Operation Eagle North Point a success

Photo By Pfc. Christopher McKenna | Iraqi army soldiers with 2/25/17th IA Division, prepare to load onto UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters upon completion of Operation Eagle North Point, a combined air assault in Abu Osage, Oct. 8, 2008.  

MAHMUDIYAH, IRAQ

10.08.2008

Story by Pfc. Christopher McKenna 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs

By Pfc. Christopher McKenna
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq – Iraqi army and Rakkasan soldiers carried out Operation Eagle North Point, a combined air assault in the Abu Osage Village of the Sa'id Abdullah Corridor, Oct. 8, 2008.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 25th Brigade, 17th IA Division were joined by Battery A, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) for the operation.

"Combined missions have been eliminating the [criminal] threat," said 1st Lt. Arad Nurre Jabor Hlu Al Magdy, 25/17th IA. "We feel very comfortable working side by side with the coalition."

"We planned out the location," said 1st Lt. James Flaherty, 2nd Platoon leader, Btry. A, 3-320th FA Regt., from Tampa, Fla. "The IA appropriately planned their role in leading us to the location. They had the right personnel and the right equipment to make the mission successful."

During the course of the air assault, three suspected criminals were detained.

"The objective was to find and detain suspected criminals throughout the area," said Sgt. Christopher Armstrong, from Birmingham, Ala., 4th Platoon team leader, Btry. A, 3-320th FA Regt. "We had intelligence that there were [criminal] leaders and facilitators throughout the objective."

The intelligence proved to be accurate. When the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters flew inbound to insert IA and coalition soldiers at the objectives, two individuals fled the target houses forcing a foot chase for nearly 750 meters.

"This was a big hit on criminal activity," Lt. Al Magdy said.

While only one of the individuals who initially fled on foot was detained, Armstrong said he still felt the mission was an overall success.

"The IA was much more involved during this mission as opposed to other air assaults I have been on throughout the deployment," said a Soldier from 2nd Plt., Btry. A, 3-320th FA. "We are working more side by side with them instead of being in the lead and they are doing a better job at being in the front."

Armstrong attributed the success of the mission to combined intelligence-gathering efforts from both IA and coalition forces.

"The IA [is] taking more initiative and disseminating their plans," Flaherty said. "They are definitely grasping the concept of being out front and actually leading missions."

IA-led operations in the Mahmudiyah Qada have become the order of the day.

"Now that many of the criminals have been caught it shows that we are establishing a strong presence throughout the area," Al Magdy said. "When the time comes, we will be ready to fully take over the security role."

• Date Taken: 10.08.2008
• Date Posted: 10.15.2008 13:42
• Story ID: 25022
• Location: MAHMUDIYAH, IQ