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Sgt. Jason Stadel
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU - A day-long battle in Adwaniyah resulted in the deaths of an estimated 15 al-Qaida, on Nov. 12.
Al-Qaida in Iraq attacked Adwaniyah Concerned Local Citizen checkpoints in an attempt to knock out the newly formed program. The CLC program in Adwaniyah is just beginning and al-Qaida hoped to deter the grassroots security effort by conducting a complex attack on the citizens.
Two separate CLC checkpoints were attacked at approximately the same time. Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, currently attached to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division and Iraqi army soldiers were also involved in the fight as they also came under fire from al-Qaida.
Troop B and Troop C from 1-40th Cav. Regt. and 5th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division were the units involved in the attack and they also received small arms and machine gun fire from al-Qaida.
Al-Qaida's attack involved 30 to 45 fighters some using small arms on foot while others were mounted in trucks with DSHKAs, a high caliber machine gun.
The small group of Adwaniyah CLCs was reinforced in the afternoon by an experienced group of CLCs from Hawr Rajab. The leader of the Hawr Rajab concerned citizens was in constant contact with 1-40th Cav. Regt. ground commanders giving updates on the situation via cell phone.
The 5/4/6 IA also reinforced the CLCs and coalition forces with a quick reaction force company.
The attack lasted until late afternoon when al-Qaida was unable to overrun the CLC checkpoints.
After U.S. and Iraqi forces were attacked, two Joint Direct Attack Munitions, approximately the equivalent to a 500-pound bomb, were dropped from U.S. Air Force F-16s on enemy avenues of approach.
The battle resulted in an estimated15 enemy fighters killed in action.
First Lt. Robert Hamilton, a Troop B platoon leader, lauded the efforts of the new group of Adwaniyah CLCs. "I think all the elements that had a part in today's battle were impressed with the concerned citizens," Hamilton said. "For the number of factors against them they handled themselves well."
Although Hamilton said the CLCs had a tough day he said he's optimistic about their ability to regroup and fight al-Qaida again.
"There's definitely optimism about the CLCs," he said. "I'd say about 85 percent of them will be ready to defend themselves again."
Maj. David Oeschger, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. executive officer, said the battle was a combined effort of concerned local citizens, Iraqi army and coalition forces banding together to defeat al-Qaida. It was a testimony to the positive future of the Iraq nation he said.
| Date Taken: | 11.13.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 11.13.2007 08:08 |
| Story ID: | 13865 |
| Location: | ISKANDARIYAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 999 |
| Downloads: | 988 |
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