Leader of Enemy Fighter Group Located Near Khargulia Thanks to Tips from Local Citizens

As reported by Multi National Forces-Iraq, a weapons storage area was discovered and one individual was captured during missions by 3^rd Squadron, 1^st Cavalry Regiment.

Civilians that live in the area of the operation gave members of Troop A, 3^rd Squadron, 1^st Cavalry Regiment the information needed to conduct a search and capture the individual. He was located in a house near Khargulia and is thought to be a leader of a local enemy group that transports weapons for terrorist networks.

A weapons storage area was found later the same day by members of Company D, 1^st Battalion, 15^th Infantry Regiment with the 3^rd battalion, 1^st Cavalry Regiment while on a mission close to Jisr Divala. The weapons were located in a house that was being searched by members of the Company. Among the weapons and ammunition found at the scene there was also a large amount of Iraqi dinar.

The military soldiers in 3-1^st Cavalry Regiment and 1-15^th Infantry Regiment are out of Fort Benning, Georgia. They have been located in Iraq since March of 2007.

A mission with a goal of forcing al Qaeda members out into the open was recently conducted by Coalition and Iraq forces. The goal was to force out the enemy fighters as well as the weapons smugglers in the area of Iskandariyah. It was called Marne Roundup.

Members of the 4^th Brigade Combat Team, 3^rd Infantry Division and Iraqi Army were involved in the operation.

"The purpose of Marne Roundup is to defeat al-Qaeda in North Babil by denying them sanctuary and escape routes", Colonel Thomas James, commander of the 4th BCT, 3rd Infantry Division stated. "The plan is designed to catch them as they egress."

Military forces located and went into the area designated in the mission without struggle by enemy fighters. At the beginning of the operation two buildings were destroyed due to their use by extremists as an area to store weapons.