3rd BCT Soldiers destroy three enemy safehouses

Photo By Sgt. Natalie Loucks | A photograph taken by an unmanned areal vehicle of three insurgent safehavens after their destruction by nine rockets from a Guided Multiple Rocket Launch System, Jan. 18.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, IRAQ

01.21.2008

Story by Sgt. Natalie Loucks 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

By Sgt. Natalie Rostek
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Nine 3rd Brigade Combat Team rockets destroyed three insurgent safehouses near Salman Pak, Jan. 18.

Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment located three suspicious buildings during an operation Jan. 16 -17 in the village of Qusaba.

The buildings' outer walls were knocked down so enemy vehicles could drive into the compound for concealment from coalition forces, said Capt. Josh Powers, from Atlanta, the 1-15th Inf. Regt. assistant operations officer. Powers said the buildings resembled parking garages.

After searching the buildings and vehicles, Soldiers reported finding propaganda linked to al-Qaida in Iraq.

Company C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery, currently attached to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division, launched nine rockets, destroying the three buildings.

"Destroying the buildings denies enemies a safe haven along the lateral smuggling routes in the Dragon (1-15 Inf. Regt.) area of operation," Powers said.

The 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March, 2007.

• Date Taken: 01.21.2008
• Date Posted: 01.21.2008 16:37
• Story ID: 15632
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, IQ