Iraqi, U.S. forces destroy ton of weapons

Photo By Spc. Amanda McBride | A dust cloud rises from a pile of munitions after being disposed of by Iraqi security forces and coalition forces May 28 in Karbala province.  

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ

06.02.2008

Story by Spc. Amanda McBride 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

By Spc. Amanda McBride,
4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Iraqi security forces and coalition forces destroyed a large weapons cache containing approximately 2,400 pounds of munitions May 28 in Karbala province.

The cache was discovered by a former mayor of Husayniyah, who alerted the Karbala Iraqi police.

The IPs recovered the cache buried in 11 water storage tanks and various boxes May 20 in Husayniyah.

"It is encouraging to see the (Iraqi army) and IP finding and recovering these large caches, and we will continue to assist them in the safe destruction of ordnance," said 1st Lt. Ryan Fisher, 760th Explosive Ordnance Disposal operations officer.

The cache was turned over to the 33rd Iraqi Army Brigade Military Transition Team to dispose of munitions and exploitable items. The team arrived on-site and inventoried ordnance prior to transporting the munitions to the disposal site.

"In our second cooperative effort with (Major General) Ra'ad's 33rd IA Brigade and Karbala IP, we disposed of nearly 1,500 ordnance items, after having destroyed more than 1,000 items just earlier this month," Fisher said.

The disposed munitions included more than 1,000 mortars, 25 rockets, 33 blocks of C-4 and various other weapons.

• Date Taken: 06.02.2008
• Date Posted: 06.02.2008 17:31
• Story ID: 20041
• Location: ISKANDARIYAH, IQ