Coalition And ISF Assist Families Headed Home
The village of Chalabi in the Sayafiyah region was pretty much destroyed in earlier fighting that happened about two years ago. Insurgents and criminal forces ransacked the village, and the families that had lived there for generations fled. A number of Shia tribal members fled to other areas, and much of the village was a ghost town.
Nearly 16 weeks ago the forces of Coalition troops and Iraqi security soldiers began to patrol and secure the area. They set up checkpoints, and encouraged the formation of the Sons of Iraq in the region, to help secure and bring the blighted region back. As they became more and more established in the area, slowly the area has started to come back.
Residents and families have discovered that the region is no longer a security risk, and they are slowly starting to return. As the security began to get better, the news slowly began to pass word of mouth, from family to family. And they slowly began to make their way back into the village and surrounding area.
Soldiers from 101st Airborne, 3rd BCT, 187th Regimental Infantry, 1st Battalion, and Company C along with various units of the Iraqi military have worked very hard to secure the village and the surrounding area, with major success.
“The different families had began to hear that the village was safe, and now they are beginning to return in larger numbers,†said Captain Joe Johnson.
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Captain Johnson is one of the Commanders with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-187th Infantry Regiment.
Coalition troops are helping to find aid and work for members of the 150 families that have grown back into the region. Soldiers are making available basic tools such as bricks, wood, shovels and mortar as the men and families look to rebuild.
