Forces Detain Insurgents, Seize Weapons in Iraq

American Forces Press Service

July 15, 2009 - Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. soldiers, detained five suspects and discovered several weapons caches during multiple operations throughout Iraq on July 13. Iraqi forces, assisted by soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division's 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, detained three suspected insurgents and discovered a weapons cache in Rashaad in Kirkuk province. The cache consisted of a 125 mm homemade bomb, a 120 mm round and AK-47 assault rifles.

Iraqi police discovered a second cache in Zaab, also in Kirkuk province, which contained rocket-propelled grenades, anti-tank rockets and rocket motors.

Iraqi security forces in Kirkuk province have detained 11 suspected insurgents and disposed of three large weapons caches since June 30.

In Baghdad, the Emergency Response Brigade, along with coalition force advisors, arrested two suspected terrorists during an early morning operation in Hor Rajab. The detainees are wanted for kidnapping, murder and targeting Iraqi security forces, and are allegedly affiliated with an insurgent cell operating in the area.

The elite police force was operating under the authority of a warrant issued by the Criminal Investigative Court of Karkh.

Near Balad, Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers from 25th Infantry Division's 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, found and removed a weapons cache from a compound linked to a man who was previously detained.

Reports from the previous arrest combined with information from a cache on the compound led the joint force to a second suspected cache that contained munitions including 120 mm artillery rounds, 60 mm mortars and RKG-3 hand grenades.

An explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed the cache after collecting evidence to be used in judicial proceedings against the suspected insurgent.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Division North news releases.)