Operation Phantom Phoenix
Operation Phantom Phoenix was a major nationwide offensive by the Multinational Force Iraq that began on January 8, 2008 and followed the two previous missions, Operation Phantom Thunder and Operation Phantom Strike . The aim of the operation was to stabilize Iraq, protect the population and reduce violence in Iraq . The operation consisted of several different deployments by coalition forces in northern Iraq and the Baghdad region .
The operation in Northern Iraq is known as Operation Iron Harvest . The aim of this operation was to eliminate the 200 or so al-Qaida fighters who remained in the Diyala area . This operation was also carried out in the provinces of Salah ad-Din and Ninawa . The operation in the south was known as Operation Marne Thunderbolt and had the aim of capturing retreat points for the insurgents in the region around Baghdad. Operation Phantom Phoenix was also intended to shut down the remaining network of suicide bombers and al-Qaeda’s financial network.
background
According to Lt. General Raymond Odierno was the objective of the operation to ensure security in the nine largest Iraqi cities, with the focus on the capital, Baghdad. The operation can also be seen as part of US troop reinforcements that were completed in June 2007.
"Working closely with the Iraqi Security Forces, we will continue to pursue al-Qaeda and other extremists wherever they attempt to take sanctuary. [Phantom Phoenix] will synchronize lethal and non-lethal effects to exploit recent security gains and disrupt terrorist support zones and enemy command and control ... [The operation will include] a series of joint Iraqi and Coalition division and brigade level operations to pursue and neutralize remaining al-Qaeda in Iraq and other extremists. [In addition], the non-lethal aspects of this operation are designed to improve delivery of essential services, economic development and local governance capacity. "
- Lt General Raymond Odierno, Commanding General, Multi-National Corps-Iraq
Associations of the coalition forces involved
Multi-National Division-North
- 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 2nd Infantry Division - Diyala Province.
- 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment - Ninawa Province.
- 1st BCT, 10th Mountain Division - Kirkuk area.
- 1st BCT, 101st Airborne Division - Salah ad-Din Province.
Multi-National Division Center
- 3rd Infantry Division - South Baghdad.
- 2nd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division
- 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division
- 3rd Aviation Brigade
- 3rd BCT, 101st Airborne Division
- 214th Fires Brigade
Operations in Diyala and Salah ad-Din
On January 8, 2008, the Multinational Division - North launched Operation Iron Harvest in Diyala Province with the aim of destroying the al-Qaeda elements in this region. The operations focused on the region around Muqdadiyah . The operation followed Operation Iron Reaper , which began in November 2007. Operation Iron Reaper consisted of two parts: Operation Raider Harvest , which was carried out by the 2nd Infantry Division in Diyala, and Operation Warrior Harvest , which was carried out by the 10th Mountain Division in the Kirkuk region of northern Iraq.
In the run-up to Operation Phantom Phoenix , the Iraqi armed forces were deliberately not informed, as it turned out that the Iraqi army often transmitted messages unencrypted or with simple cell phones . Despite these measures, it turned out after the operation began that the insurgents had apparently nonetheless been warned and had left the affected provinces. Parts of the insurgents stayed behind, however, in order to slow down the further advance of the coalition forces.
Seven American battalions , supported by Iraqi units, penetrated an area of 280 square kilometers in the Diyala River valley. Diversion maneuvers had previously been carried out in the south of the area. Nevertheless, forward scouts of the US units found that an unusually high number of women and children fled the target region by car. Most of the insurgents had already left the villages, leaving only a few fighters and explosives .
During the 24-hour fighting in Diyala, 24 insurgents were killed and 10 captured. Three US soldiers died when their vehicle drove over a hidden explosive device. On the second day of the fighting, US forces suffered further heavy casualties while investigating a house that had been booby-trapped. Six US soldiers died and four were wounded. On the third day, fighting continued in the Muqdadiyah area, where eight insurgents were killed. Two more were killed elsewhere in Diyala Province.
On the seventh day of the operation, 15 insurgents were killed after heavy fighting broke out in the village of Buhriz near Baquba . Several Iraqi security forces were also killed there when the house they were investigating was blown up using an explosive device.
On day 10, an explosive device killed three US soldiers and injured another two.
On day 12, coalition forces announced that they had killed around 121 insurgents and captured 1,203 suspects so far. The same day, the governor of Diyala Province was murdered when an explosive device exploded in front of his home. Three bodyguards were killed.
On the 16th day of the operation, an important link between Baghdad and Baquba was cleared of booby traps and mines. Up until now, the road had been so heavily mined that vehicles had to take alternative routes every time to get from Baquba to Baghdad. It was also confirmed that day that 41 of the insurgents killed so far were al-Qaeda members.
