A precision-guided missile was fired during its first test-fire outside of the United States, recently near Tikrit, Iraq. The unitary-guided, multiple-launch rocket system is the latest addition to the U.S. Army's artillery arsenal and is designed to minimize collateral damage so not to cause unnecessary damage and destruction to innocent civilians. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Alisan Gul

COALITION OPERATIONS CATCH 9 TERROR SUSPECTS RED-HANDED

TAJI, Iraq � Soldiers from a 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division patrol detained nine suspected terrorists in three separate incidents while conducting security and stability operations near Taji on Sept. 27.

In the first incident, Soldiers from 70th Engineer Battalion stopped a car during random inspections and searched the vehicles four occupants. The men had $14,000 of U.S. currency in 100 dollar bills, and a large number of fake government identification badges in their possession.

Later in the day, the Soldiers were approached by an Iraqi citizen who said them that a suspicious car was parked in his neighborhood. The Soldiers searched four men near the car identified by the citizen and found bomb-making materials.

While the U.S. troops questioned the car owners, they stopped and searched a fifth man who was acting suspiciously. The man's cell-phone history contained a message from another terrorist that roughly translated into "Thanks for the use of the rocket-propelled grenades."

All nine terror suspects were transferred to a Coalition detention facility for questioning.

###

Afghanistan (Sept. 26, 2005) � A U.S. Air Force KC-135 is reflected on the sun visor of a U.S. Navy pilot as he conducts in-flight refueling of his EA-6B Prowler over Afghanistan. The Prowler, assigned to the Garudas of Electronic Warfare Squadron One Three Four (VAQ-134), are on a regular scheduled deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Caption by Lt. Chris Bishop

Coalition, Iraqi Forces Detain Suspects, Seize Weapons

American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2005 – Iraqi and coalition forces detained 10 suspects and seized weapons and ammunition in operations across Iraq on Sept. 28, military officials reported.
Iraqi soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force, were conducting targeted raids in conjunction with coalition troops in Ramadi when they detained four men. The troops believed the men might have been involved with a previously discovered cache in central Ramadi.

Elsewhere, Iraqi troops from the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force, and coalition troops conducting combined entry-control-point operations detained a man with suspected false identification documents in Fallujah.

In Balad, a patrol from the 4th Iraqi Army Division captured five military-aged males in the act of unraveling a length of detonation cord attached to a bomb, which was buried in the shoulder of a nearby road.

Iraqi explosive ordnance disposal experts responded and cleared the hazard, consisting of two 130 mm Chinese-made illumination artillery rounds. The detainees were taken into custody for further questioning, and no injuries or damages were reported.

During operations in Mosul, Iraqi police found and seized an ammunition cache consisting of 30 152 mm rounds and two rocket-propelled-grenade rounds. Iraqi EOD team discovered and disposed of the cache.

While recovering the ordnance, the officers came under small-arms fire but finished the operation with no injuries.

Iraqi army troops also located a large quantity of unexploded ordnance buried near Nasiriyah. The ordnance dump was believed to be a remnant of the former Iraqi regime and deemed unusable. Officials don't believe the site is linked with any currently active insurgent groups in the area.

In other news from Iraq, an investigative hearing for a soldier charged with murder in Iraq has been rescheduled.

An "Article 32" investigation hearing for Army Staff Sgt. Alberto B. Martinez, formerly of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 42nd Infantry Division (Mechanized), has been rescheduled for Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in Kuwait, according to a Multinational Force Iraq news release.

Martinez is charged with two specifications of premeditated murder. An Article 32 hearing is a pre-trial investigation and is mandated by the Uniform Code of Military Justice before court-martial proceedings take place. The purposes of the hearing are to inquire into the truth of the charges, to consider the form of the charges, to recommend disposition of the charges and to provide the accused and his or her counsel an opportunity to see the prosecution evidence before trial.

Martinez is in pretrial confinement in Kuwait.

