Stryker Soldiers of B Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Division take up blocking positions on the western outskirts of Baqubah, Iraq in support of Operation Arrowhead-Ripper, a major military offensive to clear insurgents from the city.
Nighttime air assault leads "Operation Arrowhead Ripper"
June 19th, BAQOUBA, Iraq – 10,000 soldiers backed by attack helicopters and close air support surged into Baqouba and its surrounding areas today in a large-scale effort to destroy al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists .
The 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, launched the offensive with a quick-strike nighttime air assault earlier today.
By daylight, attack helicopters and ground forces had engaged and killed 22 anti-Iraqi forces in and around Baqouba.
“The end state is to destroy the al-Qaeda influences in this province and eliminate their threat against the people,” said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek, deputy commanding general, operations, 25th Infantry Division. “That is the number one, bottom-line, up-front, in-your-face, task and purpose.”
Approximately 10,000 Soldiers, with a full complement of attack helicopters, close air support, Strykers and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, are taking part in Arrowhead Ripper, which is still in its opening stages. Elements of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, and the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, are also participating in the operation.
The combined attack against al-Qaeda was made possible by the "Surge" initiated ealier this year.
2 comments:
Good to see progress against al-Qaeda, but what's the bad news?
Try to report all sides please.
I figure you can go to CNN, the Washington Post and MSNBC for all the bad news you want.
We're trying to show you what these media outlets don't want you to see - by finally reporting the true picture on progress from the Surge.
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