Pressuring insurgents making Baghdad streets safer, Stryker commander says

Photo By Master Sgt. Nicholas Conner | Lt. Col. Avanulas Smiley Commander, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

01.26.2002

Story by Master Sgt. Nicholas Conner 

1st Cavalry Division

By Master Sgt. Dave Larsen
1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Army and coalition force troops cleared and secured a known insurgent hot-bed in the center of the Iraqi capital Jan. 24-25.

Operation Tomahawk Strike 11, led by 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and supported by Multi-National Division - Baghdad, disrupted insurgent activity on Haifa Street.

"The purpose of the past couple of days in Haifa Street was to disrupt militia-based activity in the area," said Lt. Col. Avanulas Smiley, commander of the Fort Lewis, Wash.,-based 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

"It was an Iraqi Army-planned event there and the purpose of the battalion was to support the Iraqi Army's plan. Basically, the brigade was designed to go in and re-establish security in the Haifa Street area. My battalion facilitated that effort."

The Iraqi Army and coalition forces conducted searches thoroughly, providing amplified security in the area. This was the second operation in this troubled section of Baghdad in the past three weeks.

"We've had an operation there in the past which was also intended to disrupt militia activity. In between that time, we were able to observe and watch what the militia groups were doing," Smiley explained. "The Iraqi security forces came forth with a plan and they wanted coalition support. Therefore, we joined them in a combined planning effort and assisted them in the operation to disrupt militia activity and to, basically, reinstate the Iraqi Army presence in the Haifa Street area."

In all, Operation Tomahawk Strike 11 netted one cache and detained 21 insurgents. No local residents were killed during this operation. Smiley, a native of Stellacome, Wash., said there were two major benefits from the operation beyond the capture of insurgents and munitions.

"First, any insurgent group knows that we will come wherever they are. There are absolutely zero safe havens for them," he said. "Secondly, I think the Iraqi security forces gain a tremendous amount of confidence after something like this."

Smiley said with more troops expected to arrive over the coming months, the security situation in the Iraqi capital should improve.

"I think any time we have an opportunity to provide forces to certain parts of Baghdad, that's nothing but advantageous to security forces on the ground."

Elements from the 6th Iraqi Army Division remain on Haifa Street and continue to hold the area and provide security patrols. With Operation Tomahawk Strike 11 complete, Smiley said the next step is to keep the pressure on insurgent groups within Baghdad.

"I think we'll continue to press militia safe havens – those places and keep the pressure up on them in order to stabilize the government of Iraq."

• Date Taken: 01.26.2002
• Date Posted: 01.26.2007 11:57
• Story ID: 8954
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