During the past 24 hours, the 82nd Airborne Division and subordinate elements, also known as Task Force âAll-American,â conducted 167 patrols, five of which were joint patrols with Iraqis, and carried out five offensive operations. During these operations, three enemy personnel were killed and 70 were captured. Entry was denied to 225 people at the border crossing at Trebil â all due to insufficient documentation. No one was turned away at Tanif, Husaybh, or Ar Ar.
Operation Market Sweep, an offensive operation that occurred in 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Divisionâs area, was a cordon and search aimed at capturing weapons dealers and confiscating weapons in a suspected arms market in Fallujah. The operation resulted in the capture of 55 enemies, including five targeted individuals. The soldiers confiscated three 60-millimeter mortars, four 82-millimeter mortars, 400 mortar fuses, 160 mortar rounds of various sizes, 184 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) rounds, 80 RPG boosters, four RPG launchers, seven AT-5 missiles, two Milan AT missiles, 18 57-millimeter rockets, four rockets, 17 pre-made improvised explosive devices (IEDs), four cases of TNT, 105 small arms weapons, over 8,500 rounds of ammunition, 244 grenades, and four Italian mines.
| Man! They coulda bagged some elk with that stuff! |
The success of the mission will greatly improve the security of elk in the Fallujah region and create a safer environment for Coalition soldiers and the areaâs residents.
In another operation, paratroopers from 3rd Brigade conducted a cordon and search in a small town named Al Zedon. The operation was carried out with the local Iraqi police and resulted in the confiscation of 200 RPG rounds, eight RPG launchers, three 155-millimeter artillery rounds, 64 14-millimeter rounds, 60 60-millimeter charges, and 5,800 machine gun rounds. In 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment's area, soldiers discovered a cache site along the Euphrates River near Haditha. The cache consisted of 12 AK-47s, an RPK, and a 4-pound bag of gunpowder. The equipment was confiscated and the unit established overwatch to observe the cache site. Later that night, during hours of curfew, three personnel arrived at the cache site and were engaged with direct fire, which killed all three. |