CAMP STRIKER — Separate tips and a clearance mission led Iraqi Army (IA) and U.S. Soldiers to hidden weapon caches in three locations, Aug. 7.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 25th Brigade, 17th Iraqi Army Division and 3rd Platoon, Battery A, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), found a cache north of Patrol Base Dragon, approximately 23 kilometers southwest of Baghdad.
The cache included (26) 81mm mortar rounds, (25) grenades, one rocket-propelled grenade, two RPG motors, two mortar sights and two 12-inch rockets.
The same day, Soldiers from 2/25/17th IA Div. located another cache while conducting a clearing mission in Mehdi Village, approximately (33) kilometers south of Baghdad.
This cache contained (25) 57mm mortars rigged with detonation cord and timers, one anti-tank mine, two homemade improvised explosive devices and a homemade claymore mine.
Explosive ordnance disposal personnel destroyed the cache on site. A third cache find, the result of a tip, contained a DShK machine gun and (600) DShK rounds.
The IA also detained seven people for questioning.
"These cache finds and subsequent arrests of suspected criminals are perfect examples of the commitment the IA and local populace have to maintaining security and stability throughout the Mahmudiyah Qada," said Col. Dominic Caraccilo, commander of 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT).