SWAT: Scorpions sting at the heart of criminal and terrorist activities in Iraq

Photo By Mike Meares | An Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics soldier does a blood sweep on a practice patient...... read more read more

Photo By Mike Meares | An Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics soldier does a blood sweep on a practice patient during a battlefield medical response training class. The Hillah SWAT team, nicknamed the Scorpions, is disrupting insurgent activities and bringing them to justice.  see less | View Image Page

BALAD, IRAQ

10.23.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares 

Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Arabian Peninsula

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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Mike Meares
Combine Joint Special Operations Task Force - Arabian Peninsula Public Affairs

BALAD, Iraq – A group known as the "Scorpions," symbolized by a scorpion holding a dagger, are successfully stinging at the heart of criminal and terrorist activities in central Iraq.

The Hillah Special Weapons and Tactics team is disrupting insurgent activities throughout the province and bringing them to justice. Through a foreign internal defense partnership with Coalition Soldiers, these Iraqi Soldiers are working to rid the communities of anti-Iraqi forces that threaten the peace and prosperity for their families and countrymen.

The partnership with Hillah SWAT has a long history explained a coalition forces Soldier, "There is a lot of trust between the two units."

The partnership establishes a professional relationship between the Iraqi security and coalition forces where the training builds capable forces. The Soldier said working side-by-side with the SWAT teams, both in training and on missions, has provided the Iraqi soldiers the chance to observe how to act and move as a team.

The mission of SWAT is to conduct operations throughout the Iraqi theater of operations to prevent, deter and respond to terrorism and insurgent activities.

Hillah SWAT is trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside the abilities of regular patrol officers, including serving high-risk arrest warrants, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, and engaging heavily-armed criminals. SWAT teams are often equipped with specialized firearms, equipment and vehicles. All the equipment employed by SWAT is designed to help mitigate inherent risks and execute precision-targeted operations.

"The criminals are in Iraq trying to destroy democracy," said a local sheik during a tribal engagement. "Security is the main thing here in Iraq."

During a combined operation recently, SWAT executed a warrant issued by the ministry of interior and arrested the leader of two criminal cells. A subsequent operation to serve multiple MoI arrest warrants issued yielded eight more wanted criminals. These are examples of operations SWAT has conducted successfully in their commitment to bring security to the region.


A simple Internet search can yield more than 4,500 hits on the accomplishments of Hillah SWAT. Headlines describe the number of terrorists captured, illegal weapons seized, weapons caches discovered, criminals detained or their involvement in community programs.

The unit is unique in that their constant exposure to training makes them operationally ready at all times. Training six days a week, they strive to improve deficiencies and sustain their strengths whether on they are on the firing range or on the training ground practicing emergency medical response on the battlefield. For Hillah SWAT, the constant training comes at a time when their nation is relentlessly pursuing insurgents to eradicate lawlessness.

Now, coalition forces feel SWAT is at a level where they can not only conduct missions successfully, but have the ability to conduct their own training.

"They are one of the most effective units in Iraq," the Soldier said. "Their years of training have made them a self-sustaining unit that is well-trained and equipped. They have good leadership and operate with sound judgment while on missions."

The success of the unit has instilled "great confidence" in SWAT team members. It has also increased pride and security for the Iraqi people. While operating in their communities, whether it's capturing criminals or helping citizens, they do not discriminate based on sectarian lines.

"There is no one above the law, from the government on down," said the Iraqi colonel in command of the Hillah SWAT. "We work under the law to bring criminals to justice."

The sheik agrees with this approach as he feels there needs to be a separation between religion and government. He also said that he is happy with the success of the SWAT team, helping to make the community a safer place to live. He said he is thankful the SWAT has good training.

"SWAT conducts non-sectarian targeting, this alone makes them very successful in the eyes of the local populace," said the Soldier. "The local populace needs to feel the [Government of Iraq] has a capable, legitimate security force that is unbiased when it comes to arresting terrorists."

Iraqi leadership agrees: Hillah SWAT will continue their success in capturing criminals and terrorists in the region, and protecting the local citizens.