Operation Augurs of Prosperity

Operation Augurs of Prosperity
Part of the Iraq War, Post-invasion Iraq
Soldiers from the 2nd Squadron, 3rd ACR, provide security during Operation Sabre Pursuit in eastern Diyala.
Date 29 July 2008 – 11 August 2008 (first phase)[1] Location Diyala, Iraq Result U.S.-Iraqi Victory
Belligerents
United States  Iraq	Islamic state of Iraq Other Iraqi Insurgents
Commanders and leaders
Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling	Basem al Safaah (POW)
Strength
50,000 Iraqi soldiers and police 3,000 U.S. soldiers	Unknown
Casualties and losses
51 security forces killed[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] 7 Sons of Iraq killed[11][12][13]	15 killed,[2][4][5][14] 800 captured[15]
At least 70 civilians killed[5][6][8][13][16][17][18]

Operation Augurs of Prosperity (Arabic: Bashaer al-Kheir^[1]) was an Iraqi operation against insurgents in Diyala, north-east of Baghdad. The operation was launched on 29 July 2008 by elements of at least three Iraqi Army divisions, with four U.S. armored cavalry squadrons from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment in support. The U.S. led operation was designated Operation Iron Pursuit and consisted of three sub-operations: Sabre Pursuit, Eagle Pursuit and Bastogne Pursuit.

According to the Iraqi Ministry of Defence, the first phase of the operation was concluded on 11 August. Major-General Mohammed al-Askari reported that the Iraqi security forces had achieved half of the goals set for the operation. Al-Askari reported that 800 suspects had been arrested, including 42 Islamic State of Iraq leaders.^[1]