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| Iraq |
| State Dept. Weekly Report on Iraq |
| 2006-12-08 |
| Highlights. I guess the ISG never read this unclassified report. Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition operations against al-Qaida in Iraq in November resulted in 522 suspected terrorists detained and 126 terrorists killed. This is about 28% of the anti-Iraqi forces that were killed during the month of November. CF uncovered a weapons cache in a neighborhood of southern Baghdad just south of Rusafa December 2. Among the munitions discovered were three complete car bombs, 700 pounds of explosives, RPGs, mines, grenades and small arms. Additionally, CF located two SA-14 surface-to-air-missiles behind a false wall in a nearby house. The Iraqi Ground Forces Command assumed operational control of the 3rd Iraqi Army (IA) Division December 5, making it the third of ten Iraqi Divisions to be completely under Iraqi control. This transfer occurred as the 3rd IA Division also officially took over security duties in western Ninewa province, bringing the level of Iraqi divisions independently in the security lead to 70%. Iraqi Army Graduates First Sniper Class: After seven weeks of training, nine Iraqi soldiers graduated from the advanced marksmanship and sniper “train-the-trainer” course in a ceremony at Besmaya range 30 kilometers east of Baghdad December 1. The recent graduates are now qualified to return to their units and train other prospective snipers in the techniques of urban sniper operations. Another case of the ISG recommending something already underway. IA Continues to Increase Capability to Mass Brigade-Size Elements, Control Battle Space: • Six companies from the 9th IA Division and one Coalition company conducted an operation to the west of Iskandariyah to disrupt insurgent activity November 29, detaining 83 anti-Iraqi forces. • Two days later, the 9th IA Division launched a series of targeted raids in Yusifiyah, focused on capturing terrorist forces responsible for executing Iraqi civilians. They encountered heavy resistance in a complex urban environment, requesting air support through their embedded Coalition trainers. The six hour operation resulted in 43 anti-Iraqi force suspected members detained and another 20 killed during the firefight. • The 2nd Brigade of the 5th IA Division conducted point raids and a cordon and search within Khatoon south of Baquba December 2, targeting 14 individuals. Of the 14, Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) located and detained ten. Additionally, they found a weapons cache in a local mosque and located and freed a kidnapped teenager. During the week of November 29-December 5, electricity availability averaged 7.3 hours per day in Baghdad and 10.1 hours nationwide. Electricity output for the week was 9% above the same period in 2005. The last thing I read in the Washington Post, before the elction, said 2.3 hours per day in Baghdad. On the front page. Crude oil production is 87% of target last week, exporting 1.7 million barrels per day. Some nifty graphics at link, showing aerial view of some of the operations discussed (pages 11-13), also a graphic showing the areas under Iraqi Army control (page 14). Several reconstruction projects highlighted, too, for those not bored by such mundane details. Too bad the MSM can't find this, either. |
| Posted by:Bobby |
| #2 Electric is reported as averages. Within Baghdad, different neighborhoods will have different amounts. Remember, most of the lack of electric is now due soley to sabotage by Iraqi terrorists. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2006-12-08 10:38 |
| #1 The kill ratio - terrorists to US troops - is barely over 1 to 1. That is not good at all. I long have advocated use of investigative detention of random civilians, to gather intelligence. Few would talk, but enough would produce hard-target data. |
| Posted by: Sneaze Shaiting3550 2006-12-08 09:37 |