On day 19, Iraqi security forces with the support of US special forces arrested an extremist leader and a terrorist financier in two separate actions in Safwan . Another leader of an extremist group suspected of carrying out mortar attacks on Iraqi troops was arrested.
By February 10, 2008, the coalition forces had completed a total of 74 different sorties as part of Operation Iron Harvest. 70 high-ranking extremists were killed or captured. 400 weapons stores, 700 explosives and three car bomb workshops were seized.
On the 42nd day, Iraqi security forces, with the support of the US Air Force, attacked al-Qaida elements that had holed up in the open area on Lake Tharthar in the Salah ad-Din province, about 120 km north of Baghdad. 10 extremists were killed, including a local commander. Abdul Basit al-Nissani , an al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, blew himself up after being caught by Iraqi security forces while crossing a river.
On March 25, British Special Air Service units launched an attack on a group of bomb builders. A British soldier, two insurgents and nine civilians died.
On April 13, troops of the Multinational Force found a mass grave near Muqdadiyah in which around 20 to 30 people were buried. According to experts, the bodies had been buried there about 8 months earlier.
On April 15, 53 people died in Baquba when a bomb exploded near a courthouse. Another 70 were injured.
On April 17, 50 people were killed and 55 injured in a suicide bombing at a funeral service organized by an Iraqi security officer. The assassin had entered the ceremony in mourning clothing.
Fight in Nineveh and Kirkuk
As part of Operation Phantom Phoenix , an operation was carried out against the last urban al-Qaeda stronghold, the city of Mosul . The offensive began in late January. Five US soldiers were killed when their patrol in Mosul was ambushed. The operation also included missions in the cities of Tal Afar and Kirkuk, which are also important city centers in Northern Iraq. Fighting also took place in some desert villages near the Syrian border.
Towards the end of April it became clear that coalition forces had made little progress so far. Secret service information was also available that the al-Qaida forces were regrouping and sending new teams of suicide bombers to Baghdad.
In mid-May, the Iraqi military therefore carried out a major offensive called Operation Lion's Roar (later renamed Operation Mother of Two Springs ) in Mosul. 1,400 insurgents were captured during the fighting. The operation ended in late May after the Iraqi army officially declared Nineveh and Kirkuk provinces secure.
However, in early June there was a whole series of attacks in northern Iraq in which dozens of people died, including many Iraqi security forces. US troops were also targeted again by the insurgents: four US soldiers died in two attacks and around 20 were wounded. Towards the end of the month there were increasing reports that all efforts in the operation had been in vain. Insurgents returned to the liberated cities and openly patrolled the streets.
South Iraq
Operation Marne Thunderbolt was launched on January 8th . It was the 3rd Infantry Division's largest operation in Iraq to date . The aim was to secure areas of retreat for al-Qaeda in Jabur. Compared to other missions, massive air strikes were carried out on the target region.
On the third day of the operation, B-1 bombers and F-16 fighter jets carried out a heavy attack on the Jabur district in southern Baghdad. Jabur was one of the few districts that remained under insurgent control after Operation Law and Order last year. According to reports from the US military, the ten-minute bombardment destroyed underground supply tunnels, weapons caches and booby traps. The air raid was followed by attacks by ground troops , and 12 suspects were arrested as a result.
On day 14, the third major air raid on the region since the start of the operation was carried out. The insurgents' infrastructure was again badly damaged. On February 15, Operation Marne Thunderbolt became Operation Marne Grand Slam . At the beginning of the operation, a new outpost was set up at Salman Pak . This region had been a bastion of the Republican Guard before the Iraq War. In addition, a new local administration was set up there. The development of local markets was also promoted with the help of many micro-loans.
On March 15, the Iraqi Army carried out Operation Marne Rugged with the support of the 3rd Infantry Division . As the bridges and canals in the region were in very poor condition, the main objective of the operation was to secure several fords over smaller rivers. In the course of the operation on April 10, a mass grave with 33 bodies was discovered by the Iraqi army near the city of Mahmudiyah . It was the first find of its kind in the area of operations of the Multinational Division Center since it was established as part of the 2007 troop reinforcements.
End of the operation
The fighting continued until the end of July. Both sides suffered heavy losses. In addition to the coalition forces, which lost around 60 people, the Iraqi security forces also suffered heavy losses, with around 770 soldiers dying. The insurgents lost nearly 900 men and 2,500 suspects were arrested. After the operation, the insurgents were almost completely expelled from Diyala province. On July 29, Iraqi forces conducted another operation in Diyala province aimed at restoring law and order for good. In contrast, the offensive in northern Iraq had only limited success. The rebels soon returned to the region in their old strength and again involved the coalition forces in heavy fighting. The main goal of conquering the last stronghold of the rebels, Mosul, had not been achieved.
Web links
- Task Force Marne ( Memento of February 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive )