Operation Commando Dive leads to detentions, cache finds

2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) PAO
Multi-National Division – Center PAO

BAGHDAD — A multifaceted-coalition operation in the Shubayshen area, just south of Baghdad, led to the detentions of almost 50 detainees and a number of cache finds April 21.
Operation Commando Dive incorporated several units’ operations from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., as well as the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division.
Operation Eagle Dive was conducted by the 4/6 IA “Baghdad Eagles” in conjunction with 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd BCT, and netted 33 detainees, mostly suspected of involvement with improvised explosive device manufacture and emplacement.
Caches found during the operation contained two machine guns, two shotguns, six AK-47s, two ski masks, 27 mortar rounds, 280 57mm rockets, four 155mm rockets, nine 12-volt batteries, multiple mortar fuses, three ready-to-emplace IEDs, 500 hand grenades, four 82mm mortar tubes, a large rocket, and six rocket-propelled grenade launcher sights. Additionally, numerous IED-initiation devices and 30 DVDs of Al-Qaeda propaganda were discovered.
Operation Polar Dive, executed by 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd BCT, and the 4th Battalion, 4/6 IA, detained three suspected terrorists and found a cache of improvised-explosive device-making materials including wire, black powder, explosives manuals in English and Arabic and chemistry textbooks.
One of the men detained admitted to making over 100 IEDs.
Operation Trident IV, conducted by the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd BCT, and 3rd Bn., 4/6 IA, detained six terror suspects and found a small weapons cache containing small arms and ammunition as well as 300 pounds of homemade explosive material and ball bearings for use in IEDs.
Company A, 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd BCT, cleared the routes of IEDs, discovering three emplaced explosive devices en route to the objectives.
“This was in an area that has been a safe haven for terrorists,” said Maj. Brian Kerns, operations officer for the 2nd BCT and native of Fairfax, Va.
“The 4/4/6 Iraqi Army has improved their capability to get into these areas … and the operations will definitely disrupt terrorist operations.”
“The terrorists realize that Shubayshen is no longer a safe haven for anti-Iraqi forces,” Kerns added.
The detainees were taken into Iraqi custody for questioning.
The contents of the caches were destroyed in place with controlled detonations.