U.S. seizures of Iraqi weapons surge

BAGHDAD, July 26 (UPI) -- U.S. forces in Iraq have seized more insurgents' weapons caches in the first half of 2007 than they did in all of 2006, a military spokesman said in Baghdad.

Navy Rear Adm. Mark Fox, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, told reporters much of the success is based on an increase in the number and accuracy of tips from Iraqi citizens.

"We are seeing increasingly positive trends in the number of weapons and explosives being taken from the enemy," Fox said.

He said that on Monday alone, U.S. forces discovered nine weapons stockpiles containing 391 mortar rounds, 252 rockets, 21 rifles and pistols, 28 grenades, and multiple homemade weapons, including 475 gallons of nitric acid and 5,000 pounds of fertilizer, the American Forces Press Service reported.

Fox also praised an Iraqi pilot who managed to prevent theft of Iraqi oil by thieves last week during an Iraqi security force operation.