The following report was submitted by MIG, the source is a report
from the U.S. Army's Task Force Olympia Multinational Brigade-Northwest
public affairs office.
Weapons in this guarded pile are a sample of those in uncovered Nov.
22 in one the largest weapons caches ever found in northern Iraq.
MOSUL, Iraq (Army News Service, Nov. 22, 2004) - Multi-national forces
from the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat
Team) unearthed Nov. 22 one of the largest weapons caches ever found in
northern Iraq, about 45 kilometers south of Mosul in the village of
Shafa'at.
During their patrol, Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery
Regiment discovered huge stockpiles of weapons and munitions,
including: an anti-aircraft gun, 15,000 anti-aircraft rounds, 4,600
hand grenades, 144 VOG-17M anti-personnel grenade launchers, 25 SA-7
surface-to-air missiles, 44 SA-7 battery packs, 20 guided missile
packs, 21 120mm mortar rounds, two 120mm mortar tubes, 10 122mm
rockets, six 152mm artillery rounds and two 57mm artillery rounds.
Soldiers also discovered a building full of explosive-making materials.
The three-acre site is secure and still under investigation with more
weapons and munitions discoveries expected, Task Force Olympia
officials said.
On Nov. 21, operations in Mosul nabbed a number of suspected
insurgents. Iraqi Police Commandos and Multi-National Forces from 1st
Brigade, 25th Infantry Division detained a number of people suspected
of anti-Iraqi activities as operations continued in Mosul to eliminate
remaining anti-Iraqi forces in the region.
Special Iraqi police commandos from the Ministry of the Interior in
Baghdad conducted a cordon and search in central Mosul and detained 23
people suspected of planning and conducting attacks against ISF and
MNF. The suspects are in Iraqi custody undergoing questioning.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment detained four
individuals at a traffic control point after Soldiers spotted the
individuals tossing hand grenades and weapons out of their vehicle as
they approached the TCP.
MNF conducted a cordon and search in western Mosul and detained three
suspected members of a terrorist cell. The suspects are in custody with
no injuries reported during the operation.
Multi-National Forces and Iraqi Security Forces continue to root out
the remaining pockets of sporadic resistance, officials said. They said
joint operations between the Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National
Forces will continue as necessary to maintain law and order in the
region.
(Editor's note: Information provided by the Task Force Olympia, Multinational Brigade-Northwest public affairs office.)
- reprinted by MILNET and Mohamed Ibn Guadi, courtesy of the U.S. Army Public Affairs office
