3rd ID Air strikes take out extremist training area

By: By Sgt. Jason Stadel | WSAV-TV
Published: January 18, 2008

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Operation Marne Thunderbolt continued relentless pursuit of the enemy by attacking extremists operating south of Baghdad. On Jan. 16, 10,000 pounds of munitions were dropped on bunkers in Arab Jabour used by al-Qaeda in Iraq as training sites for new recruits.

Intelligence led the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. to the location of the AQI bunkers. Air Force B-1 Bombers dropped 19 GBU-31s on the site.

“This operation maintains the momentum of Operation Thunderbolt by denying enemy sanctuaries and enemy caches, ultimately downgrading their capabilities,” said Maj. James Wilburn, daytime chief of operations, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div.

In other events on Jan. 16 south of Zambraniyah, Soldiers from the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regt., 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. found two booby-trapped houses while on a foot patrol.

Air support was called by 6-8 Cav. to destroy the houses. Navy F-18 jets dropped a 500-pound bomb on each of the houses.