The Lions Den

Photo By Staff Sgt. Russell Klika | With the recent spike of violence due to the attack on the Golden Mosque in Samarra, ongoing joint efforts between Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces are a pro-active step towards fighting for the safety and security of the people of Iraq. A joint patrol between Coalition Forces and Iraqi Army forces found four weapons caches.  

03.28.2006

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Mark Wojciechowski 

133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

by Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski

NARWHAN, Iraq (March 11, 2006) - A joint patrol between coalitions forces and Iraqi Army forces was launched in response to the murders of 47 innocent people earlier in the week.

The 4th Infantry Division's Alpha Company, 1-68 Combined Arms Battalion from Fort Carson, Colo., started out on a patrol with a company-sized element from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division out of Kut.

The joint patrol descended upon a village known to the locals as 'the corner." This was a suspected holding area for the murderers of the people earlier in the week.

"The mission was to capture, kill or detain the anti-Iraqi forces responsible for the murders of the 47 innocent people that were killed north of Narwhan," said 1st Sgt. David Pasquale First Sgt. of "Attack Company" 1-68 Combined Arms Battalion.

Attack Company and their Iraqi Army counterparts searched their designated sectors, walking the streets searching the houses and questioning their residents.

After a sweep through the village Attack Company moved to the Diyala River's edge and found four caches consisting of several 86mm mortars, Sagger missiles, 155mm artillery shells, anti-personnel mines, rocket-propelled grenades and thousands of rounds of assault rifle ammunition.

The Iraqi Army also found a cache with machine gun ammunition and rocket-propelled grenades in addition to the detaining of the several suspects linked to the murders here.

With the recent spike of violence due to the attack on the Golden Mosque in Samarra, ongoing joint efforts between Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces are a pro-active step towards fighting for the safety and security of the people of Iraq.

• Date Taken: 03.28.2006
• Date Posted: 03.28.2006 08:17
• Story ID: 5885