Local Sons of Iraq (left), greet Lt. Col. Ayoob, commander, Commando Battalion, 17th Iraqi Army Brigade, during Operation Al Sakar in the Owesat area, April 12. The Iraqi army and soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment conducted a counter insurgency operation in the Owesat area to clear the area of insurgents, weapons and explosives caches. Both forces goal was to hold and secure the Owesat area and deny insurgents the ability to use the area to launch attacks in the streets of Baghdad.