Coalition aircraft flew 36 close-air-support and armed-reconnaissance sorties Sept. 28 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities, officials said.

Coalition aircraft also supported Iraqi and coalition ground forces operations to create a secure environment for ongoing Transitional National Assembly meetings.

U.S. Air Force F-15s and F-16s provided close air support to coalition troops near Asad and Balad. In addition, 11 U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq. United States Air Force and British Royal Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a nontraditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors.

(Compiled from Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

NIGHT SHIFT � U.S. Army Sgt. James Koukao, assigned to the 362nd Psychological Operations Battalion, stands ready to take off for a night leaflet drop mission in Shawali-Kot District, Afghanistan, Sept. 26, 2005. The leaflets are part of a campaign to encourage Afghanistan citizens to turn in anti-coalition militia, support the government and to cease firing against Americans and coalition forces. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Leslie Angulo Hi-Res photo

A fool and his RPG are soon parted

Soldiers with the Iraqi Army ask a local man if he or his family have noticed any terrorist activities in the area during a patrol in the town of Rawah, Iraq on August 5, 2005. The Iraqi Army is in the area to suppress terrorist activities. Photo by SPC Hugo A. Baray-Vasquez, 55th Signal Company (Combat Camera) 050805-A-5447B-043 (Released)

FALLUJAH, Iraq - Lance Cpl. Kenneth R. Fouse of Company "C", 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, provides security while Marines search and clear houses of weapons and insurgents within the inner city of Fallujah, Iraq. 2d Marine Division conducts counter-insurgency operations with Iraqi Security Forces to isolate and neutralize Anti-Iraqi Forces, to support the continued development of Iraqi Security Forces, and to support Iraqi reconstruction and democratic elections in order to create a secure government that enables Iraqi self-reliance and self-governance. (Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Robert R. Attebury, 2d Marine Division Combat Camera) 050915-M-3301A-003

U.S. Soldiers Capture Terrorists, Thwart Terrorist Acts in I

American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2005 – U.S. soldiers have maintained the offensive in Iraq and have stopped ongoing terrorist activities and captured numerous terrorist suspects in recent days, military officials said.
An alert soldier from the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, stopped two terrorists attempting to emplace two improvised explosive devices on a main road north of Baghdad.

The soldier immediately called for two M1A1 tanks from the 1st Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment. The tank crews identified the terrorists and engaged them with machine guns before calling in two AH-64 Apache helicopters. The Apaches then pursued the fleeing terrorists, officials said.

A military explosive ordnance disposal unit destroyed the IEDs, and the terrorists were stopped before they could use these weapons to injure or kill coalition forces and Iraqi civilians.

In another incident, soldiers of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, also captured a would-be suicide car bomber after he attempted to attack their patrol on Sept. 22.

The driver of a blue Opel reportedly attempted to ram his explosives-laden car into one of the patrol's Humvees. But before the terrorist reached the patrol, U.S. troops fired at the car, resulting in a series of explosions, which forced the driver to abandon his vehicle and flee into a nearby house.

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment quickly captured the driver and searched his car. They found two propane tanks and a container of mixed explosive materials in the vehicle. A military explosive ordnance team disposed of these bomb materials, and the troops transferred the bomber to a coalition Forces' detention facility.

In other news, Task Force Liberty soldiers killed a terrorist named Jabbar Ateyia Saud Sept. 23 in Dulniyah.

Saud, a member of the city council, was killed when he and a police captain fired on a Task Force Liberty patrol. The patrol had been approaching a house soldiers were going to search when they were fired upon by Saud and the police captain, officials say.

An Iraqi citizen had informed the soldiers personnel in the house had been involved in a Sept. 20 ambush on a coalition forces' combat logistics patrol.

Local leaders and coalition Forces have implemented a temporary curfew from 7:30 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. to guard against further violence. The town's mayor, city council members, tribal leaders, and chief of police all agreed to adopt the temporary curfew.

Elsewhere in Iraq, multinational forces from Task Force Freedom killed three terrorists and detained 72 terrorist suspects since Sept. 21.


Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, detained three terrorist suspects during separate operations in Tal Afar on Sept. 21. They detained 22 additional suspects during separate operations in Tal Afar on Sept.22.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, detained two terrorist suspects during a cordon-and-search operation in Tal Afar Sept. 21; they detained another suspect Sept. 22.Soldiers from 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, detained 10 terrorist suspects near the Syrian border Sept. 21.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, killed a terrorist and detained a suspect after stopping a suspicious vehicle in central Mosul Sept. 21. Also Sept. 21, soldiers from the same regiment detained five terrorist suspects at a checkpoint in western Mosul.
Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, detained four terrorist suspects during separate operations in eastern Mosul Sept. 22. They also detained five suspects believed to have assisted in planting a car bomb in northern Mosul Sept. 22.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment killed one terrorist, wounded another, and detained 12 suspects following an incident at a checkpoint Sept. 22. Also Sept. 22, soldiers from the same regiment detained a suspect, while seizing small arms in eastern Mosul. These weapons were confiscated for future destruction.
Soldiers from 52nd Infantry detained six terrorist suspects west of Jazirah Sept. 22.

RETURNING TO IRAQ � U.S. Army soldiers of the 527th Military Police Company bid farewell to family and friends in a ceremony at the Miller Hall Fitness Center in Giessen, Germany, Sept. 23, 2005. The 527th will return to Iraq for their second deployment. U.S. Army photo by Martin Greeson Hi-Res photo

DROP OFF � U.S. Army paratroopers set up security after being dropped off in the desert by helicopter at the start of an operation in Baghdaddi, Iraq, Sept. 21, 2005. The soldiers are assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's of Company C, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Michael R. McMaugh Hi-Res photo

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Stacy Pearsall
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The assignment... simple. The objective... illusive. The cost... imeasurable. We are the men and women who go through great risks to get the shot. We extraordinary videographers and photojournalists train with the best, operate in the worst and get noticed the least. Our mission is to be there when history happens. Ever notice that photo or video clip in the news, book, or documentary? Well, someone had to be there. Someone had to get the shot. Someone had to tell the story. We are that someone. Courtesy of U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron Ansarov

TALL AFAR, Iraq — Approximately 700 paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, arrived here Sept. 11 and immediately began combat operation in the evacuated city.

The paratroopers, working with the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, are attempting to bring the troubled city under control before the upcoming constitutional referendum in October and the national elections in December.

The unit has been conducting patrols and searching homes in the nearly deserted city, as well as questioning the few local residents who failed to leave. The city was emptied of people prior to the operation.

The paratroopers arrived in the city ready to fight, but opposition was far less than what the newly-arrived Soldiers had expected.

“It was less resistance than we had anticipated from the [intelligence] reports we received,” said 2nd Lt. Steve S. Taylor, fire suppression officer for Company B.

Even with the lack of opposition at the onset of the mission, the paratroopers are prepared to face any upcoming challenges when the local populace returns to their homes.

“Once these people start moving in, we’re going to have a lot more responsibilities, and we’re going to have to keep our guard up … not all of these people coming back are the good guys,” Taylor said. “We just have to keep our guard up, make sure we get out there and conduct patrols.”

As temporary residents of the city, the “White Falcons” will strive to build friendly relations with the people of the war-damaged city, Taylor said.

The 2/325 hopes the future relationships it builds will help identify any remaining insurgents, he added.

To help build those relationships, making repairs and cleaning up the city will be some of the mission focuses for the paratroopers during their stay here.

“There is a lot of damage to the city and their homes. Now we have to help rebuild it,” Taylor said.

The White Falcons already completed a portion of their mission here — they made the city safer.

“We did the best we can on getting rid of all the bad guys, cleaning up the [improvised explosive devices] and the booby traps,” Taylor said.

In the first four days of the operation, the 2/325 found seven IEDs, said Capt. Jonathan Norman, the battalion intelligence officer.

