Unit Blasts ‘desperate’ Al-Qaida Element, Kills One

By Maj. Joe Sowers
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, engaged an insurgent force with small arms and multiple aerial assets, Nov. 6, at Combat Outpost Cahill near Salman Pak, resulting in the death of at least one insurgent.

Soldiers manning guard tower positions on COP Cahill engaged insurgents with small arms fire following a suspected al-Qaida indirect fire attack on the post. A battalion mortar crew fired six 60mm mortar rounds and one 120mm mortar round in response, as well.

Lt. Col. Jack Marr, from Minneapolis, 1-15th Inf. Regt. commander, believes the daytime attack is proof of al-Qaida’s desperation. He stated an increase in economic alternatives and improvements in essential services that have coincided with his unit’s presence in the area as being “points of pressure” on the terrorist organization.

“Before our arrival, al-Qaida enjoyed a certain level of tacit support from the people,” Marr said. “With the help we have provided, with more jobs and restoring essential services, the people are realizing they can stand on their own and separate from these (insurgents).”

Soldiers on COP Cahill reported that two 60 mm mortar rounds landed on the outpost and two to three rounds impacted near the outpost shortly thereafter. Both Company A and B Soldiers of 1-15th Inf. Regt. engaged a small enemy element with machine guns and sniper rifles during the initial contact.

Two more mortar rounds impacted outside of the post and the unit retaliated with AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and Air Force A-10 fighters. The four Apache helicopters and two A-10s expended ammunition on enemy positions. Bradley Fighting Vehicles and mortar crews supported this final engagement as well.

Marr believes the attack was conducted by an insurgent element, most likely al-Qaida, looking to “shore-up” support among the populace. He estimates the enemy element was attempting to entice coalition forces to overreact or “lash out” the local population.

“In some ways, this is exactly what we want them to do,” Marr said. “One of the hardest things to do in the counterinsurgency environment is identifying who the bad guy is and who the good guy is. If we force them to separate themselves from the population in the daytime, it’s an easier decision for a Soldier to make. It’s much easier for us to tell friend from foe.”

One unexploded enemy mortar was found outside of COP Cahill. Company E, 1-15th Inf. Regt. Soldiers detonated the explosive in a controlled detonation. Soldiers active in the engagement estimated that they killed four insurgents, but only one body was recovered following the clash

The 1-15th Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V since March.