Operation Marne Roundup Succeeds In Security Improvement
The citizens of Iraq have lived through a lot of disruption, stress and violence, but the conditions recently have led to a lot of hope for the locals.
“Extremists and insurgents are not able to threaten the citizens near as much as before,” said Colonel Tom James. James is the U.S. Army Commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
“It is very different here now, the people are not being threatened or intimidated,” said Colonel James. Colonel James is in his third military tour of Iraq.
“The local citizens and Iraqi leaders are tired of being threatened, or terrorized. They are done with it and have said ‘That is It’.” Stated James. “They are eager to help and provide information, and want to help provide security for their families and community,” said Colonel James.
In an Army Operation entitled Marne Roundup, Col. James and his troops have worked tirelessly to push Al-Qaida insurgents and extremists back, and to rout them out from their safe houses and sanctuaries. Working in the Babel Province, in the Euphrates Valley and River region, Colonel James has been witness to a slow, gradual improvement in the security situation.
Nearly thirty individual extremist and insurgent suspects have been arrested, that had been intimidating and terrorizing the region for a long time. These have been forced out into the open, and arrested.
Since arriving in the area on 1 December, Colonel James and his soldiers have found over 25 IED mines, 8 extremist safe houses, and nearly 10 different weapons and explosive caches. Since their arrival they have worked with local “Concerned Local Citizens” and other Iraqi leaders to make the area secure.