Coalition Forces seize huge EFP cache

Ignoring UBL's recent pleas, Iraqi citizens continue to stand up:

KHAN BANI SA’AD, Iraq – A concerned citizen led Coalition Forces to a large weapons cache yesterday in a home in Sa’ada Village, Iraq.

This cache is one of the largest discoveries of explosively formed penetrators found in at one location in Iraq. The find included more than 120 fully-assembled EFPs, more than 150 copper disks of four different sizes used in making EFPs (including 12-inch disks – one of the largest ever discovered in Iraq), 600-plus pounds of C4 and other explosive materials, 100 mortar rounds of various caliber, approximately 30 107mm rockets, two mortar tubes and 20 claymore-type mines.

“A find like this helps keep my Soldiers’ morale up because they know they’ve made a difference. It makes them feel good that they are saving Soldiers lives through their work,” said Capt. Jason Rosenstrauch, B Troop commander, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment.

“My first concern was for my Soldiers,” added Rosenstrauch. “I was worried that the room was unstable because it smelled like explosives and nitric acid.”

Last week such information from Concerned Local Citizens in a village near Muqdadiyah assisted CF to unearth a weapons cache and detain one suspected terrorist.

Coalition Forces detained the homeowner in the raid.

Rosenstrauch said the citizens of Khan Bani Sa’ad are now working closely with Coalition Forces to keep insurgents out of the city.

“We have a lot of peace in the city center now,” Rosenstrauch said. “We have had [many] CLCs reporting on enemy activity. The people are turning on the insurgents and telling us where they are.”