WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Soldiers from the Iraqi army and Multinational Division-Baghdad discovered a cache of high-explosive mortar rounds buried near a road leading into Baghdad.
The American Forces Information Service reported on Sunday that troops carrying out Operation Wolverine Alesia found more than 1,100 81mm mortar rounds, the type of explosive used for constructing improvised explosive devices, about 10 miles outside of Baghdad.
"We put a significant reduction in the enemy's ability to emplace (roadside bombs) in this area today," said Army Lt. Col. Mark Suich, the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment's commander. "We are pretty sure that these are affiliated with al-Qaida in Iraq."
Troops that took part in Operation Wolverine Alesia on Saturday were from the 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and Troop B, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment "Wolverines," 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry). This was the largest weapons cache find in the 2nd "Commando" Brigade's history.
"This is what we refer to as a weapons supermarket-type cache," said Maj. Mark Aitken, the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment's executive officer. "The terrorists place a large cache of weapons in one place to draw from. They then pre-position what they draw in many other smaller caches around the countryside."
Al-Qaida has long been known to operate from the area surrounding Yusufiyah. The region is also identified as a safe haven for the former regime (supporters), where attacks against Baghdad and coalition and Iraqi security forces have originated.
