Spc. Ben Brody
2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO
SADR CITY, Iraq -- In a lightning-fast pre-dawn raid, Iraqi Army Soldiers raided the homes of two notorious terrorists in Sadr City Oct. 6.
An elite Iraqi Army Strike Platoon took the lead during the operation. Other IA Soldiers set up an outer cordon, preventing terrorist forces from reaching the targets, and making sure terrorists didn't escape.
One of the suspected terrorists was known for emplacing roadside bombs and conducting rocket-propelled grenade attacks on Coalition Forces. He reportedly received a car for shooting down a U.S. Army helicopter last year.
The other suspected terrorist was known as "The Engineer" for his expertise in manufacturing and emplacing bombs. The raid also uncovered a cache of bomb-triggering devices at the terrorist's residence.
"The raid shows the capability of the Iraqi Army Battalion to plan and execute a complex mission," said Capt. Zan Hornbuckle, a U.S. Army company commander who works with the Iraqi Army. "They're totally competent at the squad and platoon levels, and getting better at the company level.
"They did a great job"everything went really smoothly," Hornbuckle added. "It gives the Iraqi Soldiers confidence in their capabilities to pull off such a complex mission flawlessly."