Operation Phantom Phoenix: Tip leads MND-North Soldiers to extremist car bomb factory and large cache

Multi-National Force-Iraq

Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20080115-02
January 15, 2008

Operation Phantom Phoenix: Tip leads MND-North Soldiers to extremist car bomb factory and large cache (Salah ad Din)

Multi-National Division – North PAO

SAMARRA, Iraq – Multi-National Division – North Soldiers discovered a car bomb factory, terrorist command cell and large cache in the western desert of Salah ad Din province Jan. 8 as a result of tips from local citizens during Operation Phantom Phoenix, a countrywide effort to kill or capture al-Qaeda and other extremists.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) found an extensive enemy training camp, training manuals, video equipment, four vehicle-borne IEDs, 1,000 pounds of homemade explosives, 30 pressure plate road bombs and multiple mortar rounds.

“The Soldiers of the “No Slack” Battalion severely weakened the enemy operating in southern Salah ad Din province when, thanks to the help of an informant, they discovered and destroyed an enemy training camp and sizeable explosives cache,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Hauerwas, 1st Brigade Combat Team executive officer. “The action degraded the enemies’ ability to intimidate and terrorize the people of Iraq.”

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION – NORTH PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE AT: MNDNPAO@1AD.ARMY.MIL OR DSN 318-856-0218 FOR HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS, PLEASE CONTACT THE DIGITAL VIDEO AND IMAGERY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM BY CALLING (678) 421-6612 OR ACCESS THEM ON-LINE AT WWW.DVIDSHUB.NET <FILE://WWW.DVIDSHUB.NET>.