Operation Rock Reaper Clears al-Qaida Strongholds West of Baquba

MNF-I reports of 1-38 Infantry Regiment's operations west of Baqaba, near the town a Hadid. This battalion level operation is told through the tales of Bayonet Company, but is part of the larger 1st Armored Division's Operation Iron Reaper. This operation is designed to dismantle Al Qaeda in Iraq in the Khalis Corridor in Western Diyala province, certain pockets in Salah ad Din province and the Za'ab Triangle and Western Mosul in Ninawa province. As one reads this report, one will get an idea of how Cordon and Knock operations take place at the company level.

After the Soldiers completed a thorough search of the house, they determined the man was not there and no weapons were found. The Soldiers were given five minutes to rest before moving to the next house down the road where they searched for another man wanted for placing IEDs.

The Soldiers moved through the town executing Cordon and Knock Operations.

The Soldiers were greeted kindly by local citizens as they went from house-to-house through the village of Hadid. The men of the houses constantly offered to make chai tea and cook flat bread for the Soldiers who found refuge from the heat in their living rooms and on their patios.

After a days work,

Toward the end of the day, the Soldiers returned to a central meeting location to give their detainees to the military police (MP) officials. The MPs verified the identities of the detainees and transported them to a secure holding area on Forward Operating Base Warhorse.

The Soldiers thought they were done; however, the next action is what is making all the difference in Iraq at this time.

After the detainees were dropped off, an informant from the town offered to help the Soldiers find wanted men who used fake identification cards and to find weapons that may have been missed. The Soldiers went house-to-house again with the informant, who pointed out the men that were wanted. The informant also gave information on a possible weapons cache.

Having seen many Al Qaeda terrorists taken off the streets in their town and also hearing undoubted of the new situation in Iraq, namely Al Qaeda on the run, an informant came forward to show Coalition Soldiers individuals and caches they missed resulting in newly captured detainees and,

An al-Qaida in Iraq training camp [where] Soldiers found two suicide vests that were completely made and ready be put on, grid coordinates of Iraqi police stations in the area, grid coordinates of Coalition force bases and combat outposts in the area, 18 large-caliber mortar shells filled with explosives and three fire extinguishers filled with explosives. The Soldiers also found five potential car bombs in the town of Hadid and took in a total of 13 detainees.

It is stories like these that is ensuring Al Qaeda in Iraq is completely and totally defeated. Iraqis are helping Soldiers secure their own neighborhoods. When they see Soldiers miss individuals and/or caches they tell Soldiers where they are so they cannot be used on them in the future.

Operation Iron Reaper is methodically clearing from Baghdad to Kirkuk and Mosul from south to north ensuring the last remaining elements of Al Qaeda are removed from Iraq. Iraqi Army forces are with American Forces. Iraqi civilians are also doing their part. When confronted by American forces, Iraqi forces, and concerned citizens, Al Qaeda has no other choice but to be killed or detained. As the Coalition moves north, Al Qaeda will have to either withdraw into Kurdish territory or move closer to the Iranian border. Either way, their backs are against the wall and their time is running out.