Iraqi, U.S. Forces in Baghdad Seize Weapons, Arrest 12

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 21, 2009 - Iraqi security forces and U.S. troops seized multiple weapons caches and arrested 12 suspects in and around Baghdad over the past three days, military officials reported. In operations yesterday:

-- Combined forces seized a 155 mm round, a 130 mm round, five rockets, a 120 mm mortar fuse, two blasting caps and initiators in the Rashid area; and a 125 mm projectile, a 130 mm projectile and two 152 mm projectiles near Taji, north of Baghdad.

-- In Baghdad's Shulla neighborhood, forces discovered a V-7 warhead, two high-explosive warheads, a belt of .50-caliber rounds, several loaded small-arms magazines, 11 armor plates, two vests, two rocket launchers, a .30-caliber machine gun, a grenade launcher, a metal detector and five blank identification cards.

In operations Jan. 19:

-- Forces arrested nine suspects and seized a weapons cache consisting of 11 AK-47 assault rifles, an RPK machine gun and four 40 mm anti-tank rounds in Rashid district's Furat community.

-- In Rashid district, forces seized caches consisting of 21 57 mm projectiles, a 60 mm mortar, a 120 mm high explosive mortar, two 82 mm mortars, 25 pounds of urea nitrate and 25 pounds of sulfur powder and diesel fuel.

-- Forces seized four 82 mm mortar rounds southeast of Baghdad; two 220 pound bombs, 31 130 mm artillery rounds, a 155 mm artillery round and four 120 mm mortar rounds in Baghdad; four 125 mm rounds and two 122 mm rounds north of Baghdad; and two 70 mm rockets, four hand grenades and 11 feet of detonation cord in the Taji area north of Baghdad.

In operations Jan. 18:

-- Forces detained three criminal suspects in the Mansour district and confiscated 15 AK-47 assault rifles, two pistols, a 60 mm mortar round, a 107 mm rocket, and 25 60 mm mortar rounds in various Baghdad communities.

-- In Baghdad's Jazair neighborhood, forces discovered a 155 mm artillery round, six AK-47s, 11 AK-47 magazines, an assault rifle, a submachine gun, 60 flak vests, 10 small-arms protection plates, 11 helmets and several Iraqi army and police uniforms in the Karadah district, and 14 81 mm mortars, three rocket rails, a bag of explosives and an anti-tank mine in the New Baghdad area.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)