Several elements of the battalion also found weapons caches and extremist propaganda, Taylor said.

The length of the paratroopers’ mission here is undetermined. They will stay in the city as long as the situation calls for but are able to relocate to other parts of the country

Coalition Forces Apprehend Doctors, Prevent Terrorist Clinic
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2005 – Coalition forces have captured two key terrorist medical doctors, dealing a serious blow to al Qaeda attempts to establish treatment facilities for terrorists in Iraq, military officials here announced this week.
Coalition forces acting on multiple intelligence sources and tips from concerned citizens raided two suspected terrorist locations in the Baghdad and Baqubah regions Aug. 29 and 30 to capture known terrorists operating in the areas, officials said.

Anis Abd-al-Razaq Ali Muhammad, also known as Dr. Anis or Dr. Saad, was captured during those raids. Dr. Saad is an admitted terrorist and senior member of al Qaeda in Iraq.

Coalition forces also captured Mazen Mahdi Salih Mahdi Khudayr, also known as Abu Abdullah, Dr. Mazen or Dr. Layth. He is an admitted senior terrorist, weapons dealer and medical doctor who worked for an al Qaeda leader in Baghdad.

In addition to treating wounded terrorists, Layth sold weapons and explosives to terrorists to kill Iraqi security and coalition forces. He has admitted to visiting neighboring countries to buy weapons and explosives and then smuggling them back into Iraq, where he would sell them to his terrorist connections in Baghdad. One such purchase was to provide arms to a terrorist assassination platoon, according to documents recovered by coalition forces.

Saad was one of the terrorist organization's key physicians. He is a pharmacist, but he was also acting as an unaccredited medical doctor, treating wounded terrorists in and around the Baghdad area. He prescribed and provided drugs and medication and was actively involved in the treatment of terrorists' wounds.

Additionally, senior members of the al Qaeda terrorist network in Baghdad commissioned Saad and Layth to open a clinic to treat wounded terrorists in the area. They met on numerous occasions to discuss the endeavor and were in the process of selecting a suitable location and obtaining additional assistance when they were captured.

This is the second known instance of terrorists attempting to open such a facility in the Baghdad area, military officials said. Another doctor, who was captured in June, was also commissioned by senior al Qaeda leaders in Iraq to set up a clinic to treat wounded terrorists.

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)

Terror Suspects Detained; IED Cleared in Samarra
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2005 – Iraqi troops captured and detained three men after being attacked Sept. 21 in western Fallujah, Iraq, military officials reported.
Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force, were acting in support of coalition forces when they came under small-arms fire at a manned post. The troops withheld fire and dispatched a quick reaction force to the vicinity, from which the estimated 40 rounds of rifle fire originated.

The military-aged male suspects were detained from a large crowd after questioning revealed anti-American propaganda in their possession.

The suspects are being held pending further investigation.

Elsewhere, Iraqi police captured three suspects near Udaim Sept. 21 after coming under small-arms fire.

Police officers returned fire and captured the individuals, who were detained for further questioning by authorities.

In Rawah, Iraqi army troops detained two men for possessing duplicate identification cards Sept. 21.

Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force, questioned and detained the individuals during cordon-and-knock operations. In other developments, Iraqi security forces and coalition personnel found and cleared an improvised explosive device Sept. 21 in Samarra.

The bomb consisted of two artillery rounds -- one 122 mm and one 125 mm -- that were partially buried. Red detonation cord was protruding from the fuse wells. No initiating devices were found with the munitions.

Iraqi explosive ordnance personnel secured the rounds for later destruction.

(Compiled from Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq news releases.)




