Operation Supervised And Supported By U.S. Special Forces
Iraqi Army and Police units continue to be trained and given the tools to take on more and more of their own countries security needs. Recently a unit of the Iraqi Emergency Response team was sent on a mission to An Nasiriyah in Southern Iraq. Their mission was to provide province assistance and security and help with continued operations against Al-Qaeda and extremist forces in the region.
The mission was at the request of the Dhi Qar province governor and was directed by the Prime Minister. Iraqi government has become more assertive in assuming more and more of the direct security missions in Iraq, and this mission by the Iraq ERU force is one example.
While on the mission the Iraqi Security Forces came under fire, with small arms weapons directed against the force in its Al Nasiriyah mission. During the exchange of gunfire, there were a number of Iraqi Police killed. The commander of the SWAT team in Al Nasiriyah was also killed in the skirmishes.
American Special Forces units trained the Iraqi Emergency Response Team, and a small number of U.S. Special Forces accompany the Iraqi ERU team on missions, assisting and offering guidance as they get used to their new responsibilities.
The rapid response of the new Baghdad unit shows the ability and increased reliability of the Iraqi Government to respond to issues defending its people. The ERU team is a rapid response swift acting unit, that has garnered praise over its handling of the last several situations. The Iraqi ERU is the equivalent of some of the United States specially trained counter terror units, and is sent to hotspots in Iraq as they arise.
