3rd BCT Soldiers Destroy Three Enemy Safehouses

Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, conduct a foot patrol through the village of Qusaba, near Salman Pak, Jan. 17. (Photo/Sgt. Timothy Kingston, 55th Combat Camera)

A photograph taken by an unmanned aerial vehicle of three buildings being used as insurgent safehavens. The buildings were destroyed by nine rockets from a Guided Multiple Rocket Launch System, Jan. 18.

By Sgt. Natalie Rostek
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Nine 3rd Brigade Combat Team rockets destroyed three insurgent safehouses near Salman Pak, Jan. 18.

Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment located three suspicious buildings during an operation Jan. 16 -17 in the village of Qusaba.

The buildings’ outer walls were knocked down so enemy vehicles could drive into the compound for concealment from coalition forces, said Capt. Josh Powers, from Atlanta, the 1-15th Inf. Regt. assistant operations officer. Powers said the buildings resembled parking garages.

After searching the buildings and vehicles, Soldiers reported finding propaganda linked to al-Qaida in Iraq.

Company C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery, currently attached to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division, launched nine rockets, destroying the three buildings.

“Destroying the buildings denies enemies a safe haven along the lateral smuggling routes in the Dragon (1-15 Inf. Regt.) area of operation,” Powers said.

The 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March, 2007.