Related Site:

A Task Force Baghdad soldier died when a vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in central Baghdad, and a Task Force Liberty soldier died of injuries suffered in a vehicle accident near Kirkuk.
The names of the soldiers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
In other news, Iraqi army and Task Force Baghdad soldiers, patrolling together and independently, continued to disrupt terrorists' ability to attack coalition forces and innocent civilians by finding five large weapons caches hidden in and around Baghdad Sept. 19-21.
Together, the five caches consisted of 27 rockets and mortars, 20 mortar fuses, 14 rocket-propelled grenades with three launchers, and three hand grenades. The soldiers also found five AK-47 assault rifles, a machine gun, sniper rifles, 280 magazines, two pistols, and more than a dozen boxes of ammunition. Anti-coalition propaganda, fake license plates, and blasting caps were also discovered in the caches.
In other combat operations, Iraqi army and coalition forces captured 16 terror suspects during a series of raids carried out against suspected terrorist safe houses throughout Baghdad. In addition to detaining the suspects, the soldiers seized two missiles, bomb-making materials, six AK-47 assault rifles, a machine gun, and ammunition.
Coalition forces working in northwest Baghdad foiled a car-bomb attack Sept. 21. As the unit was traveling on a major highway, a car tried to enter the convoy and ram one of the U.S. vehicles. The vehicle swerved to avoid being struck, and the soldiers fired at the car, setting off the bombs inside.
The driver of the car managed to jump out and tried to run away, but the soldiers captured him and brought him into custody for questioning.
In other developments, a combined patrol of U.S. Task Force Liberty and Iraqi army soldiers discovered a weapons cache northwest of Samarra on Sept. 21. Explosive ordnance personnel destroyed the cache, which consisted of more than 300 57 mm mortar shells.
In the air war over Iraq, coalition aircraft flew 52 close-air-support and armed-reconnaissance sorties Sept. 21. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. Coalition aircraft also supported Iraqi and coalition ground forces operations to create a secure environment for ongoing Transitional National Assembly meetings, officials said.
U.S. Air Force F-16s and U.S. Navy F/A-18s provided close air support to coalition troops near Baghdad and Kirkuk.
Nine U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Royal Australian Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq. U.S Air Force and British Royal Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a nontraditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq, Task Force Baghdad and U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward news releases.)

ON PATROL � U.S. Army soldiers from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 82nd Airborne, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, Fort Bragg, N.C., radio information to headquarters during a patrol in Tal Afar, Iraq, Sept. 20, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. James L. Harper Jr. Hi-Res Photo

British forces using tanks have broken down the walls of the central jail in the southern city of Basra to free two Britons.
The captives were allegedly undercover commandos, who had been arrested on charges of shooting two Iraqi policemen.
Witnesses said about 150 Iraqi prisoners fled the jail as well.
Iraqi police detained the two British soldiers in the Basra jail following a shooting incident, a British military spokesman and police sources said.
Britain, however, denied reports late on Monday that its troops had stormed the prison to free two soldiers, saying the pair were released after negotiations.
UK denial
"We've heard nothing to suggest we stormed the prison," a Defence Ministry spokesman in London said. "We understand there were negotiations."
The spokesman said he had no more details of the soldiers' release.
British Defence Secretary John Reid said in a statement that
the two men, who have not been named, were back with British forces.
"I can confirm that the two British service personnel detained earlier today by the IPS (Iraq Police Service), have now been released and are back with British forces," he said.
"The situation in Basra is currently calmer after a day of
disturbances. At this stage it is not possible to be certain why these disturbances began."
Earlier in the day, British forces surrounded a police station in the centre of Basra after Iraqi police refused to release the two men.
The British forces were themselves surrounded by demonstrators who threw stones and the soldiers fired warning shots, he said.
Demonstrators then set fire to two British tanks, forcing soldiers to jump from the tanks. The soldiers withdrew without returning fire. It was not immediately known if there were any injuries.
Undercover soldiers
One Basra policeman said the two men who were detained were undercover soldiers, wearing Arab costume, who allegedly fired at a police patrol before being forced to stop.
At a recent military briefing in Basra, a journalist was told British soldiers had been ordered not to stop at Iraqi police checkpoints for fear that fighters could be posing as Iraqi police.
In another incident on Sunday, angry Shia militiamen from the Jaish al-Mahdi (al-Mahdi Army) demonstrated in central Basra after British soldiers arrested their local leader on charges of terrorism.
British forces confirmed they had arrested "three prominent individuals".
Ongoing operation
"The operation is the result of an ongoing multinational force investigation that identified individuals believed to be responsible for organising terrorist attacks against multinational forces," a British military statement said.
Three British soldiers and six other members of the international force have been killed in attacks in the Basra area over the past two months.
It was not immediately known if there was any link between the incidents on Sunday and Monday.
Iraqi journalist killed
Also in Basra, Iraqi journalist Fakher Haidar al-Tamimi, who worked for foreign media in the country, was found shot dead on Monday, after an overnight kidnapping, his wife said.
"Eight masked gunmen kidnapped him around 1am (2100 GMT Sunday) from his house in the al-Asmaey neighbourhood," she said.
"They tied his hands saying they were police and that they would bring him back after interrogation."
His body was found in al-Kiblah, a southwestern district of Basra, an area patrolled by British forces. "He was shot in the head," his wife said.
Al-Tamimi had worked as a freelance journalist for a number of Western media organisations.

