THE TENSION: OIF Summary, Jan. 21, 2009: Troops in Baghdad Seize Weapons, Arrest 12

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2009 -- Iraqi security forces and U.S. troops seized multiple weapons caches and arrested 12 suspects in and around Baghdad over the past three days, military officials reported.

In operations yesterday:

Combined forces seized a 155 mm round, a 130 mm round, five rockets, a 120 mm mortar fuse, two blasting caps and initiators in the Rashid area; and a 125 mm projectile, a 130 mm projectile and two 152 mm projectiles near Taji, north of Baghdad.

In Baghdad's Shulla neighborhood, forces discovered a V-7 warhead, two high-explosive warheads, a belt of .50-caliber rounds, several loaded small-arms magazines, 11 armor plates, two vests, two rocket launchers, a .30-caliber machine gun, a grenade launcher, a metal detector and five blank identification cards.

In operations Jan. 19:

Forces arrested nine suspects and seized a weapons cache consisting of 11 AK-47 assault rifles, an RPK machine gun and four 40 mm anti-tank rounds in Rashid district’s Furat community.

In Rashid district, forces seized caches consisting of 21 57 mm projectiles, a 60 mm mortar, a 120 mm high explosive mortar, two 82 mm mortars, 25 pounds of urea nitrate and 25 pounds of sulfur powder and diesel fuel.

Forces seized four 82 mm mortar rounds southeast of Baghdad; two 220 pound bombs, 31 130 mm artillery rounds, a 155 mm artillery round and four 120 mm mortar rounds in Baghdad; four 125 mm rounds and two 122 mm rounds north of Baghdad; and two 70 mm rockets, four hand grenades and 11 feet of detonation cord in the Taji area north of Baghdad.

In operations Jan. 18:

Forces detained three criminal suspects in the Mansour district and confiscated 15 AK-47 assault rifles, two pistols, a 60 mm mortar round, a 107 mm rocket, and 25 60 mm mortar rounds in various Baghdad communities.

In Baghdad’s Jazair neighborhood, forces discovered a 155 mm artillery round, six AK-47s, 11 AK-47 magazines, an assault rifle, a submachine gun, 60 flak vests, 10 small-arms protection plates, 11 helmets and several Iraqi army and police uniforms in the Karadah district, and 14 81 mm mortars, three rocket rails, a bag of explosives and an anti-tank mine in the New Baghdad area.