Armed Locals Thwart Terrorist Attack in Duluiyah

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070518-05

TIKRIT, Iraq – Local citizens rushed to the aid of Iraqi policemen in southern Duluiyah and successfully defended an IP checkpoint from a terrorist attack, just northeast of Balad, Iraq, May 12.

Terrorists launched an attack on the IP checkpoint at approximately 11 p.m.. In response to the attack, 20 armed men from a nearby neighborhood assembled and quickly came to the aid of the policemen manning checkpoint. This grass roots effort contributed a significant impact in thwarting the attack, said Maj. John Throckmorton, operations officer, 3rd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.

A reaction force from 1st Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Iraqi Army Division, also responded to the attack as reports flowed to the Iraqi-manned Balad Joint Coordination Center.

“Iraqi emergency response procedures worked well at every level, from the initial report to coordination through the [JCC] to the response of the Iraqi army. The fact that local citizens also responded according to a plan they developed for neighborhood defense is very encouraging and demonstrates how fed up communities are with terrorist attacks and threats,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Dunlop, commander of the 3rd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment.

“This response is part of a continuing trend of local Iraqis taking responsibility for their own security and decisively ejecting terrorists from their neighborhoods,” said Throckmorton.