WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2005 – Iraqi military units uncovered a weapons cache and roadside bombs, and detained several suspects Aug. 9 and 10, according to multinational force reports.
Iraqi soldiers were led to a weapons cache in Fallujah while on a dismounted security patrol Aug. 10.
Soldiers with 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force, located followed instructions to the cache from a local Iraqi. The cache consisted of four rocket-propelled grenade launchers, three machine guns, 22 RPG rounds, one rocket, two rifle grenades, RPG fin assemblies, one bag of ammunition, one can of .303 ball/tracer mix, one can of armor piercing/tracer mix, one timing device and one battery.
They detained three suspected insurgents.
While conducting a security patrol in the Balad area, Iraqi soldiers discovered an improvised explosive device under a clothing stand Aug. 10.
Soldiers with 2nd Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, noticed something unusual beneath a clothing stand that turned out to be an Iraqi claymore mine with two white wires connected to both sides.
The stand’s owner was detained and transported to a secure facility for questioning. An explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed the claymore with a controlled blast.
Separate operations by Iraqi security forces led to the discovery of several IEDs throughout the country Aug 9.
Near Raway, two 130 mm artillery rounds and three 152 mm artillery rounds were discovered daisy-chained together and placed around a building.
Also, Iraqi explosive ordnance disposal teams disarmed a 155 mm artillery shell in Baqubah and another more complex IED in Tikrit that Iraqi police said was rigged for remote detonation. Local citizens in the city of Hit gave Iraqi soldiers the location of an IED that they said three anti-Iraq force operatives had planted earlier in the day.
No injuries or damages were reported during the operations.
In other news, the Iraqi Coast Guard had a busy and successful month of operations in July, according to their monthly operational reporting to the Ministry of Interior.
According to the report, the Iraqi Coast Guard searched 183 barges and vessels in July, with 11 of these searches resulting in the discovery of illegal documentation. In addition, 60 tons of illegal fuel were confiscated along with AK-47 automatic rifles, ammunition and fuel pumps. Six people were detained during the operations.
All paperwork and legal processes have been transferred to the Iraqi Customs Police for adjudication.
(Compiled from Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq news releases.)
