QRF-1 clears al-Latif

080503-M-2658B-LATIF (3)

AL-LATIF, Basra, Iraq (May 3, 2008) – Quick Reaction Force 1, 1^st Iraqi Army Quick Reaction Force continued its successful operations in Basra today by clearing the neighborhood of al-Latif.

     At dawn this morning, QRF 1 moved into al-Latif and began searching homes for illegal weapons, explosives and criminals.

     QRF 1 was deployed to Basra from al-Anbar province by the Government of Iraq April 1 to assist local Iraqi security forces in bringing peace and security back to the city during Operation Charge of the Knights. Operation Charge of the Knights is a Government of Iraq initiative to eliminate criminal gangs that had been attacking government forces and Coalition units in and around the city.

      To date QRF 1 has participated in the clearing of al-Quibla, al-Hyyaniyah, al-Huteen, al-Jumhuriya and now al-Latif. All told, these operations have netted hundreds of mortars and rockets, dozens of machine-guns and detainees and thousands of rounds of ammunition that now cannot be used by the criminals to further disrupt daily life in Basra.

      The clearing of al-Latif alone resulted in several cache discoveries, that included 33 AK-47s, 2 machine-guns, a rocket propelled grenade launcher, six 82mm mortars, four 122 mm artillery rounds, and more than a thousand rounds of small arms ammunition. QRF 1 also detained 30 suspected criminals for further questioning and raided and demolished the residence of a known IED maker and militia leader.