Cavalry Unit Responds to Insurgent Activity

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO Multi-National Division – Center PAO
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Center Soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment and Iraqi Security Forces combated an increase in violence in and around Jisr Diyala, a town east of Baghdad, March 26-28.

On March 26, 3-1st Cav. Regt. Soldiers were engaged by small-arms fire from insurgents. During the days following, enemy activity increased, leading to AH-64 Apache attack helicopters from the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade engaging five insurgents in the early hours of March 28.

During the three-day period, nine insurgents were killed, two were wounded and another 23 were detained by Iraqi National Police.

“We have seen a significant increase in enemy activity in the last two days in Jisr Diyala,” said Maj. David Guthrie, from Hampton, Va., operations officer for 3-1st Cav. Regt. “Two days ago, we had patrols involved in sustained small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade engagements.”

Guthrie was involved in a firefight with insurgents on the north side of Jisr Diyala while on a combat patrol March 27.

“We were stopping to talk with the men at Sons of Iraq and National Police checkpoints,” he said. “We had received reports that insurgents were driving around with weapons telling the men at the checkpoints to throw down their arms and desert their posts or face being attacked.”

Caught in a cross-fire, Guthrie and his patrol called for assistance. Shortly after, U.S. Army attack helicopters and fighter aircraft were assisting the patrol, while the NP cleared the insurgents from an adjacent palm grove, Guthrie said.

In a separate incident during the early-morning hours of March 28, five men were observed acting suspiciously in the city. Attack aviation pilots conducted a further reconnaissance and determined hostile intent. The attack helicopters engaged the men, killing the five suspects.

“During the three days of fighting in Jisr Diyala, the ISF and Sons of Iraq held their ground and took the fight to the enemy,” said Maj. Dave Fivecoat, from Delaware, Ohio, the 3rd HBCT operations officer. “I’ve been encouraged by our ISF and SOI partners’ determination to stop the violence.”

The 3-1st Cav. Regt., is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.