Marine Expeditionary Unit Pressures Insurgents
Camp Ripper, Iraq - Elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit continue to apply pressure on the insurgency in western Iraq and Al Anbar Province. The MEU shows no sign of slowing the pace in advance of the upcoming elections in January 2005.
Lifted by helicopters from the MEU's aviation combat element, elements of the MEU's ground combat element conducted a helo-borne raid that detained 17 individuals, believed to have terrorist ties, in the town of Al Bu Hardan Monday morning, Dec. 27.
The raid also discovered a weapons cache consisting of AK-47s, a rocket propel grenade launcher and other small arms. Other items uncovered were videotapes, documents, and false passports.
Meanwhile, elements of the MEU's reconnaissance unit conducted limited-scale raids in the city of Hit and the village of Baghdadi, capturing and detaining seven individuals with terrorist ties. The 31st MEU targeted known terrorist safe houses during the carefully planned raids.
Three individuals were detained from the raid in the city of Hit. Five follow-on raids resulted in the detention of the four other individuals in Baghdadi. Of the seven detainees from the raids in Hit and Bagdhadi, five are suspected to be key facilitators of terrorism in the 31st MEU's area of operations.
On Tuesday, Dec. 28 elements of the 31st MEU's small craft company and ground combat element seized two weapons caches in Haditha.
The Marines were conducting cordon and knock operations when they uncovered the weapons caches that consisted of the following:
(1) 82mm Mortar System
(1) 22mm Anti-Aircraft Cannon System
(1000) 22mm Anti-Aircraft Rounds
(24) 82mm Mortar Rounds
(15-20) Electrical Blasting Caps
(2) Mortar System Bipods
(46) 82mm Mortar Fuses
7.62mm Ammunition
4-½ inch Sticks of TD-4 Dynamite
Rocket Propelled Grenade Rounds
Various High Explosive Rounds
Marine engineers will conduct a controlled detonation in order to destroy the weapons and munitions.
The 31st MEU continues to enhance security and stability to the Al Anbar Province in advance of the upcoming Iraqi elections.
Release #0412028p
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