Pat Dollard | Young Americans

Just a couple days ago, and now this:

BAGHDAD – Extremist groups launched rocket and mortar attacks on residential neighborhoods and commercial areas of the Iraqi capital Oct. 12 – 26, resulting in the deaths of two civilians and wounding of 22 others.

During the same period, there has been an overall reduction in violence against Coalition Forces, Iraqi Security Forces and the civilian population.

However, despite fewer total indirect fire attacks during the month of October, innocent civilians continue to fall prey to these merciless extremist acts.

“There have been 21 total indirect fire attacks within the Baghdad Security Districts in the last two weeks, “ said Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, spokesperson for Multi-National Division - Baghdad and the 1st Cavalry Division. “Two-thirds of those attacks have directly targeted innocent Iraqis living in the Iraqi capital.”

Fourteen of the 21 attacks have directly affected civilians, as mortars and rockets continue to land within their neighborhoods and commercial areas. A large majority of these attacks have landed in the southern, East and West Rashid Districts of Baghdad.

Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces continue to quickly respond to such attacks and seek out those extremist groups responsible. Iraqi Army Soldiers from the 6th Iraqi Army Division responded to and investigated a recent launch site in the al-Amil area of West Rashid Oct. 25. The quick response helped facilitate a large cache find of 14 Katyusha rocket launchers, which were gathered in a storage building located in the al-Ardon school.

Using both ground and air assests, Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces have been able to quickly identify the source and origin of these attacks. In a recent attack against Coalition Forces, two extremists were quickly identified at a rocket launch site in a southern section of Baghdad. Coalition helicopters responded, engaged and killed the two-man rocket team.

“Coalition Forces, paired with Iraqi Security Forces and concerned citizens providing security, will continue to work together to investigate groups responsible for these attacks,” Bleichwehl said. “Our joint force is committed to working with the Iraqi people to help develop leads quickly that bring these perpetrators to justice.”
Recently, five men were detained when an ambulance they were driving was stopped by Coalition Forces. A search of the vehicle uncovered a 107mm rocket inside the ambulance, beneath one of the terrorists who was pretending to be sick. Following their Aug. 16 apprehension, all five were members of an extremist cell were convicted by Iraqi criminal courts recently. All five men have been sentenced to 15 years in Iraqi prison.