Troops brace for Iraqi election

BAGHDAD, Iraq — U.S. soldiers around Baghdad stepped up operations Thursday ahead of the Iraqi election, moving to forward positions around the capital until the end of balloting while toughening security at their main bases, a brigade commander said.

Hundreds of soldiers assigned to the Louisiana National Guard’s 256th Brigade moved out from Camp Liberty, located near Baghdad’s main airport, to take up positions at the smaller bases scattered around the city ahead of Sunday’s vote.

U.S. troops will not be positioned at polling sites — Iraqi forces will be on guard there. But deploying more troops outside of the main, heavily guarded bases will enable them to respond quickly if needed by Iraqi forces, said Brig. Gen. John Basilica.

U.S. Army medic Spec. Adrian Smith, 19, from Horseheads, New York, right, treats an unidentified Iraqi civilian wounded in a mortar attack in the Saba Al-Boor district of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday. Smith is assigned to E Troop, 101st Cavalry from Geneva, New York, which was on patrol when Iraqi insurgents fired four mortar rounds at an Iraqi police station in this suburb, a taste of what may be in store for troops as election day nears. ‘‘We’re hoping to enable the Iraqi security forces to be successful in defending the polling sites so their countrymen can vote,’’ said Basilica, the commander of the Lafayette, La.-based brigade. ‘‘It’s a critical time for them.’’

At the same time, security at the main U.S. bases will be ratcheted up to protect support troops from attack, Basilica said.

Altogether, about 300,000 Iraqi and multinational troops will provide security for the vote with Iraq’s U.S.-trained forces taking the lead role.

The Iraqi Defense Ministry said Thursday it would deploy an addition three battalions, or 2,500 troops, to help guard the elections. ‘‘We will prevent any terrorist attacks during the voting,’’ the ministry said in a statement.

Insurgents have promised to disrupt the voting with car bombings and other attacks, and U.S. and Iraqi officials have warned of increased violence in the days ahead of the vote. The election is for a National Assembly that will govern the country and draft a permanent constitution.

On Wednesday, Basilica’s troops got a taste of what may be in store for them as election day nears. Insurgents fired mortar rounds at an Iraqi police station where a company of American military police are based in the suburb of Saba Al-Boor, north of Baghdad.

(AP Photo/Chris Tomlinson)