Bliss Cavalry Curbs Down Attacks In Iraq
EL PASO, TX – The presence of Fort Bliss’ 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq has led to fewer attacks on coalition forces and local residents.
Colonel Stephen Twitty, the commander of the 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, announced that insurgent attacks have been cut in half since the force arrived in Iraq seven months ago. The announcement was made during a briefing for Department of Defense officials.
Before the 4-1 Cavalry arrived in Iraq to train Iraqi security forces in the Ninevah Province, attacks on coalition forces and civilians were occurring 15 to 18 times each day, said Twitty.
In a Department of Defense briefing issued in March, Twitty stated the number of attacks had fallen to between 10 and 13 per day. This weekend, Twitty said the figure was down to between 7 and 9 per day.
According to him, the lower figures are proof the 4-1 Cavalry is accomplishing the mission of training the Second and Third Iraqi Army Divisions and Iraqi Police operating in the province. Ninevah Province is the size of Maryland and has a population of 2.6 million people, said Twitty.
The results in the briefingwere met with optimism by the families of some 4-1 Cavalry members in El Paso. Some told ABC-7 it has been the best news they have heard since the cavalry deployed to Iraq.
“It makes me feel very good because I know that my husband is part of that impact…making things better…I couldn’t be more proud of him,” stated Angela Gonzalez, whose husband Lester is a sergeant stationed with the 4-1 Cavalry near Mosul.
Colonel Twitty said his men could not get by without the support they receive from friends and family back home. “I would like to thank our families and supporters in El Paso and Fort Bliss and the American people for their support,” he said.
