Insurgents target civilians

Coalition and Iraqi Army forces and Iraqi emergency services personnel responded immediately to a bomb detonated by anti-Iraqi forces May 9 in Tal Afar. The blast left at least 16 Iraqi civilians dead and 134 others injured.

Iraqi Army units and Tal Afar emergency services responded and began transporting victims to the Tal Afar Hospital . As the numbers of casualties mounted, the overflow was diverted to Coalition medical facilities.

Task Force Band of Brothers Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division treated more than 60 of the victims.

Twenty-four of the 60 victims treated by U.S. medics were critically injured and were flown by Coalition aircraft to the combat surgical hospitals in Mosul and Tikrit for more advanced care.

As anti-Iraqi forces struck in Tal Afar, units from the 2nd Iraqi Army Division successfully wrapped up Operation Cool Spring VIII May 9 in a wide area south of Mosul , capturing suspected terrorists and displaying an increasing capability to take security responsibility for the area.

Troops from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division planned and led the operation which included Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Task Force Band of Brothers.

Three men on the IA's most wanted list were detained as part of the operation. The suspects were previously identified by the unit as possibly being in the area and having connections with known terrorist organizations. The three men are currently in an Iraqi detention facility.

Iraqi Army gains experience capturing anti-Iraqi forces

The Iraqi brigade demonstrated their military planning skills by formulating the mission, issuing appropriate orders to its subordinate units and watching the conduct of the operation. The brigade's planning efforts resulted in the unit coming closer to its goal of stopping terrorists in the region, reinforcing security and gaining more brigade-level command and control experience.

One of the most successful outcomes was the confidence that was built in both the Soldiers and the citizens. Seeing the Iraqi Army on patrol providing increased security to the area gave residents an increased sense of security.

Brigadier Gen. Ali, commander, 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division reported that on numerous times during the operation, villagers approached him and his men with offers to contact them if they detected any terrorist activity. The citizens thanked the Soldiers for their service and willingly took Ali's phone number in order to make the reports.

According to a Multi-National Division - North press release, Iraqi Army units in the MND-N area of operations are improving their ability to plan, lead and conduct security operations independently. To date, 16 Iraqi Army battalions and three brigades have taken the lead from Coalition Forces in security operations.

Source: Multi-National Force-Iraq

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