Multi-National Division-Central

Courtesy Story

By 41st Fires Brigade

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq – Iraqi army scouts led American special forces and explosives ordinance disposal personnel to a large cache of explosives near Numaniyah, Iraq, early July 8.

An Iraqi citizen reported the cache and guided the convoy to the specific site.

Destroyed were more than 1,300 57mm anti-aircraft shells, 60 100mm high explosive artillery shells, 6 tank shells and several shell casings which, while not necessarily explosive, still contained hazardous primers.

The cache, located in a remote area outside the city, was safely destroyed at the site by Navy EOD personnel and explosives experts from Forward Operating Base Delta. EOD personnel said the cache appeared to have been an old site, with no particularly new munitions.

Iraqi soldiers, under the supervision of American personnel, prepared the site for detonation. They located all of the shells, some of which had been buried by blowing sand and lining them up for a safe, controlled detonation. Once the site was prepared, American personnel completed the controlled detonation without incident.

IA Col. Abd, commander of the 32nd IA Brigade, also visited the site to verify the destruction of the cache.

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