(Talon News) -- Following on the heels of Operations Peninsula Strike and Scorpion, Central Command began Operation Sidewinder on Sunday. This third operation in the series is focused on rooting out various subversive elements attempting to undermine coalition efforts to restore basic infrastructure and stability in Iraq.

During Operation Desert Scorpion which began on June 15, the 4th Infantry Division and the 1st Armored Division conducted multiple raids resulting in 1,330 individuals being detained. Confiscated weapons include 497 AK-47s, 235 hand grenades, 124 rocket-propelled grenades, 22 machine guns, 130 pistols and 100 rifles and 8,122 rounds of ammunition. The division also confiscated $9,463,000 in U.S. dollars, 1,557,000,000 in Iraqi Dinars, 1,071 bars of gold and 52 vehicles.

Coalition forces continued aggressive patrols throughout the country during the last 24 hours conducting 1,317 day patrols and 1,052 night patrols. They also jointly patrolled with the Iraqi Police, conducting 213 day patrols and 161 night patrols. The total patrols resulted in 319 arrests for various criminal activities including one each for murder and kidnapping.

A total of eight raids were conducted in the last 24 hours by the 4th Infantry Division. Operation Sidewinder resulted in 32 detained individuals and 10 AK-47s, two pistols and one mortar being confiscated. In one successful raid, the 4th ID detained a Ba'ath party colonel along with five other individuals. Eight million Iraqi Dinar and assorted weapons, including eight AK-47s, were also confiscated in the raid.

As a part of Desert Scorpion in Baghdad, the 1st Armored Division detained 148 individuals and secured 247 sites by conducting raids, cordon and search operations, checkpoint operations, presence patrols and a river operation.

Meanwhile, Sunday's humanitarian missions included delivery of fuel and thousands of gallons water, along with well repairs and removal of ordnance. Fire fighting teams battled major sulfur fires in Mosul for the fourth successive day.

According to CENTCOM, in Fallujah, the 490th Civil Affairs Battalion distributed 3,000 gallons of potable water to residents due to the 40 water main breaks. Engineers are making repairs to these main breaks to restore water distribution to the area. In Mosul, the 4th Infantry Division completed repairs to two wells in Yzedi towns. These towns never had their own water source.

Third Infantry Division engineers continued to clear unexploded ordnance. A total of 56 sites throughout the country, consisting of more than 4,200 pieces of ordnance have been destroyed to date. In Baghdad, the 1st Armored Division delivered 1,200 gallons of diesel and performed preventive maintenance on a generator at Al-Najat orphanage.

The 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment delivered 6,000 Humanitarian Daily Rations to residents in Al Qaim and scheduled a third delivery to the hospital in Ar Ramadi.

Civil Affairs Officer U.S. Army Lt. Col. Ron Braxton said, "We're moving heaven and earth in support of the Coalition forces commander to help the people of Iraq."

During the humanitarian operations in Fallujah, a security patrol from 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery was attacked Sunday at approximately 11:30 p.m.

CENTCOM reports that the attackers fired one rocket-propelled grenade round that struck and heavily damaged an Avenger air defense vehicle. One civilian reporter, who was embedded with the unit, was injured in the attack and evacuated to the combat support hospital after first being treated at C Company, 26th Forward Support Battalion. He is in stable condition. No soldiers were injured in the attack.

According to CENTCOM information, shortly after the attack, while soldiers were securing the area and treating the civilian reporter, a white pickup truck with its headlights off was spotted traveling along the highway toward the Avenger. The pickup truck ran into a fire support vehicle, which was supporting the soldiers in the casualty evacuation process.

The impact resulted in the immediate death of two of the pickup's occupants. The third occupant was mortally wounded. Medical personnel from 1-9 FA began treating the wounded civilian, but he died from his injuries before he could be extracted from the vehicle. No soldiers were injured in the collision.