Good News from Iraq: 4 Aug 2008

From MNF-I, ISF, MND-B Soldiers seize multiple caches in Baghdad.

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized multiple weapons caches in Baghdad Aug.1.

At approximately 11 a.m., Soldiers with the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, found a cache north of Baghdad containing a partial improvised explosive device with three tubes of UBE explosive material; a 120 mm rocket; four 120 mm rocket warheads; three 107 mm warheads; four 120 mm mortars; an anti-tank land mine; 25, 120 mm projectiles; three155 mm projectiles and two 105 mm projectiles.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., Sons of Iraq members turned in a weapons cache to Soldiers with 2nd SBCT, 25th Inf. Div. consisting of five projectiles, three 130 mm projectiles, two 155 mm projectiles and a 155 mm mortar that was expended north of Baghdad.

Police with the 5th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Division, turned in a recovered cache to a nearby forward operating base at approximately 4 p.m. in the West Rashid area of Baghdad. The cache included seven rocket propelled grenades, six RPG propellants, 200 PKC machinegun rounds and 50 loose 7.62 mm rounds.

Acting on a tip from a local citizen, the 1st Iraqi National Police Brigade recovered a weapons cache at approximately 5:30 p.m. in the East Rashid area of Baghdad. The cache consisted of three RPG launchers, two RPGs, a crew-served weapon, 50 7.62 mm rounds, a practice bazooka round, a claymore, a 60 mm mortar tube with plate and mounts, two 80 mm mortar tubes and a broken oxygen cylinder.

At approximately 7:15 p.m., Soldiers with the 2nd SBCT, 25th Inf. Div., seized three 82 mm mortar rounds from local citizens north of Baghdad.

“There has been an increase in weapons cache turn-ins by local citizens throughout the Multi-National Division – Baghdad area of operations,” said Maj. Lorraine Januzelli, spokesperson, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B. “The citizens’ efforts in helping to remove these weapons from the streets demonstrate their desire to create safer neighborhoods for the people of Iraq.”