MNF-I

Multi-National Division – North Soldiers killed seven terrorists during a firefight east of Khan Bani Sa’ad, Iraq, in the early morning hours of Feb. 25.

Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., were ambushed while conducting an operation to capture a known al-Qaeda in Iraq operative. When the Soldiers closed within 30 feet of the target house, they came under attack by small arms fire and grenades. Three MND-N Soldiers were injured in the initial attack.

The troops, shielding the wounded with their bodies, returned fire, killing three terrorists. A scout weapons team observed several more fighters fleeing the target house and engaged them with rockets, killing four.

Two suspected AQI were detained, including the targeted AQI member.

“Everyone fell back on the training, and no one panicked,” said Staff Sgt. Carl VanDyke, section leader, 2nd Platoon, Troop C, 2-1 Cav., who was one of the Soldiers involved the attack. “Everyone was calm and engaged the enemy bravely. This was an example of great teamwork between the ground and air units.”

The wounded Soldiers are in stable condition at Coalition hospitals.

DVIDS
Story by Pfc. Kirby Rider

The early morning mission conducted by Iraqi army and coalition forces on Feb. 8 brought them into an area that was believed to be a former al-Qaida in Iraq stronghold to look for weapon caches and to kill or capture any remaining AQI.

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., working side-by-side with Iraqi army soldiers cleared the towns of Big and Small Windiyah along with al-Saiyid, Iraq, a village to the south.

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