Photo By Staff Sgt. Margaret Nelson | Task Force Summit Soldiers, local government officials in the Districts of Hawijah and...... read more read more
Subscribe
By Staff Sgt. Margaret C. Nelson
1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE MCHENRY, Iraq – Amid the turmoil and political uncertainty that clouds the future of their provincial capital city, Operation Summit Pursuit - spearheaded by Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, approximately 30 miles southwest of Kirkuk - brought hope to the people in the Districts of Hawijah and Sharqat, united Iraqi security forces, Sunni-Arab tribal and local government leadership and the Sons of Iraq.
"This cooperative effort which began July 27, partially destroyed the remnants of al-Qaida in Iraq along the Northern Tigris River Valley and brought a prolonged military presence to the people in those regions - not seen in over three years," Lt. Col. Christopher Vanek, commander, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment said at the conclusion of the operation on Aug. 5, 2008.
Operation Summit Pursuit, a task force level operation under the larger Iron-Warrior Pursuit Operations, utilized conventional lethal methods coupled with its non-lethal civil affairs tactics to concentrate on villages where ISF and coalition forces had conducted previous raids on known AQI targets and to move further into territory susceptible to AQI influence, according to the task force commander.
This operation focused on the district's northern most regions concentrating on the villages of Hegnah, Sabah and Taq Taq; once safe havens for notable AQI operatives such as al Zarqawi, according to Sheik Razzaq of Hegnah.
"Since December we have had many changes here," Razzaq said.
He was referring to the inception of Task Force Summit's reconciliation efforts and the establishment of the Sons of Iraq program here, and more recent Operation Muthana Strike, June 4, that took the lives of three 1-87 Soldiers during a fire fight with an AQI cell in Hegnah.
"This is the first time that we have had Iraqi security forces and coalition forces in Hegnah. Because of their commitment to our people, we are able to live in peace and begin rebuilding our lives without fear," he said.
The sheik whose influence covers Hegnah, Safinah, and Sadarah also thanked the CF for their assistance in bringing attention to much needed projects for villages in the area.
"We will always be grateful for the sacrifices of Lt. Col. Vanek's Soldiers. They died so that we can live," he said.
Additionally, Task Force Summit is also breaking new ground by attempting to establish government representation for the city of Taq Taq in the Sharqat District, separated from their province, Salah ad-Din, and district by a natural terrain feature - the Tigris River, which represents an obstacle for any form of representation at the district level, according to the 1-87 commander.
There is currently no representation at the district level as no sub-district status has been established for this city and areas in the upper left side of the Tigris River from Sadarah down to Sabah, he said.
The dichotomy of the area is complicated, Vanek explained.
"What remains clear is no budget has been established to assist this area with infrastructure needs although the province and district have sizeable purses."
TF Summit is coordinating efforts through the Salah ad-Din provincial reconstruction team and the 3ACR to achieve sub-district stature and subsequent local representation at the district level.
"We need to get some form of representative government established in Taq Taq, or we will continue to see that area of Salah ad-Din susceptible to AQI exploitation and usage as a safe haven," Vanek said.
A formal request to form a sub-district in this region is currently underway and will be filtered through the Salah ad-Din PRT and officially presented to the provincial government for authorization to form a sub-district council.
"If we can at least get the process started for these people, that will be the single-most enduring accomplishment we will have fulfilled in this operation." Vanek said.
During Operation Summit Pursuit, 19 future projects total for Iraqi Commander's Emergency Response Program consideration were identified in the villages visited.
This government of Iraq-sourced-and-funded program is facilitated by CF civil affairs teams. Some of the projects submitted include schools, medical clinics, water projects and the like.
| Date Taken: | 08.07.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 08.07.2008 15:31 |
| Story ID: | 22242 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 435 |
| Downloads: | 331 |
This work, Operation Summit Pursuit brings 'hope' to a region once terrorized by AQI, by SSG Margaret Nelson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
