The 2nd Battalion, 11th Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement, partnered with Soldiers of the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, to assist the Iraqi Security Forces in the disruption of smuggling networks in November.

The American troops used air assets on a mission that began at the al Hawayza Border Fort. The operation was led on the ground by DBE personnel.

“The (Squadron’s) non-commissioned officers have been working to mold the 2-11 DBE men,” said Sgt. 1st Class Loshun Wilson.

Wilson and his Soldiers worked to stop smugglers from crossing a target area while another section coordinated on the ground with the DBE. The border patrol agents searched vehicles and detained smugglers as they came across the area.

“During our movements, we frequently observe training taking place without our presence,” Wilson said. “There is more work to be done, but the rate of improvement is impressive.”

The squadron’s Soldiers arrived at the fort to find that the DBE personnel had just completed their morning training.

“The (border patrol) leaders understand that we need to present ourselves in a heroic fashion to encourage the youth to follow in our footsteps instead of fighting against us and the Coalition forces,” said Capt. Hameed a DBE officer.

Prior to the emplacement of the DBE, weapons and criminals flowed freely from Iran to Iraq. Now, the DBE is preventing that weapon smuggling.

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Coalition forces continue to degrade the Iranian-funded Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq criminal network with the capture of a suspected key network leader and three associates early Monday in Abd al-Husayn al-Musawi, just north of New Bagdad.

Acting on intelligence information, Coalition forces targeted an alleged regional operations leader for Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, believed to be responsible for attacks against Iraqi and Coalition forces, as well as network recruitment in the Baghdad area.

Coalition forces approached a residence believed to be the location of the alleged criminal, where he identified himself to forces and was apprehended without incident, along with three associates.

Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq is assessed to have engaged in numerous EFP and IED attacks, as well as kidnappings, sectarian killings and other heinous crimes that threaten Iraq’s future. Iraqi and Coalition forces are working together to prevent Iranian-backed terrorists from endangering the Iraqi people.

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Coalition forces continue to degrade the Katai’b Hezbollah network with the capture of three suspected criminals Tuesday morning during an operation in Baghdad’s al-Basrah neighborhood.

Acting on intelligence information, Coalition forces targeted a Katai’b Hezbollah facilitator assessed to have close ties to network leadership.

Coalition forces approached the suspect’s location at a social club where they encountered three suspected Katai’b Hezbollah criminals. During questioning, Coalition forces observed that the three individuals were intoxicated, and were detained without incident.

Katai’b Hezbollah is assessed to be a proxy of Iran and its members are believed to be responsible for recent attacks against Iraqi citizens and Iraqi and Coalition forces. In the last two days, Coalition forces have detained six suspected Katai’b Hezbollah criminals.

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Coalition forces captured a suspected senior Special Groups leader Wednesday morning during an operation at Baghdad International Airport.

Intelligence sources report that the captured man is part of the most senior social and operational circles of Special Groups. Most notably, he is believed to be responsible for the planning of the June 24, 2008 bombing of the Sadr City District Advisory Council meeting, where six Iraqis, two U.S. State Department employees and two U.S. service members were killed. Ten other Iraqis were wounded in the blast. The man has been known to travel in and out of Iraq to neighboring nations including Iran and Lebanon, where it is believed he meets and helps run the Iranian-backed Special Groups in Iraq.

In order to maintain the safety and security of the passengers and patrons of the airport, Coalition forces waited for the wanted man’s plane to land, and in cooperation with airport authorities, detained the man without incident.

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An Iraqi citizen led Iraqi Army Soldiers to a weapons cache in the Sadr City district of Baghdad Aug. 4.

“We saved a lot of lives tonight,” said Maj. Gen. Muzer, commander of the 11th Iraqi Army Division. “We will never know how many, but this is something of which we can be proud.”

Iraqi Army Soldiers with the 3rd Battalion, 42nd Brigade, 11th Iraq Army Division, found the cache at approximately 7:30 p.m. The cache consisted of 28 107 mm Iranian rockets; one 107 mm Chinese rocket; seven 122 mm Russian rockets; 63 60 mm Iranian mortars; one 240 mm warhead; 25 Chinese fuses; 25 Iranian fuses; a propellant charge for a rocket propelled grenade; one 120 mm mortar tube; two Iranian 60 mm mortar tubes; one 81 mm mortar tube; eight 107 mm rocket launchers; eight mortar sights; improvised explosive device-making materials, and video tapes of attacks on Iraqi Security and Coalition forces.

The weapons cache consisted of new Iranian munitions with a manufacture date of early 2008. Both the 107 mm and 122 mm rocket types were used against the International Zone and civilian populace throughout Baghdad during late March and early May. There were approximately 1,100 rockets fired, resulting in 149 civilian casualties in that timeframe.

“This is a significant find not only because the IA has successfully eliminated a large cache of Iranian weapons, but also because this was entirely an Iraqi operation, supported by Iraqi citizens, deep in Sadr City where the IA operate independently of their U.S. advisors,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, public affairs officer for 4th Infantry Division and Multi National Division-Baghdad.

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