The Diyala SWAT team practices defending its building from a simulated attack in Baqouba on Feb. 18, 2007. Iraqi installations there come under fire daily, and the police and army units often abandon their posts. Roadside bombs are also common on the roads U.S. forces travel to assist them, so the Americans are training the Iraqis to be more self-reliant.
An Iraqi soldier peers through a gate where, just last week, Iraqi and U.S. forces came under fire, in the Burtiz section of Baquoba, on Feb. 18, 2007. The Iraqis are backed by American soldiers and a Bradley fighting vehicle in their search for weapons and gunmen.
A U.S. soldier and his Iraqi counterpart watch for a sniper in the Buritz section of Baqouba on Feb. 18, 2007.
An Iraqi soldier climbs a gate while guarded by U.S. soldiers during a search of homes in Buritz, southern Baqouba, on Feb. 18, 2007.
American troops back up Iraqi forces as they move into the village of Buritz in search of gunmen and weapons, Feb. 20, 2007. U.S. soldiers act as advisers and insist the Iraqis take the lead in operations like these. U.S. Bradley fighting vehicles and warplanes keep watch nearby.
American soldiers offer advice to an Iraqi soldier during clearing operations in the Buritz section of Baqouba on Feb. 20, 2007. The advice ranges from how to question detainees to clearing streets and inspecting homes for fighters and weapons.
Iraqi soldiers push their way through a gate in front of a home in Buritz, searching for enemy fighters and weapons on Feb. 20, 2007. All men of fighting age are questioned during the sweeps. Buritz is a village in Baqouba where both U.S. and Iraqi forces have suffered casualties.
Iraqi Army troops clear a street in Buritz, kicking in gates to homes and questioning residents, on Feb. 20, 2007. A sniper will later target these forces on a street nearby.
An Iraqi Army soldier stands guard over a group of detainees picked up in the Buritz section of Baqouba during clearing operations there on Feb. 20, 2007. Two Iraqis died in the operations when their Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb. After several hours of clearing, U.S. warplanes were called in to strike at targets.
What remains of the Buritz police station after missiles were fired on it by a U.S. warplane in an effort to take it back from insurgents is shown on Feb. 18, 2007. U.S. soldiers now live at the station along with the Iraqis.
An Iraqi soldier is shown during training by U.S. forces at Gabe, an Iraqi base near Baqouba, on Feb. 17, 2007.
An Iraqi soldier is trained by U.S. forces at Gabe, an Iraqi base near Baqouba, Feb. 17, 2007.