Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070424-02
April 24, 2007

Correction - Fardh Al-Qanoon Update Efforts Against Extremists Continue
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – Efforts to reduce the violence by Iraqi security forces and the coalition in Baghdad continue as Operation Fardh Al-Qanoon enters its
ninth week.

“Progress is measured neighborhood by neighborhood in an attempt to rid the capital city of extremists who are intent on terrorizing the population and undermining the elected government here,” said Brig. Gen. John F. Campbell, the deputy commanding general for maneuver with MND-B and the 1st Cavalry
Division.

He said Joint Security Stations, manned by coalition and Iraqi forces continue to stand up throughout the city and improve the overall security situation by maintaining a permanent presence in troubled neighborhoods.

“Threatened by the success of Joint Security Stations across Baghdad, Al Qaeda in Iraq continues to attack them with a combination of mortars, small arms fire and car bombs,” said Campbell, who grew up in Fairfield, Calif. “On April 16, we saw their efforts thwarted by alert Soldiers.”

At a JSS along the main highway out of northern Baghdad, the Soldiers on guard noticed a dump truck erratically driving towards the compound.

When they engaged the vehicle, it attempted to evade and tipped over, spilling its contents and failing to detonate.

Checkpoints have also seen their share of successes and are working to prevent additional civilian deaths, Campbell said.

He pointed out the Iraqi national police, running a checkpoint outside of Sadr City Saturday, halted a vehicle for inspection and prevented it from detonating inside Sadr City.

“The driver, a suicide bomber, realized he would not reach his target and detonated the vehicle at the checkpoint,” said Campbell, a 27-year Army veteran.

“He killed himself, and wounded one innocent civilian that was passing by at the time.”

Another initiative to improve security, Campbell said, is the emplacement of temporary concrete barriers around Baghdad neighborhoods that have experienced high levels of violence.

“The barriers are not meant to keep people out, or shut people in,” Campbell explained. “What they allow Iraqi and coalition forces do is to closely monitor the traffic in and out the area, though, and help ensure the safety of the residents.

"Barriers are already in place in Baghdad's Ameriya district, and reports from some of the residents there is that they welcome the steppedup security measures," Campbell said.

Clearing operations and cordon and search operations continue throughout the MND-B area of operations. Two recent security operations that have been very successful – one on Baghdad’s west side and the other in Diwaniyah, Iraq, a city south of the Iraqi capital.

“Operation Arrowhead Strike 9 began April 2 in the Mansour district,” Campbell said. “The operation detained 49 suspects and found 23 caches, demonstrating to the Iraqi people the commitment of the coalition and Iraqi security forces to secure this city by targeting anti-Iraqi forces.

Operation Black Eagle, which continues in Diwaniyah, began April 6 with the intention to disrupt illegally-armed militia activity in that city. Campbell said more than 100 suspects have been detained there, ten weapons caches have been uncovered and 11 explosively-formed projectiles were found in two separate caches.

“The Iraqi-led operation is bringing back peace to the people of Diwaniyah,” Campbell said. “In the aftermath of clashes with militiamen, the focus in Diwaniyah is now on maintaining security, reconstruction, the infrastructure and allowing residents to get on with their lives without fear.”

Successes are also occurring regularly inside of Baghdad, as Iraqi security forces and their coalition partners aim to disrupt insurgent networks through precision, intelligence-driven targeting.

Some of that intelligence is coming from the local populace.

In one such instance, Shia militia elements loyal to the rogue Jaysh al Mahdi (JAM) leader known as Abu Dura launched multiple rockets into the International Zone on Saturday, Campbell explained, as a response to the recent detention of several key leaders in this criminal group.

“In a sign that average Iraqis increasingly trust their security forces, a resident tipped off the national police to a second rocket launch site,” he said.

“The national police responded and disrupted the planned attack. Ten rockets were recovered before they could be fired. The police disabled the firing mechanism and removed the rockets for exploitation.”

To date, more than 200,000 patrols have been conducted in support of Operation Fardh Al-Qanoon. More than 300 caches have been uncovered and more than 800 improvised explosive devices have been found. The Iraqi Army, police and Iraqi national police continue to lead the security effort in support of
the operation, Campbell said.

The number of attacks against the civilian population of Baghdad has declined over the last six months Campbell said. In November 2006, 41 percent of all attacks reported in the city were directed against civilians, he noted.
During the month of April, 20 percent were targeted the civilian population.

That 50 percent decline in attacks on Baghdad residents Campbell attributes to the increase in security patrols, clearing operations on-going throughout the city and the creation of safer neighborhoods.

Campbell said that while attacks have continued to decline over the first nine weeks of the new security plan, some attacks have been very lethal in nature, noting the four vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonations within the MND-B footprint April 18.

“Al Qaeda in Iraq indiscriminately targets civilians across Baghdad intent only on causing chaos to undermine the government of Iraq and dishearten the Iraqi people,” said Campbell, 50, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. “We’ve deprived terrorists from attacking the
pedestrian markets in eastern Baghdad by enhanced security measures, so Al Qaeda in Iraq sought out new targets for their terror attacks like the bus depot near the Sadriyah Market during rush hour on Wednesday.”

Shia militia members have also brought their own brand of lethality to Iraq, in the form of explosively-formed projectiles. Since January 1, Campbell said 54 EFPs have detonated within his division’s area of operation against coalition forces, killing 19 service members and wounding 84 more.

“We’ve been able to find 37 EFPs since the first of the year, and we continue our efforts to shut down roadside bombers,” the general said.

Despite the bombings, the level of sectarian violence in the Iraqi capital has also decreased, Campbell said. There has been a sharp decline in the number of murders in Baghdad security districts.

“The April daily rate for murder victims is the lowest in the past six months,” Campbell said. He said there has been a 27 percent reduction in murders compared to last month, and a 65 percent decline compared to November 2006.”

Despite the reduction, terrorists continue to use sectarian slayings to intimidate the local populace. Al Qaeda in Iraq brutally executed members of the local Sunni population in Rashid security district who would not support their extremist doctrine.

“The bottom line is that we are in a very tough fight with our Iraqi security force brothers and the government of Iraq,” Campbell said. “We remain committed to them and the Iraqi people.”

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