By Spc. Opal Vaughn
14th Public Affairs Detachment
A challenge was put out by the Iraqi ministries, for the Iraqi forces to rid Iraq of any remaining Al Qaida members and insurgents, said Commander Lt. Col. Steven Wilson, Army Military Transition Team chief with the 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi army division.
Wilson continued saying, the Iraqi ministries stated that no matter what religious preference or background Iraqi citizens come from, this is still one Iraq and any man should be willing to stand up and fight for their home.
As a result, the Iraqi army and national police, along with the training assistance from the 4th MiTT, all stepped up to the challenge and launched Operation Benevolent Diyala days prior to schedule, July 29, in the Eastern Diyala Province of Iraq.
Operation Benevolent Diyala was scheduled to launch Aug. 1, but was launched early in order to counteract a press leak through the media.
"We've been working on Operation Benevolent Diyala for a while now," said the Iraqi Army Chief of Staff and Iraqi Ground Forces Commander, Lt. Gen. Ali Kedan.
"We received intelligence information from people in the community that the Iraqi media leaked out information of this operation and now we are trying to start this mission early in order to stay a step ahead of the bad people," Kedan said.
In order to stay one step ahead of Iraqi insurgents, the IA and NP have been training hard, with the assistance of the 4th MiTT to accomplish the goal of ridding Iraq of any remaining Al Qaida and insurgents.
The Military Transition Team's primary mission is to advise their Iraqi counterparts, which is the 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, said Maj. Corey Givens, MiTT lethal and non-lethal affects adviser from Orange Park, Florida, with the 4-1 Iraqi army division.
"MiTT is unique, because we work directly with the IA," Givens said. "We advise them and help point them in the right direction for their mission. There is a language barrier, however, we have very good interpreters and all of us on MiTT are trying to learn Arabic as well to ease with the barriers."
Beyond language barriers, the IA continually train hard and with the launch of Operation Benevolent Diyala, the IA continues to make new strides.
"This is the first mission that the IA have actually planned and executed without any influence from coalition forces, so this is a very key mission for them," Givens said. "They set a standard for themselves and they are trying to achieve it. It's very rewarding to be here and see the IA's put their training into action."
Setting the standard for his troops, Brigade commander Col. Monam Hashim Fahad, for 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, continues to challenge the IA soldiers by going out in the field with his men and gathering intelligence information as well.
"The people who live in the villages support Al Qaeda and help them attack innocent people," Fahad said. "We've got intelligence information on these people and so we're conducting search operations to eradicate any remaining Al Qaeda members and insurgents from Iraq by capturing or arresting them."
"This operation will be successful, I am sure of it," said Kedan. "We feel comfortable enough to reassure the citizens of Iraq that we will secure a safer Iraq for them by keeping troops in the areas at all times. We cannot leave these areas without security after we search them or else the bad people will return and continue to terrorize Iraq," Kedan concluded.
In the nearby village of Kalaf Hasun, a weapons cache of ammunition and rocket containers were found as result of the IA training, a step closer in ending the terror of Iraq's people.
"We are working with one hand, on one team, with the U.S. military," said Iraqi army commander Lt. Col. Mohammed Samee Nagi, 4th Brigade, 3rd Battalion Iraqi Army Division.
"The U.S. has helped us so Iraq will be able to one day stand on its own two feet," concluded Nagi.
Operation Benevolent Diyala is only a start for the IP, NP and U.S. Army MiTT, said Sgt. First Class Jon Smith, the MiTT medical adviser from Petersburg, Va. with the 4-1 Iraqi Army Division.
"We went out to find bad guys and weapons caches," Smith said. "The outcome was the 4-1 QRF were able to utilize the training they received and detain several Al Qaida members and find a large weapons cache."
Continuing Smith added, "What the IA's are doing is commendable because they are making history by being the first QRF in Iraq. Meaning, this unit, this division, is responsible for responding to anything that would cause harm to any province in Iraq," Smith concluded.
The challenge first initiated by the Iraqi ministries, was taken up by the IA and NP and has started with a strong beginning. The Iraqi forces continue to push themselves and work with each other to ensure a safer Iraq.