Posted on 02/04/2007 1:38:14 PM PST by SandRat
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2007 Iraqi army and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers uncovered more than 1,100 81 mm high-explosive mortar rounds yesterday at a cache near Route Tampa, the main highway leading into Baghdad, officials said Troops from 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and Troop B, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment Wolverines, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), made the discovery during Operation Wolverine Alesia near Yusufiyah, just 10 miles southwest of the capital, officials said. Acting on a tip from a local resident, the troops conducted a search of the area, which resulted in the largest cache find in 2nd "Commando" Brigade's history. In all, 1,129 mortar rounds were uncovered. The cache, which was buried in the dirt, was larger than expected. These mortars rounds are in the configuration to use as improvised explosive devices, Army Lt. Col. Mark Suich, the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiments commander, said. The mortar rounds in this state cannot be used for indirect fire; they are fabricated and stored to be used against the coalition and sectarian enemies as IEDs. Suich said the seizure of so many munitions can only hurt terrorist operations. We put a significant reduction in the enemy's ability to emplace (roadside bombs) in this area today, he said. We are pretty sure that these are affiliated with al Qaeda in Iraq. The area around Yusufiyah has long been identified as an al-Qaeda and former regime safe haven where attacks against Baghdad and coalition and Iraqi security forces originated.
This is what we refer to as a weapons supermarket-type cache, Maj. Mark Aitken, the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiments executive officer. The terrorists place a large cache of weapons in one place to draw from. They then pre-position what they draw in many other smaller caches around the countryside. |
Manufacturer? Point of origin? Inquiring minds want to know...
From Iran ? Return them.
You can bet your last $ that is being investigated and traced. You can also bet your last $ that the Intelligence types will know and the information tried to be used to our advantage but the American public will probably never know.
GRRRREAT News! BTTT!
Thanks SandRat!
Thanks, SandRat! Keep the good news coming. God bless our troops!
Wolverines!
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