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Bottom Up Reconciliation Continues
The grassroots reconciliation in Iraq, something the war’s current critics are completely ignoring, continues. Bill Roggio reports on the success of Operation Lightning Hammer:
Iraqi and Coalition security forces have wrapped up Operation Lightning Hammer, a 12-day security operation designed to eject al Qaeda in Iraq from the Diyala River Valley north of the provincial capital of Baqubah .
. . . Twenty-six al Qaeda operatives were killed and 37 detained during the operation. Ten weapons caches, six car bombs, and 22 roadside bombs were found and destroyed. US and Iraqi forces also gathered significant intelligence on al Qaeda’s operations and network in the region. “An al-Qaeda command post was discovered in the village of Shadia, and an al-Qaeda medical clinic was located in Qaryat Sunayjiyah,” Multinational Forces Iraq stated in a press release. “The command post, which was surrounded by fighting positions, contained bed space for 20 individuals, supply requests, records of munitions, a list of families supporting the element, a list of al-Qaeda members detained by Coalition Forces and other terrorist propaganda.”
The joint security operation cleared 50 villages. A permanent combat outpost has been established in the village of Mukeisha, “in the heart of the river valley area.” Iraqi and Coalition forces followed the combat operations with humanitarian and medical assistance.
Iraqi and Coalition forces are also engaging the tribes in the region to fight al Qaeda in Iraq, continuing the bottom up reconciliation and security process that has proven successful since the “surge” began. “More than 80 tribal leaders and representatives, some of whom had not spoken in over a year, met Aug. 19 to discuss their grievances and swore on the Quran to unite in their fight against terrorists and become one tribe of Diyala,” Multinational Forces Iraq stated. Just last week, the Diyala Salvation Council announced “the completion of all preparations to open 12 offices inside the province’s five districts: Baqubah, Khalis, Muqdadiya, Balad Ruz, Khanqin,” Voices of Iraq reported. “The new branches will coordinate between tribes and government departments, mainly security departments (police and army),” a member of the council told Voices of Iraq.