U.S., Iraqi Soldiers Seize Criminals, Weapons

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24, 2008 – Iraqi and U.S. soldiers apprehended suspected criminals and seized weapons caches in operations in Iraq yesterday, military officials reported.

The soldiers nabbed five suspected criminals with outstanding warrants during a combined operation in Baghdad’s Rashid district. They also seized 153 AK-47 assault rifles, two submachine guns, two rifles and two pistols in the Saydiyah community.

In other operations:

-- Iraqi and U.S. soldiers seized and destroyed a weapons cache north of Baghdad that included 99 37 mm high-explosive projectiles, 400 empty rocket tubes and two 155 mm illumination rounds.

-- A local resident’s tip led U.S. soldiers to a cache west of Baghdad consisting of five 82 mm mortars, a mortar tube and a tripod.

-- Iraqi soldiers seized two rocket-propelled grenades in northwestern Baghdad’s Ameriyah district. They gave the weapons to U.S. soldiers for disposal.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)