NEWS RELEASE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 South Boundary Boulevard
MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101
Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894
December 31, 2003
Release Number: 03-12-84
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
101ST LOCATES NUMEROUS WEAPONS CACHES IN NORTHERN IRAQ
MOSUL, Iraq - Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) discovered weapons caches Dec. 30 in and around the city of Mosul.
In the 1st Brigade Combat Team (BCT) area of operations a source led soldiers to a group of freshly dug holes, one of which contained two bags full of 82-millimeter mortar rounds. Also a local civilian guided forces to a cache consisting of 185 60-millimeter mortar rounds and 160 82-millimeter mortars.
In both instances explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams destroyed all rounds in place. During a cordon and search operation at the house belonging to a person suspected of anti-Coalition activities, eight 60-millimeter mortar rounds were discovered.
A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher and 16 RPG rounds were discovered in eastern Mosul and reported to soldiers from 2nd BCT by the local Muktar, the neighborhood religious and community leader. The explosive ordnance detachment (EOD) destroyed the cache in place.
A former high-level Ba'ath Party member turned in seven AK-47s and 14 magazines to the 3rd BCT. A group of local citizens turned over 50 hand grenades, eight RPG launchers, 34 RPG rounds, three surface-to-air missiles, two night-vision rifle scopes, one 120-millimeter mortar tube and mortar round and one 86-millimeter rocket.
The 101st continues to work hand in hand with local citizens to confiscate and destroy illegal weapons in northern Iraq, and promote peace and security for Iraqis.
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