Insurgent Forces Near Ad Dawr Experience Defeat
Local Iraqi Soldiers recently staged and implemented a daring raid with the assistance of Iraqi Police and a small force of U.S. Military lending a hand.  Targeted to prevent and stop insurgent activities, the raid just before dawn was aimed to also demonstrate the growing independence, competence and professionalism of Iraqi National Forces.
U.S. Forces participated and provided support and guidance for the Iraqi IA forces, which has actually planned the entire mission, along with being responsible for the execution of mission parameters.
U.S. Army Military Transition (MiTT) of the First Brigade, 101st airborne personnel were assigned to the assignment.
Coined Operation Hellstorm, the mission was a rousing success in that the IA Iraqi Forces captured several of the identified “Individuals of High Value†that they and Coalition Forces have on the equivalent of a “Most Wanted Listâ€. Several IED explosives were also found hidden alongside the road and one was hidden under a bridge.
U.S. MiTT Forces, mainly on scene to advise and supervise, called in explosive experts from the U.S. Explosive Ordinance Team, who proceeded to explode the IED in their places. The presence and danger of IED’s is one of the reasons that U.S. Transition MiTT Forces go along with Iraqi IA forces on their larger missions.
Knowledge of military assets, tactics, advanced weapons and possible aeromedical evacuation operations is a key reason that MiTT forces accompany IA troops on their missions. Such experience and knowledge are areas that the Iraqi IA forces simply haven’t learned about or dealt with yet.
Local Iraqi IA forces have come a long way, and already they now conduct their own tactical missions and raids without the help of U.S. Forces MiTT.
