Iraq Update

Soldiers Uncover Four Caches, Detain 13 Suspects in Iraq


American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2007 – Coalition soldiers uncovered four caches of ordnance and explosive materials and detained 13 suspected terrorists in Iraq on March 11, military officials reported.

Members of the 10th Mountain Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team discovered three caches during security patrols.

-- Soldiers from Troop C, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, found 11 57 mm anti-aircraft rounds, three rocket-propelled-grenade projectiles, a 122 mm artillery round, five 120 mm artillery rounds, three 60 mm mortar rounds, two 81 mm mortar rounds and one 105 mm artillery round north of Baghdad in the village of Kuresh.

-- Soldiers from the squadron’s Troop A found a cache of bomb-making materials, including a detonation cord, two blasting caps, two hand-held radios, six washing machine timers, and assorted wires and batteries, southwest of the Baghdad airport.

-- Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, on a security patrol along the banks of the Euphrates River uncovered three 60 mm mortar tubes, one 82 mm round, two 60 mm rounds, 19 57 mm anti-aircraft rounds and two cans of linked 14.7 mm heavy machine gun rounds in Albu Faris, south of Baghdad.

In addition, soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, discovered seven 120 mm mortar rounds, 68 82 mm mortar rounds, 57 60 mm mortar rounds, 44 blasting caps, and one pound of TNT northwest of Mahmudiyah.

Explosive ordnance disposal teams destroyed the contents of all the caches.

Elsewhere in Iraq on March 11, Iraqi and U.S. troops detained six suspected terrorists during raids on houses known to be used by extremists. Military officials said they deemed the mission a success since no shots were fired and no one was injured.

"Operations of this nature continue to demonstrate that the impartiality and capability of the Iraqi security force is on the rise," said Army Lt. Col. Kevin Dunlop, commander, 3rd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment. "We're seeing that as extremist activity on all sides is curtailed, the conditions are being set for improved economic activity, which should result in increasing employment and prosperity."

Iraqi soldiers also assisted U.S. soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division in capturing seven insurgents during a raid of an ice cream factory in Hilla, Iraq. The servicemembers uncovered an AK-47 assault rifle, more than 100 rounds of ammunition, money and other items of interest. The detainees are being held for questioning.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)