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HAWIJAH, Iraq (May 21, 2008) - Sheiks, villagers and Coalition
force members attended a reconciliation meeting held at Forward
Operating Base McHenry May 18.
The sixth meeting under Operation Restore Peace afforded a
pathway toward reconciliation to combatants who have been linked to
attacks against Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition forces.
The program, citizens call Musalaha, has been credited along
with the Sons of Iraq program, with more than a 90 percent decrease
in violent attacks against both forces and civilians in the Hawijah
district, located roughly 60 miles southwest of Kirkuk City in the
Ta'mim Province.
Since January, more than 200 citizens in the region have
reconciled during this operation.
"We came today of our own freewill," said Sheik Atta Muhammad
Hussein of the Obedi tribe in the district of Riyadh. "I tell my
children and villagers that we need to cooperate with our
government and our security forces. That is the only way our lives
will improve and that Iraq will prosper as a country."
Locals came from as far as the village of Al-Quodas,
approximately 20 miles northeast of Hawijah, to as close as Riyadh
some five miles up the road. Khalif Khudi Muhammid of the Abassi
tribe heard of the meeting from a local in a neighboring
village.
"He told me that I needed to go to Musahala here," Muhammid
said. "This person told me I had a choice."
More Iraqis here are becoming motivated to join the
reconciliation program as joint targeting efforts between the ISF
and CF with information given by citizens and Sons of Iraq
members.
The information obtained in the past two weeks has led to the
detention of 13 known criminals.
"Spread the word. Tell your friends, family and everyone you
know. The opportunity still exists to reconcile. But, time is
running out," Vanek said.
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