BAGHDAD, April 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. commander of the multinational force in Iraq said Friday that the security plan in Baghdad is showing "some early results."
Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno said coalition forces, the Iraqi Army and Iraqi police are manning 26 security stations and 21 combat outposts in Baghdad.
"This continuous presence is making the Iraqi people feel safer and has greatly increased the amount of information provided to the Iraqi army, police and coalition forces by the public," Odierno said at a news conference.
He said security checkpoints have encouraged merchants to return to markets to sell their wares, and that Iraqis are once again shopping in some markets.
"We are seeing a drop in sectarian murders in Baghdad, and some displaced families are returning to the city," he said.
Odierno also said coalition forces are finding twice the number of weapons caches than they had been.
Odierno's Friday news conference came a day after bombs exploded in the Iraq Parliament Building and on a busy bridge in northern Baghdad.
"It is clear that we still have a long way to go to provide security and stability to the people of Iraq," he said.
