Iraqis, Coalition Reestablish Security On Haifa

Story and photo by Spc. Shea Butler
7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment


BAGHDAD — The company of Soldiers starts the day before the sun, knowing in the back of their minds that it is going to be a long day full of fire fights with the enemy. As grenades detonate around them and bullets fly by, they target the enemy and engage immediately, proving that “courage is the absence of fear.”

For the second time in the past several weeks, Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division teamed up with Iraqi Army troops to take on insurgents on Haifa Street, in Baghdad’s Karkh district Jan. 24.

The Haifa Street operation, dubbed Operation Tomahawk Strike 11, aimed to disrupt insurgents in order to establish security, said Capt. Isaac Torres, commander, Company C, 1-23 Inf.
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(Photo: Sgt. Kevin McCallum , a native of Aikens, S.C., with Company C,1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, looks for his next accurate shot on insurgents on Hiafa Street Jan.24)

Update: Combined Operation Continues on Heated Haifa Street

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070127-04

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Seven suspected insurgents have been detained and a weapons cache uncovered as Iraqi Army, Iraqi national police and coalition forces continued a combined security operation on Haifa Street, Jan. 24.

Operation Tomahawk Strike 11 is a series of targeted raids to disrupt illegal militia activity and help restore Iraqi Security Forces control in the area.

As the operation commenced early this morning, coalition and Iraqi forces were engaged by an enemy mortar team before daylight broke on Baghdad. A single mortar round was launched by coalition forces and the insurgent mortar team dispersed.
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Iraqi Army, Police Team Up in Joint Operation On Haifa Street

Multi-National Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070105-03


Baghdad PAO
By Spc. Alexis Harrison
2nd BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

BAGHDAD – The 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment's Military Transition Team hasbeen overseeing operations performed by the 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi ArmyDivision for more than two months now. To effectively beef up law enforcement andsecurity in the area, another group of Iraqis stepped up to join into the fight to makeHaifa Street a safer place.

On Dec. 28, the Iraqi Army battalion teamed up with police from the Al-JeaferPolice Station in a joint operation to seize high-value targets and show the locals theyhad a police force they could count on, said Maj. Chris Norrie, the commander of the 4-9 MTT.

U.S. and Iraqi troops and the police targeted an area where intelligenceresources reported the wanted men were staying.
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