Dear Interested Readers,
Many on-going big Operations throughout Baghdad. By neutralizing the criminals, Iraq has a chance for a stable democracy, something our troops have been working so hard out, and succeeding. Large weapon caches continue to be uncovered, by tips from local citizens.
Joanna
__________________________
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
April 21, 2008
Iraqi Army discover weapons cache in vehicle
BASRA - IA soldiers discovered a weapons cache in 2 vehicles during Op Charge of the Knights in the Al-Quibla district of Basra, April 19.
Acting on a tip from an Iraqi citizen, the IA soldiers found ordnance in the vehicles, including RPG rounds with launcher, an EFP device, various sized mortars, a homemade .50 caliber rifle with standard and armor piercing rounds, plastic explosives, electronic trigger devices, and a large amount of small arms ammo.
"The continued success of Op Charge of the Knights is due in part by the local Iraqis providing numerous tips to the IA on where these weapons are stored," said Lt. Col. Neil Harper, deputy public affairs officer for MNC-Iraq. "The citizens of Iraq are protecting their own communities, working with the Iraqi Security and CF; they are taking greater responsibility for their own lives and their communities."
Since Op Charge of the Knights began, the IA has discovered 13 weapons caches and detained 13 criminals. They also discovered more than 240 artillery and mortar rounds ranging in size from 60mm to 155mm; EFPs; more than 40 RPG rounds with launchers; and numerous rockets and IED making materials. Some of these weapons had Iranian markings.
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IA soldiers discover large cache with Iranian-marked weapons during Op Charge of the Knights
BASRA - The IA discovered a large weapons and munitions cache in a house located in the Al Hyyaniyah area of Basra, April 19, including a 240 mm high-explosive war-head and approx. 160 mortars, some of which were less than 12 months old. The cache also contained approx. 25 artillery shells, more than 20 complete IEDs, large quantities of IED components, several EFPs and dozens of grenades and fuses. Also included were more than 20 blocks of plastic explosives, homemade anti-personnel mines packed with ball bearings, hundreds of meters of detonation cord, improvised rocket launching rails, and thousands of rounds of small-arms ammo.
"The success in finding these large caches was also due in part by numerous tips from concerned local Iraqis. This is another great example of Iraqis dealing with their own issues, and they should be admired for their bravery," said Lt. Col. Neil Harper.
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Special Group criminals continue attacks against Iraqi people and U.S. Soldiers
BAGHDAD - MND-Baghdad Soldiers remain committed to supporting the people of Baghdad and the Iraqi SF until a time when they can take over security ops throughout Baghdad against AQI and Special Group Criminals.
At 3:30 p.m. on April 20, a CF observation post in Sadr City was fired upon by 3 SG criminals and U.S. Soldiers returned fire killing 1 and wounding the other 2.
At 4: 45 p.m., following a rocket attack, a UAV positively identified 5 SG criminals with rocket rails in Sadr City. Two criminals proceeded into a vehicle after loading it with the rocket rails. The other 3 individuals separated and went in other directions. The UAV followed the vehicle with the 2 criminals and rocket rails to a house. As the criminals were unloading the rails into the building, they were engaged by the UAV with a Hellfire missile, destroying the vehicle, rockets rails, and killing the 2 criminals.
Later, at approx. 4:50 p.m., a UAV positively identified 2 SG criminals loading a car with rockets and rocket rails in Sadr City. After following the vehicle in order to obtain a clear shot, the UAV fired a Hellfire missile, destroying the sedan, 6 rockets and rails, and killing the 2 criminals.
"It is the Iranian-supported Special Group criminals who are the primary reason the people of Baghdad are suffering," said Col. Allen Batschelet, Chief of Staff, MND-B. "They are responsible for the rocket and mortar attacks that led to Iraqi Security and CF Soldiers going into the southern neighborhoods of Sadr City. They are responsible for continued IED attacks and firefights that are causing innocent civilian deaths."
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Resident's tip leads to weapons cache
BAGHDAD - A tip from a local citizen resulted in a weapons cache find near the Abu Eid Bridge, April 18.
The tip led Soldiers from 187th Inf Regt, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn Div (Air Assault), to the cache, which had been buried 6 inches in the ground. It contained 33 82 mm mortars, 5 57 mm folding-fin rockets, 2 62 mm mortars, an RPG launcher and 3 bags of rocket propellant.
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MND-B Soldiers find C4 explosives
BAGHDAD - MND-Baghdad Soldiers discovered a substantial explosives cache in southern Baghdad, April 20.
Soldiers from 1st BCT, 4th ID, found 14 blocks of high explosives in the Zubaida area of the Rashid district in southern Baghdad.
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IA, Rakkasans find cache during combat patrol
BAGHDAD - IA and Rakkasan Soldiers found a weapons cache during a combat patrol in Hakara, April 19, after receiving a tip from a local citizen. The cache contained 239 23 mm anti-armor rounds, 2 62 mm illumination rounds, 2 DSHKA machine guns, 1 DSHKA receiver and rocket launcher.
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MND-B Soldiers kill 12 criminals
BAGHDAD - MND-Baghdad Soldiers killed 12 criminals and detained 3 in separate events in Baghdad, April 20.
At 6:40 a.m., MND-B Soldiers with the 1st Bn, 21st Inf. Regt witnessed 5 individuals emplacing an IED in the Adhamiyah district, engaged them as they were emplacing the IED. It detonated during the engagement killing 3 and wounding 1.
Also in Adhamiyah at approximately 8 a.m., the 1st Bn, 21st Inf. Soldiers engaged and killed 7 criminals carrying 3 PKC machine guns, 3 AK-47s and a RPG launcher. A Stryker element supporting the mission killed 2 more criminals carrying AK-47s on a nearby rooftop.
In another incident, Soldiers with the 7th Sqdrn, 10th Cav Regt detained 2 men in possession of various illegal weapons and bomb making material at approx. 4 a.m. in the East Rashid district in southern Baghdad.
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Iraqi SF secure Suq Ash Shuyukh after militia attack
BALAD - A combined force of more than 300 IA, IP and Iraqi SWAT personnel, advised by U.S. SOF, killed 40 criminal militia members after coming under attack in Suq Ash Shuyukh, southeast of Nasiriyah, April 19.
They were killed during the armed confrontation with ISF, including the group's top 2 leaders.
Using assault rifles and automatic weapons, the criminal militia attacked Iraqi SF on the morning of April 19. Regional police and Army forces on alert in the area responded in force, overwhelming the outnumbered criminal militia fighters. Facing a combination of armored vehicles and suppressive fire, the criminals retreated to a building that contained the local Sadr Trend office. With ISWAT providing support, additional lSF launched a counter attack, overrunning the remaining enemy defenses. The ISF entered the building and cleared it of the remaining criminals.
During the sweep of the building, ISF found a large weapons cache containing EFPs, Katyusha rockets, RPG launchers and a large quantity of additional weapons and ammo. An explosive ordnance disposal team also found several IEDs rigged to explode inside the building.
Many local Iraqis witnessed the fighting and thanked the ISF for their bravery and willingness to defend their town. "The response of the combined ISF force represented an incredible leap forward by IP and IA to conduct joint ops," said a U.S. SOF advisor. "IP and IA executed a counter attack against a determined enemy and quickly gained control of the situation."
The op was part of the Iraqi govt's continuing fight against terrorists, insurgents and criminals standing in the way of a safe and secure Iraq. In recent months, ISF personnel have assumed greater autonomy to plan and conduct these types of ops unilaterally or with CF.
Info indicated the criminal group used the city as part of its smuggling network to move IEDs, including armor-piercing EFPs, throughout the region.
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