Good News from Iraq: 17 Aug 2008

From MNF-I, ISF, MND-B Soldiers seize weapons caches throughout Baghdad.

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized weapons caches throughout Baghdad Aug. 15 and 16.

At approximately 3 a.m., Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, during a combined operation with soldiers with the 36th Brigade, 9th Iraq Army Division, found five AK-47 rifles, three AK-47 magazines loaded with ammunition, two Siminov rifles and a hand grenade near the Amir joint security station in Baghdad Aug. 15.

Approximately four hours later, while conducting a mounted patrol of the East Rashid area of Baghdad, Soldiers with Company D, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, acting on a tip from a local resident, seized two 155 mm mortar rounds and a 60 mm mortar round.

At approximately 11:50 a.m., Policemen with the 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, working in the New Baghdad area of Baghdad, seized three rocket rails from the bed of a truck at a security check point. The rails were transported to a local joint security station While conducting a forces patrol with the local Sons of Iraq in the West Rashid area of Baghdad, Soldiers with Company A, 1st CAB, 22nd Inf. Reg. found four Chinese-manufactured 87 mm mortars, three 60 mm mortars, two 57 mm mortars and three Chinese-manufactured 107 mm mortars at approximately 12:05 p.m.

In the Al-Mansuriyah area of Baghdad, just after 2 p.m., IA soldiers were escorted to a weapons cache by a local resident. They seized the weapons and transported them to their base, where an MND-B Explosive Ordnance Disposal team conducted a controlled detonation.

The cache consisted of two 120 mm mortar rounds, an 82 mm mortar round, five 25-pound amounts of propellant, a PG7 rocket, 1.5-liters of TNT explosive material, 15 electrical blasting cord caps and 18 feet of detonation cord.

In an abandoned house in the West Rashid area of Baghdad, soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 24th Brigade, 6th IA Division found six 60 mm mortar rounds with detonation cord attached to the top of each round at approximately 3 p.m.

At approximately 7 p.m., Soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion. 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd SBCT, 25th Inf. Div., acting on a tip by a local Sheik, seized an improvised-explosive device that had been attached to the Sheik’s car. While the Soldiers were investigating the incident, they also seized a 57 mm rocket and a rifle On a search for weapons caches based off a tip from a local resident, Soldiers with Co. B, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, found four boxes of .51-cal. ammunition in the Ghazaliyah area of Baghdad at approximately 12:30 a.m. Aug 16.

“These continued efforts both by Iraq Army and MND-B Soldiers provide the local residents, Iraq Security Forces and Coalition forces an opportunity to pursue peace,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman, MND-B and the 4th Inf. Div. “This is invaluable for these people – this country – right now.”