Newly pinned U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer John Vincent salutes as he walks through ceremonial sideboys during a Chief Petty Officer pinning ceremony in the hangar bay of the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in the Gulf of Mexico on Sept. 16, 2005. The 47 new chief petty officers of the Truman were part of over 5,000 around the world who are carrying on the 112-year-old tradition of entry into the Navy's senior enlisted ranks. DoD photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Craig R. Spiering, U.S. Navy. (Released)

A U.S. Navy beach master from the USS Tarawa (LHA 1) guides a landing craft into position to complete a beach landing of troops and materials on the coast of Egypt as part of the multi-national Exercise Bright Star on Sept. 12, 2005. The exercise, held every two years in Egypt, is the largest and most significant coalition military exercise conducted by U.S. Central Command. DoD photo by Chief Petty Officer Gary P. Bonaccorso, U.S. Navy. (Released)

DOGGIE KISSES � Raymond Whipple, a fireman on the USS Tortuga, gives one of his new friends some attention Sept 17, 2005, in New Orleans. Whipple, along with other members from the ship, created Camp Milo and Otis two days after Hurricane Katrina blew through the city. The camp is for stray animals and pets needing shelter. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Air Force Maj. Francisco G. Hamm Hi-Res Photo

Raids in Iraq Net Suspected Terrorists, Weapons
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2005 � Early morning raids today resulted in the detention of five suspected terrorists and the confiscation or destruction of multiple weapons caches, military officials in Iraq reported.
In Samarra, three suspected terrorists were detained during a joint raid based on information gathered from Iraqi civilians. One suspect tested positive for explosive residue at the scene. The men told security personnel they were preparing two vehicles at the scene for use as bombs. Security forces destroyed the two vehicle bombs at the site. Iraqi army and coalition soldiers also seized $1,500, 66,000 Iraqi dinar, two cell phones, two combat knives and several blank identification cards.
In Ubaydi, in northern Iraq, coalition forces raided two suspected al Qaeda foreign fighter safe houses based on intelligence and tips from local citizens.
All foreign fighters had fled the first safe house prior to the coalition forces' arrival. However, weapons and a large amount of small-arms ammunition and bomb-making materials were found, as well as extremist propaganda. Coalition forces set delayed explosive charges, destroying the terrorist materials.
At the second location, coalition forces found a vehicle bomb rigged to detonate on command. Coalition close air support aircraft destroyed it. Coalition forces were leaving the area when they were engaged by terrorists. They returned fire, killing one terrorist. The others fled the scene.
In Baqubah, Task Force Liberty and Iraqi army soldiers on a joint raid detained two people and seized weapons, including a sniper rifle with a scope, a PKC machine gun and several assault rifles. The detainees were taken to a coalition base for questioning. Coalition aircraft flew 50 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties for Operation Iraqi Freedom on Sept. 16. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities, U.S. Central Command Air Forces said.
U.S. Air Force F-16s and U.S. Navy F/A-18s provided close air support to coalition troops near Iskandariyah, Muqdadiyah, Baghdad, Jallulah and Tal Afar.
Eleven U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq. U.S Air Force and Royal Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a nontraditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward news releases.)

