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FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq (February 5, 2008) - About
1,000 residents returned to a town southwest of Baghdad last week
after learning coalition and Iraqi forces had secured the area.
When heavy fighting broke out in the Zambraniyah area in early
January, coalition forces advised families to evacuate the area to
stay out of danger.
As residents fled, blending in became difficult for al Qaeda in
Iraq members, enabling soldiers to identify and target them more
easily. Over the course of combat operations, more than 40
extremists were killed.
The 3rd Infantry Division's 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment,
4th Brigade Combat Team, currently attached to the 3rd Infantry
Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, is now helping displaced
families return to their homes.
Al Qaeda in Iraq infiltrated Zambraniyah last year. Local
citizens said those who refused to support the terrorists were
killed. Now, citizens are standing up to protect their community,
and coalition forces also have helped organize a "Sons of Iraq"
group to aid with local security through a program formerly known
as concerned local citizens.
More than 500 Sons of Iraq in the Zambraniyah area have been
recruited and organized into a force that works closely with the
Iraqi army and coalition forces. More than 100 improvised explosive
devices have been disposed of with their help, officials said.
As the civilian population returns to this agricultural
community, the hope is that economic activity will increase. U.S.
Army civil affairs teams working with the 6-8th Cavalry Regiment
are helping with economic assessments of the Zambraniyah community
and plan to offer micro-grants to small businesses.
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