Operation Commando Eagle Razor II nabs caches, insurgents

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


CAMP STRIKER, Iraq — A Coalition Forces and Iraqi Army air assault operation resulted in the detention of 13 Iraqis suspected in terrorist activities and the confiscation of several weapons caches at a propaganda facility south of the Qaa Qaa weapons facility May 29.
Companies from 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment (Strikers), and the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division went into an area between Iskandariah and the Euphrates River searching for Soldiers missing since a May 12 attack...
Soldiers of 1-23 Inf. detained four local national men within the first hours of the search. One of the men had a knife and an illegal 9mm pistol in his possession. The men were detained while fleeing from Coalition Forces.
Soldiers from 1-23 also found three AK-47s with magazines, two hand grenades and several blasting caps.
Company A, 2-15 discovered a cache of six fertilizer bags of homemade explosive and other materials for construction of improvised explosive devices. Other teams from the company discovered four cans of 30mm anti-aircraft rounds, two spare anti-aircraft machine gun barrels and a cache of IED-making materials, including copper wire and washing-machine timers.
Nine other individuals were detained in connection to separate incidents of small arms fire exchanged between the Coalition Force and local insurgents.
A very primitive bunker complex built of bricks and camouflaged with dirt and dead vegetation was searched and destroyed.
A terrorist propaganda cache containing a large number of pamphlets, some labeled “How To Kill Americans,” a CD writer, 1,800 blank rewritable CDs, and 300 cassette tapes.
The explosives were destroyed in place; the propaganda was seized for further investigation by Coalition Forces.
One coalition Soldier was slightly wounded from an enemy gunshot. He was treated and released back to duty.
The men were taken to a detention facility for questioning.