▁brig ade , ▁a ▁fires ▁brig ade , ▁and ▁an ▁engineer ▁brig ade . ▁The ▁division ▁had ▁responsibility ▁includes ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁provinces ▁of ▁N ina wa , ▁Kir ku k ▁( former ly ▁at ▁T amin ), ▁Sal ah ▁ad ▁Din , ▁and ▁Di y ala ▁along ▁with ▁D ah uk , ▁and ▁As ▁Sul ay man iy ah . ▁The ▁area ▁included ▁the ▁critical ▁cities ▁of ▁Tal ▁Af ar , ▁Mos ul , ▁Bay ji , ▁T ik rit , ▁Kir ku k , ▁Sam ar ra , ▁Bal ad , ▁Ba qu bah , ▁D ah uk , ▁and ▁Sul ay mania h . ▁ ▁Ar bil ▁province ▁remained ▁aligned ▁as ▁a ▁separate ▁Multi - National ▁Division , ▁North - E ast . ▁The ▁division ▁area ▁of ▁operations ▁included ▁eth nic ▁fault ▁lines ▁between ▁Arab s ▁and ▁Kur ds , ▁religious ▁fault ▁lines ▁between ▁Sun ni ▁and ▁Sh ia ▁Muslim s , ▁numerous ▁trib al ▁regions , ▁and ▁the ▁complex ities ▁involving ▁significant ▁former ▁regime ▁elements . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Arm ored ▁Division ▁immediately ▁applied ▁a ▁mix ▁of ▁le th al ▁and ▁non - le th al ▁counter ins ur gency ▁tact ics , ▁as ▁man eu ver ▁batt al ions ▁partner ed ▁with ▁State ▁Department ▁officials ▁and ▁provincial ▁reconst ruction ▁teams . ▁ ▁Command ers ▁applied ▁a ▁focused ▁le th ality , ▁protect ing ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁population ▁while ▁killing ▁ins urg ents ▁in ▁large ▁volumes . ▁ ▁The ▁division ▁transferred ▁responsibility ▁to ▁Head quarters ▁ 2