Operation Iron Reaper Launched in the Iraqi North

The Iraqi government and Multinational Forces Iraq continue to take the fight to al Qaeda in Iraq and its allied insurgent groups in the Northern provinces. On the heals of Operation Lightning Hammer II, a multi-division operation in the provinces of Ninewa, Tamin, Salahadin, and Diyala, Iraqi and U.S. forces have launched Operation Iron Reaper, a follow on operation in the same region. Iron Reaper, which consists of elements of four U.S. brigade combat teams and three different Iraqi Army divisions, was launched on November 27. “The purpose of Operation Iron Reaper is to continue the pursuit of al-Qaeda and set the conditions for continued reconciliation efforts in key Northern provinces,” Multinational Forces Iraq stated in a press release on the operation. Over 850 mortars, along with 70 rockets, various explosives, bomb making materials and manuals, and “about a dozen explosively formed projectiles” were found in various caches. Iran has been the primary importer of the deadly explosively formed projectiles land mines. “Task Force Iron’s previous division-level operation, Operation Iron Hammer, began the process of improving security in the north and set in motion reconciliation efforts. The reconciliation paved the way for the signing of 6,000 Concerned Local Citizens,” said the press release. The recruitment of 6,000 Concerned Local Citizens in the Hawijah region has set the stage to allow Iraqi and Coalition forces to push into the rural towns and villages in the Za’ab Triangle as well as push al Qaeda and insurgent elements form the population centers of Mosul and Kirkuk. U.S. and Iraqi security forces have launched two division sized operations in Kirkuk and the surrounding regions over the course of November. On November 5, U.S. and Iraqi forces launched Operation Iron Hammer, a division-sized operation, in the city and regions surrounding Kirkuk. Over 200 insurgent suspects were captured, including three high-value al Qaeda leaders. Iron Hammer was followed by Operation Raging Eagle, which also focused on Kirkuk and the surrounding regions. Over 50 al Qaeda operatives were captured during the operation. Al Qaeda in Iraq and other insurgent groups have been active in Mosul, Kirkuk, and Hawijah over the past several days. Today, insurgents shot and killed Sheikh Ata Allah Iskandar Habib, a leader in the Hawijah Awakening Council. “The gunmen set the two bodies on fire at the scene of the attack,” Voices of Iraq reported. Yesterday, the head of the Diyala Salvation Council escaped an assassination attempt. In Mosul, four police and seven insurgents were killed in a series of clashes. The four police were killed in an ambush, while the seven insurgents were killed by U.S. soldiers and Iraqi police. One more policeman was killed in an IED attack and three were wounded. North of Tikrit, Iraqi soldiers killed two suicide bombers, while three soldiers were wounded. On December 2, Iraqi police captured 12 suspected insurgents in Hawijah, while the Iraqi Army captured 17. Kurdish security forces also defused a car bomb attack directed at its headquarters in Northern Mosul.