Iraqi soldiers seize weapons caches during Sadr City operation

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

05.25.2008

Courtesy Story

Multi-National Division Baghdad

By the Multi-National Division – Baghdad Public Affairs Office

BAGHDAD – Iraqi army soldiers conducting operations in the Sadr City district of Baghdad during Operation Peace uncovered several weapons caches May 24 as they continue to secure the area to protect the local population.

At approximately 7 a.m., Soldiers with the 4th Battalion, 34th Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division, seized a 155 mm round, 10 rocket-propelled grenades, an AK-47 rifle, a Smirnov sniper rifle, 18 anti-aircraft rounds and nine 7.62 mm magazines.

At approximately 9:30 a.m., Iraqi soldiers with the 2nd Bn., 34th Bde., 9th IA Div., discovered one explosively formed penetrator.

Iraqi army soldiers with the 3rd Bn., 49th IA Bde. 9th IA Div., found four explosively formed penetrators at approximately 12:45 p.m.

At approximately 3 p.m., policemen with the 1st Bn., 38th National Police, discovered a weapons cache consisting of a bag of homemade explosives, an RPK machine gun, a SKS rifle, 37 AK-47s, a bayonet, 50 AK-47 magazines, 82 7.62 mm rounds, two carrying cases, a set of body armor, two spools of wire and an auxiliary front sight.

Acting on a tip from a local citizen, soldiers with the 2nd Bn., 34th Bde., 9th IA Div., discovered a weapons cache at approximately 3 p.m. The cache consisted of three AK-47s, 27 AK-47 magazines, seven hand grenades, 500 PKC rounds, five Motorola cell phones, two cell-phone chargers, five chest bandoliers, two tactical vests, two spools of wire, a rifle, 120 rounds of ammunition, 3 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, a Smirnov rifle, two improvised explosive devices, four explosively formed penetrators, a set of Russian night-vision goggles, a crate of TNT and 200 7.62 mm rounds.

At approximately 7:20 p.m., Soldiers with the 2nd Bn., 34th Bde., 9th IA Div. seized 200 pounds of homemade explosives.

"Iraqi army soldiers continue to scour the area for these illegal weapons and munitions," said Col. Allen Batschelet, chief of staff, Multi-National Division – Baghdad and the 4th Infantry Division. "Their actions are making the street safer for the citizens of the Sadr City district of Baghdad."

• Date Taken: 05.25.2008
• Date Posted: 05.25.2008 13:40
• Story ID: 19790
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