Photo By Capt. Amy Bishop | A UH-60 helicopter takes off to conduct reconnaissance with Soldiers from the 1st...... read more read more
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Capt. Amy A. Bishop
133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
BAYJI Iraq (April 26, 2006) - Iraqi Security Forces teamed up with Coalition Forces to conduct Operation Swift Sword, a four-day operation designed to flush out suspected insurgents and search for weapons.
Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, part of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division, initiated the air assault operation with the assistance of four Iraqi Army companies, the Iraqi Army Scouts, 80 Bayji Police Officers and over 200 Emergency Security Officers resulting in the capture 17 suspected insurgents.
"It was a battalion-sized air assault that was intended to catch known AIF [anti-Iraqi forces] individuals out in the western desert in temporary housing," said Capt. Ryan Barnett, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment's Transition Team Chief for the Bayji city police department. "We were able to [give] Iraqi Security Forces the chance to get out and conduct a four day operation that demonstrated their ability to operate on their own."
The operation was planned after information collected from numerous sources revealed that there were insurgents preying on Bayji and then retreating to the sparsely populated villages west of the city to hide. The information collected suggested that the suspected insurgents were not citizens of Bayji but outsiders from other cities.
Searches were conducted from farm to farm and village to village in 11 specified areas that were cordoned off in the western desert. Iraqi Security Forces took the lead during the first day of the operation with Coalition Forces providing support. The Iraqi Security Forces played a key role in that they were able to identify which people were from the area and which were not.
Collected during the search were over 100 artillery rounds and fuses, mortar rounds, mines, rocket-propelled grenades, sniper rifles and over 4500 rounds of ammunition. Arrested during the search were 17 suspected insurgents for such crimes as possessing illegal weapons and unauthorized stockpiling of ammunition. Iraqi Security Forces pointed out who needed to be detained, based on the information that was collected.
"Once an individual is detained, we gather picture evidence, sworn statements, and crime scene evidence, as much as we can at the site in which the individual is detained," said Barnett. "Once that is completed they are brought back here to the FOB [Forward Operating Base Summerall] and all of that information is processed â?¦the individual and the packet [then] go to FOB Remagen."
Although the operation required all buildings and homes to be searched in every village, most of the locals did not seem to mind, even offering chai tea to the soldiers and officers.
"The locals were glad to see Coalition presence. Terrorists have been using that area as a safe haven, basically putting pressure on the locals not to say anything, terrorizing the locals as well. They were happy to see that we had put some emphasis [on] that area," said Barnett. "Several invited us in to talk further [about] the security situation in that area."
As the transfer of responsibility for the security of the citizens of Bayji continues from Coalition Forces to Iraqi Security Forces, successful operations such as this bring them one step closer to being ready for the challenge.
"The operation as a whole was a very successful operation. Not only in the aspect of the detainees that were captured butâ?¦. showing the terrorists that we have the ability to move anywhere in this area. There is no safe haven for them to operate," said Barnett.
| Date Taken: | 04.28.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2006 10:53 |
| Story ID: | 6159 |
| Location: | BAYJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 320 |
| Downloads: | 18 |
This work, Operation Swift Sword Nets Insurgents and Weapons, by CPT Amy Bishop, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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