.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Mildred Hughes, a Marine reservist stationed with the 24th Marine Regiment, Kansas City, Mo., stands first watch as a guard next to the memorial flame in remembrance of the victims of the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the start of a 24-hour memorial vigil at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, on Sept. 10, 2005. During the 24-hour memorial vigil, 10 p.m. Sept. 10 to 10 p.m. Sept. 11, a guard stood watch over the flame. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stephen Schester

CAIRO -- A formation of coalition fighter jets fly past the ancient Pyramids of Giza during Exercise Bright Star 2005. The historic fly-over brought several nations together to execute the peaceful mission in the early days of the six-week exercise. Photo taken 09/15/2005 by Cpl. Chad Leddy hi-res

More Photos

Bright Star 2005 (09/19/05) Enduring Freedom Gallery Four (09/07/05) Iraqi Freedom Gallery Six (07/11/05) September Front Page Photos

.S. Army Spc. Kevin Morris with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, plays a game of paddy-cake with a local Iraqi girl in Tal Afar, Iraq, Sept. 13, 2005. Iraqi army security forces with assistance from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, provide security for the region of Tal Afar in order to disrupt insurgent safe havens and to clear weapons cache sights in the area. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Alan D. Monyelle

PATROL DUTIES � U.S. Army Lt. Col. Christopher Gibson, second from right, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, speaks with a local resident of Tall Afar, Iraq, while out on a patrol with the battalion's Company A, Sept. 18, 2005. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. James Wilt Hi-Res Photo

Staff Sgt. Kenworthy, from the 21st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, scales a cliff beside the Euphrates River near Rawah, Iraq, searching for hidden weapons. This photo appeared on www.army.mi.

Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, roll through the desert in their Stryker vehicle during a patrol near the Iraq/Syria border. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Staff Sgt. Logan Griffith, from 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and his Iraqi interpreter, from the Hilla SWAT team, search a home in Diyara, Iraq, for insurgents and weapons. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Pfc. Lowery, from Company B, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, provides security from a rooftop while the rest of his platoon conducts a patrol throughout Rawah, Iraq, in search of hidden weapons and insurgents. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Soldiers from Company B, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, enter a house in Rawah, Iraq, where weapons are believed to be hidden. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Staff Sgt. Daniel Vallenavedo, from 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, scans a landing zone for insurgents in northern Baghdad. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Pfc. Svetlana Nikolaeva, a supply specialist from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, prepares for a convoy out of Forward Operating Base Dagger. Nikolaeva is a Uzbekistan immigrant who says she is proud to give something back to her new country by serving in Iraq. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Paratroopers from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, search for insurgents in southern Afghanistan near Qalat. Company B Soldiers and Afghan troops killed 12 insurgents. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Army National Guardsmen Spc. Clint Aucoia and Pfc. Christopher Tiffit attach cargo hooks supporting large sandbags to a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. The sandbags are being used to plug a New Orleans levee which was breached during Hurricane Katrina. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Spc. Timothy Houston, a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter crew chief from the 282nd Aviation Battalion, scans the flood-ravaged streets of New Orleans, searching for people who wish to be evacuated. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Soldiers from the Quick Reaction Force, Combined Joint Task Force 76, and their counterparts from the International Security Assistance Force, form a security perimeter near Kabul, Afghanistan. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Gen. H. Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, personally thanked National Guard Soldiers and Airmen for their work in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. In his remarks, made during a visit to Naval Air Station New Orleans, Blum noted that many of the Guard members who have answered the call to duty in areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina have done so at great personal sacrifice.

Whether it be postponing a honeymoon, missing an anniversary or being absent for the birth of a child, when duty calls these volunteers don�t hesitate to respond.

