRORISTS CAUGHT AFTER FIRING AT U.S. SOLDIERS

SECURITY FORCES TAKE MORE WEAPONS AND TERRORISTS OFF THE STREETS IN NORTHERN IRA

TASK FORCE BAGHDAD PATROLS STOP BOMB ATTACKS

U.S. SOLDIERS CLEAR JUNKYARD OF BOMB-MAKING AMMO

AL QAEDA FOREIGN FIGHTER FACILITATOR KILLED