Published: February 28, 2007
Iraqi Army, Task Force Lightning Unearth Massive Weapons Cache
Based on information gathered from a source, soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division, supported by Soldiers from the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, uncovered a cache of illegal weapons Feb. 26 near the village of Maalef.
The cache was buried in various plastic containers and refrigerators arrayed in a 200 meter radius circle and contained the following:
Eight anti-personnel landmines
14 mortar tubes of various sizes to include 60, 82, and 120mm Seven assorted hand grenades
194 mortar rounds of various sizes to include 60,82, and 120mm
18 rocket-propelled grenade launchers
153 57mm rockets
Five 81mm rockets
Two 107mm rockets
Two SA-7 launchers
Two IP vests, one with plates, and one with a detonation button rigged as a suicide vest
Almost 200 fuzes of various sizes
Assorted bags of propellant, rolls of wire, and blasting caps
"The Iraqi Army was truly in the lead in the discovery of this cache," said Col. Stephen Twitty, commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. "It resulted from exploitation of intelligence gained from one of their detainees captured in an earlier raid."
Soldiers from the 5-82 FA assisted the IA in removal of the weapons and with an explosive ordnance disposal team on site to coordinate reduction.
"The large volume of weapons found here was clearly intended for use against the [Iraqi security forces], Coalition forces and the people of Iraq. The anti-Iraqi forces need to realize that the Iraqi Army and Coalition forces will stop them, and will protect the Iraqi people from them."
Source: Multi-National Force-Iraq
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