Helping those in need was on the minds of many National Guard Soldiers and Airmen who were waiting at the air station to get their mission orders.

Sitting on a New York City transit bus which would transport him to his temporary home in the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans, 2nd Lt. Chris A. Bird, a platoon leader with the Oregon Army National Guard�s Company D, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry, noted that a fellow officer, 2nd Lt. William Morgan, was married on Sept. 3.

In a matter of days the new groom boarded a military flight bound for New Orleans. Bird said Morgan, a platoon leader for the battalion�s Co. C, left with the rest of the state�s contingent on Sept. 7.

According to Bird, the Oregon National Guard deployed about 1,400 Soldiers to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Soldiers are operating in and around the French Quarter and Super Dome. Besides providing security, Bird said Soldiers are trying to prevent any more damage to the civilian infrastructure.

�We also help with evacuations when necessary,� he said.

Bird said that Spc. Heath Cooper, a Soldier from his company, will miss the birth of his second child, which is due within the next week. Cooper�s first child � a girl � was born while he was on an earlier deployment to Egypt, Bird said.

Births, marriages, anniversaries � all are among the milestones missed when duty calls. It�s a fact of military life that Guard members accept without hesitation.
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U.S. Navy Master at Arms 2nd Class Phillip Darity, a U.S. Navy dog handler, issues commands to his military working dog, Argo, while conducting a simulated training drill. Argo, who is trained as a bomb and patrol dog, has served in the Navy for about one year and is making his first deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Arlo K. Abrahamson

Fire!

The innocent always suffer the most

Those darn insurgent have to be hiding somewhere!

Morter attack

Another Insurgent heading to prison

U.S. Army soldiers from 3rd Brigade Reconnaissance Team, 3rd Infantry Division visit a town literally made from trash and mud on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq. The team talks with the residents making sure no insurgents have sought refuge. The soldiers also handed out school supplies, toys and candy to the childern. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Russell E Cooley IV) (Released)
31 August 2005

U.S. Army soldiers from 3rd Brigade Reconnaissance Team, 3rd Infantry Division visit a town literally made from trash and mud on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq. The team talks with the residents making sure no insurgents have sought refuge. The soldiers also handed out school supplies, toys and candy to the childern. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Russell E Cooley IV) (Released)

U.S. Army Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division scan the landing zone for possible hostile forces 26 August 2005. The soldiers provided a security cordon so their unit could build a playset for a local school yard in northern Baghdad. The mission was aptly named Operation Jungle Gym. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Russell E. Cooley IV) (Released) 050826-F-9712C-131

Tall Afar, Iraq (September 02, 2005) - A U.S. solider runs for cover while Iraqi soliders provide security. Iraqi Army Security Forces with assitance from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Tiger Squadron, Crazyhorse Troop Company enter a local residence in order to disrupt insurgent safe havens and to clear weapons cache sights in the area of operation.
Official U.S. Navy Photo by Photograher's Mate First Class Alan D. Monyelle 050902-N-9885M-188

A local child holds a "Beanie Baby" given to her during a humanitarian supplies drop conducted by the 1st Battailion, 4th Iraqi Public Order Brigade in the Al Rashid district of Baghdad, Iraq on August 17, 2005 US Army photo by: SPC David Kobi 050817-A-2662K-007 (Released)

FALLUJAH, Iraq - (August 29, 2005) An Iraqi Security Force (ISF) soldier provides security while other ISF soldiers move in to secure a selected target house during a training exercise. Marines are currently training the ISF in order to independently maintain control of Fallujah. 2d Marine Division and MNF-W conducts counter-insurgency operations with Iraqi Security Forces to isolate and neutralize Anti-Iraqi Forces, to support the continued development of Iraqi Security Forces, and to support Iraqi reconstruction and democratic elections in order to create a secure government that enables Iraqi self-reliance and self-governance. (Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Robert R. Attebury, 2d Marine Division Combat Camera)