Increased attacks on Iraqi forces south of Baghdad

[David]

AP


CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Iraqi forces in the area south of Baghdad are increasingly being targeted by militants as U.S. forces hand over more responsibility, American officials said Wednesday.

The violence, however, has not risen to a level that it would affect U.S. military plans to continue turning over more tasks to local counterparts, Gen. Carter Ham, the commander of U.S. Army Europe, was told during a short trip to Iraq visiting Europe-based units.

The news came even as miltiary spokesman Maj. Gen David Perkins told reporters that the number of attacks in Iraq as a whole has dropped to its lowest levels since the months following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Perkins also said the number of American troops, Iraqi security forces and civilians killed also have dropped dramatically since the height of violence.

Ham visited with the Baumholder, Germany-based 1st Armored Division's 2nd Brigade Combat team, which is responsible for the southern Rashid area of Baghdad, and a belt around the south of the Iraqi capital that includes Baghdad International Airport.

Since the unit arrived early last year, attacks on U.S. forces in the area have fallen by about half, from a little less than one a day to less than one every two days.

In the last month, however, there have been increased attacks on Iraqi and police leadership, largely using magnetic mines targeting specific vehicles, brigade intelligence officer Maj. Pat Kaune told Ham.

Al-Qaida in Iraq and Shiite militia groups appear to be trying to re-establish themselves in the area, he said.

But, he added "we don't see any trends that are cause for concern that the ISF (Iraqi security forces) can't handle."

In Iraq as a whole, the U.S. military reports it has seen attacks on its forces drop from about 450 per week at the start of 2008 to about 100 per week for the last three months.

At the same time, trained Iraqi army forces are now up to some 220,000, while the police forces have grown to 382,000 people — a total of about 200,000 more police and military personnel than at the start of 2007, according to the U.S. military.

The level of their professionalism has also improved significantly, said Lt. Col. Wayne Marotto, a public affairs officer for the 2nd Brigade at Camp Striker.

"The Iraqi security frces are going to step up, because they are capable of protecting their country," he said. "They're doing in independent operations as it is. We're still going to have to assist them... but when it comes to the heavy fighting, they're going to handle that. In the last two years, they've come a long way."