Several Large Caches Discovered in Iraq

Now that the Anbar Campaign in Iraq wrapped up as noted by Bill Roggio, the American and Iraqi Military are beginning to discover several large caches. I have not seen large caches like this since we begin securing and cleaning them up in May 2003. With the insurgents no longer in control of Western Iraq and Iraqi civilians now coming forward with tips in larger and larger numbers, significant caches are being found.

Recent press releases from Multi-National Forces - Iraq show the shear size of these discovered caches. These finds have got to hamper the insurgency.

11 Jan 06-Iraqi Soldiers, U.S. Marines uncover numerous caches in three-day sweep.

“This was our biggest find to date,” said 1st Lt. Antonio Agnone, the combat engineer platoon leader for Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment. “We've uncovered numerous and significant caches the insurgents
have hidden in Hit in places where they thought they would have easy access to
them.”

In just a few days, Iraqi Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division and Marines under 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), 2nd Marine Division unearthed nearly 500 rockets and artillery and mortar rounds, along with approximately 100 tank rounds and large quantities of rocket propellant, fuses, and blasting caps.

What is interesting about this 11 Jan 06 find is terrorists defiled a cemetary to conceal the cache. It was buried in a cemetary and adorned with head stones. A day later, Coalition forces uncovered another large cache.

12 Jan 06-Coalition Forces find, destroy large weapons caches

Coalition Forces Soldiers found several large weapons caches southwest of Baghdad Jan. 12.

The first cache consisted of 12 122mm rounds, 127 60mm and 82mm rounds. The second contained two 82mm mortars, an 82mm bipod, two radios, 200 82mm rounds and 25 70mm rockets. The third cache contained two 107mm rocket warheads.

Now two days later, Coalition forces find another large cache.

14 Jan 06-Arms cache discovered near Barwanah

The cache was first noticed by the Marines' translator, who accompanies them on patrols with their Iraqi Army counterparts. After the initial site was found, 10 additional hastily buried caches were discovered.

When all 11 caches were uncovered, they contained 137 artillery rounds of various sizes, 56 mortar rounds of various sizes, 47 122mm rockets, 14.5mm armor piercing incendiary rounds, and 1,900 pounds of propellant.

The Iraqi soldiers and U.S. Marines labored to collect up the munitions so they could be safely detonated. In all, 4,000 pounds of high explosives were detonated by the explosive ordnance disposal team.

Coalition forces are finding large caches all over Iraq. These cache discoveries are a direct result from tips from locals. These discoveries provide further evidence of a split between Iraqi civilians and the foreign terrorists. The civilian populous in Iraq is indirectly targeting Al-Qaeda in Iraq by getting rid of their major terror weapon-explosives for IEDs. Al-Zarqawi is loosing support as Iraqis are getting tired of living in fear of indiscriminate IEDs.