Spartans find huge EFP cache

Photo By Sgt. Johnnie French | Soldiers from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, attached to the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, search a canal for explosively formed projectiles during a follow-up to Operation Seven Mountains, Oct. 17.  

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ

10.18.2007

Story by Sgt. Johnnie French 

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division Public Affairs

By Sgt. J.H. French, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division

KALSU, Iraq – Soldiers discovered a massive explosively formed projectile cache in North Babil, Oct. 17.

Soldiers from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, attached to the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, discovered more than 100 copper disks used to construct deadly EFPs east of Haswah during a follow-on mission to Operation Seven Mountains.

"This is a great find. It feels awesome to know that these EFPs will never see the streets," said Staff Sgt. Joseph Lagas, a squad leader from Macedon, N.Y. "It actually feels like we're making a difference when we capture this much stuff."

During Operation Seven Mountains, the Soldiers captured a militant suspected of constructing and planting EFPs in north Babil, Oct. 16. They also discovered EFPs, homemade explosives and blocks of C4 hidden in a drainage ditch and canal.

The two caches combined are one of the largest EFP caches discovered in north Babil in more than a year.

EFPs are a particularly deadly type of roadside bomb used by Shia extremist groups.

2-69th Armored Regt. Is part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, out of Ft. Benning, Ga.

• Date Taken: 10.18.2007
• Date Posted: 10.18.2007 14:04
• Story ID: 13096
• Location: ISKANDARIYAH, IQ