Good News From Iraq

(blogged by CJ, SoldiersPerspective.us) – …It’s time for the weekly (somewhat) roll up of material that Iraqi and coalition forces have discovered that prevented IEDs from killing and injuring people. In the past week, I can count at least once a day that the media talked about soldiers and Iraqis killed by IEDs. For every IED that is detonated, we’ve found about 10. It’s that 10% the media wants to talk about…Let’s get started:

March 25 – Iraqi and Coalition Soldiers discovered two weapons caches east of Al Imam after receiving tips from local citizens. Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 8th Iraqi Army Division along with their Coalition counterparts from the 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, found 22 grenades, six grenade fuses and five blasting caps after one Iraqi citizen approached troops with the information. Later, another tip led the troops to a stash of 292 grenades, 350 machine gun rounds, 100 hand grenade fuses, two 120 mm artillery rounds, two 25-pound bags of artillery propellant and repellant charges. The materials were recovered for later disposal. You know, for a people who really hate us, they seem to be helping us out quite a bit. These Iraqis are directly responsible for removing more than ten IEDs from the streets of Iraq and numerous ambushes and assaults on innocents.

March 27 – The relative of a terrorist turned him over to Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers, accusing him of conducting drive-by attacks against Iraqi Army troops in Baghdad. Soldiers responded to the relative’s tip and went to the suspect’s house. The Soldiers searched the house and found two AK-47 rifles, a 9 mm pistol and body armor. The suspect was taken into custody for questioning.

March 29 – Iraqi police in Mosul located an improvised explosive device emplaced along a main road. The police acted on a tip from a citizen and located the device. An Iraqi explosive ordnance disposal team deactivated the bomb and found a second one while searching the area. Both devices were transported to a safe area for destruction. No injuries or damages were reported.

March 31 – Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, discovered a large weapons cache in southwestern Baghdad. The cache consisted of approximately 900 pounds of high explosives, one roll of detonation cord, nine long-range communication antennas, two demolition sticks, two anti-artillery guns, eight 155 mm rounds, a 122 mm round prepared as a roadside-bomb, a fire extinguisher prepared as a roadside-bomb, 30 82 mm mortar rounds prepared as roadside bombs and a 300-pound acetylene tank prepared as a roadside bomb

March 31 – Policemen from the Iraqi Emergency Services Unit and troops from the 101st Airborne Division, detained seven suspected insurgents during cordon and search missions in Kirkuk. Coalition troops advised Iraqi Police officers during the ESU led operation as they searched two separate residences looking for suspected weapons dealers. Two suspects were captured and provided information on the whereabouts of their weapons distribution cell leader. The police conducted another cordon and search, and detained the reported cell leader. In another event, a separate group of Iraqi ESU officers independently conducted a cordon and search of a residence in the Rashad district. Once inside the residence, the ESU team detained the targeted suspect and three other individuals present. Officers also confiscated numerous weapons and bomb-making materials including 10 grenades, 10 60 mm mortar rounds, a bag of fuses and five helicopter missiles during the searches.

…these finds along with the people captured kept approximately 64 IEDs from hitting the streets. Almost 450 lives have been saved from death from injury. These are the successes you won’t find in many places….

The excerpt above was posted on April 5, 2006, at the blog SoldiersPerspective.us.  It is IED Roll-Up #20.