Two people were freed from captivity and four others arrested and charged with kidnapping after a tip-driven raid was conducted by soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 5th Division, 6th Iraqi Army at the Salhiyah Apartments Sept. 8. According to Maj. Thomas Weiss, who is assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division and is the officer-in-charge of the District Joint Security Station in central BaghdadÂ’s Karkh District, the tip was provided from the mother of one of the victims being held. The tip was initially provided to the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division National Police, who oversee security in the area, and the mission of locating and freeing the individuals was then turned over to the 4-5-6 IA.
The soldiers performed a cordon and search of the apartment complex until they were able to locate and free the two individuals. After reaching the individuals, the Iraqi troops realized that one of the men who they had been sent to free was actually wanted by Iraqi Security Forces for questioning. He was detained along with the four other men being charged with kidnapping.
The five detainees were turned over and processed by the 5-2 National Police. Weiss said that the outcome of the mission goes a long way in building trust between the ISF and the people that they serve. “The fact that the 4-5-6 was able to take a resident’s complaint and successfully conduct this mission does wonders in building trust in the community,” Weiss said. “It lets them know that the IA is responsive to their needs.”