Stryker Brigade News

Full Articles:

A/2-8 Conducts Interdiction Operations

KILAT SHIN, Iraq – Before sunrise on August 21, A/2-8 Field Artillery (FA) conducted interdiction operations near the village Kilat Shin, discovering a caravan of shepards leading A/2-8 to a camp possessing several illegal firearms.

A/2-8, led by Cpt. Cherokee Parks, approached the camp when they caught sight of a man with a bundle in his arms scurrying away. A/2-8 stopped and questioned the individual.

Inside the bundle was a BKC rifle. A/2-8 then conducted a thorough search of the entire camp. Within the camp A/2-8 discovered several illegal weapons, to include 1 x BKC, 1 x AK-47, 1 x bolt action rifle, 14 x AK magazines (full), and 100 rounds of linked 7.62mm armor-piercing BKC ammunition.

Task Force Automatic confiscated and returned all items found to Q-West Base Complex. The owner of the BKC, Hussein Ubayd Ashwan, was detained for further questioning.

D/52 IN Detains Two Suspected Terrorists

ASH SHURA, Iraq – Early this morning, D/52 Infantry (IN) Company, led by Cpt. Thaddeus Wotjusik, detained two individuals suspected to be part of a shooting in Mosul yesterday.

Mahmood Thiyab Baz and Ahmed Thiyab Baz were detained during Task Force (TF) Automatic’s cordon and search operation in Ash Shura. Ahmed Thiyab Baz tested positived for TNT and both individuals are relatives of Abdul Kareem Al Baz. Abdul Kareem Al Baz was detained with Khalid Jasim Nohe by TF Automatic last December 21st and has recently been released from Coalition forces custody.

Nohe is the terrorist responsible for shooting and wounding the 1-24 IN Battalion Commander within TF Lancer yesterday. Nohe was shot and detained at the scene, but the unidentified passenger that was with Nohe escaped.

Due to Mahmood Thiyab Baz and Ahmed Thiyab Baz’s association with Abdul Kareem Baz, they may have information leading Coalition and Iraqi forces to the identity and location of the unidentified passenger from yesterday’s attack.

1/3rd Iraqi Army Detains Five and a Cache

AITHA, Iraq – On August 20th 1/3rd Iraqi Army (IA) Battalion, led by Brig. Gen. Ali Atala Malowh, conducted a cordon and search of a house in Aitha, with the help of C/2-8 Field Artillery (FA). They found a weapons cache and detained five suspected terrorists who were brought back to FOB Endurance for further questioning.

The night prior to the mission, Ali had received information from a concerned Iraqi citizen that a suspected arms dealer, Abdulla Asfoor, was at his house in Aitha. Furthermore, Ali was notified that there was also a weapons cache in Sharqat.

The local citizen was willing to go along on the mission and positively identify the house and the cache location.

The mission was planned and executed successfully. Five suspected terrorists were detained, to include Abu Abdul Rahman, Ramathan Shahban Asfoor, Hussen Shahban Asfoor, Ahmad Shahban Asfoor, and Hussen Hameed Mahmood Hadvy. All individuals tested positive for explosives with high readings.

The local citizen also positively identified the location of the cache in Sharqat, which consisted of approximately 400 lbs of TNT rods and a box of 1.5 anti-aircraft rounds. The cache was located on an island on the Tigris River. Ali requested a boat from a local citizen, and with his soldiers, he retrieved the cache. All were reduced on site by Task Force Automatic’s EOD team.

Botha Rogee Celebrates New Road Bridges

BOTHA ROGEE, Iraq – Headquarters Support Battery (HSB) of Task Force (TF) Automatic and local Iraqis joined together today August 17th, to celebrate the opening of Botha Rogee’s two new road bridges.

The original plan was to build one bridge over a wadi that carried 90% of the village’s rainwater during winter months. With the funding received from Coalition forces, however, contractors managed to build a second bridge over a separate wadi system. Both bridges are five meters wide and will enable the villagers to come and go as they please, regardless of how much water fills the wadis.

“Following a late lunch and chai with the local villagers, we began the ceremony,” explained Staff Sgt. Dale Horn. “The bridges turned out very well and the locals were pleased.”

Botha Rogee, just five minutes from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Endurance, has been working diligently on improving the conditions of their village. With the help of TF Automatic, the local Iraqis have completed nine other civil affairs projects to include electricity and water projects, a chicken farm and school renovations.