Tip from Concerned Local Citizen leads to massive weapons cache in southern Ninevah

From Multi-National Division – North PAO.

QAYYARAH, Iraq – Iraqi Police from Qayyarah discovered a large weapons cache in Kredi, located approximately 13 kilometers southwest of Qayyarah, Nov. 25 while conducting operations based on a tip from a Concerned Local Citizen.

The IPs discovered seven 82mm Iranian mortars and a fully functional suicide vest.

In addition, they discovered over 130 Russian 57mm rockets; over 60 Russian, Chinese, Yugoslavian and South African mortar rounds of assorted sizes; over 230 assorted high explosive and fragmentation hand grenades; approximately 70 Russian anti-personnel landmines; 100 various types of rocket-propelled grenades with motors; 150 pounds of unknown bulk explosives; and an assortment of propellant, detonator cord, grenade fuses, and bomb-making accessories – to include – four empty metal box bombs.

“This is a significant find by the Iraqi Police that will hurt the terrorists’ ability to launch future attacks that are intended to injure and kill Iraqi citizens and the Iraqi Security Forces,” said Lt. Col. Robert McLaughlin, commander of the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

More stepping up:

HAWIJA, Iraq (AP) — Nearly 6,000 Sunni Arab residents joined a security pact with American forces Wednesday in what U.S. officers described as a critical step in plugging the remaining escape routes for extremists flushed from former strongholds.

The new alliance — called the single largest single volunteer mobilization since the war began — covers the "last gateway" for groups such as al-Qaida in Iraq seeking new havens in northern Iraq, U.S. military officials said. ...

The ceremony to pledge the 6,000 new fighters was presided over by dozen sheiks — each draped in black robes trimmed with gold braiding — who signed the contract on behalf of tribesmen at a small U.S. outpost in north-central Iraq. ...

The recently arrived militants have waged a campaign of killing and intimidation to try to establish a new base, said Sheikh Khalaf Ali Issa, mayor of Zaab village.

"They killed 476 of my citizens, and I will not let them continue their killing," Issa said. ...

"Hawija is the gateway through which all our communities — Kurdish, Turkomen and Arab alike — can become unsafe," said Abu Saif al-Jabouri, mayor of al-Multaqa village north of Kirkuk. "Do I love my neighbor in Hawija? That question no longer matters. I must work to help him, because his safety helps me."

That last line sounds an awful lot like "reconciliation" to me.

Meanwhile, MNF-I announces the world is now rid of these three charming individuals.

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Three terrorists killed during two recent operations have been positively identified as Abu Tiba, Abu Harith and Abu Nahr.

Abu Tiba, also known as Talal Abd al Aziz or Captain Talal, was the leader of a terrorist network operating in Samarra. ...

Tiba was involved in extortion, kidnappings, planting improvised explosive devices, the movement of foreign terrorists and conducting attacks against Iraqi and Coalition forces, and Iraqi police.

Tiba was killed during an operation east of Samarra Nov. 12. Coalition forces were targeting an al-Qaeda headquarters believed to be used as a safe house for foreign terrorists. As the ground force entered the target building, Tiba reached for a suicide vest. Perceiving hostile intent, Coalition forces engaged and killed him before the vest detonated.

Abu Harith, also known Abu Tariq, was a legacy al-Qaeda in Iraq member, most recently operating as the leader of a terrorist network in Kirkuk. Harith had numerous connections to senior terrorist leaders in Mosul and frequently made trips there to coordinate al-Qaeda activities for his network.

Abu Nahr was a member of a car-bombing network in Kirkuk. Nahr was responsible for coordinating numerous attacks against Iraq and Coalition forces and was believed to be acting as Harith’s deputy in the Kirkuk network.

Harith and Nahr were killed during an operation north of Hawija Nov. 21. The ground force called for the target building’s occupants to come out and they did not comply. The individuals attempted to draw their weapons and, perceiving hostile intent, the ground force engaged, killing Harith and Nahr.

“These were dangerous terrorists who are thankfully no longer part of the al-Qaeda in Iraq network,” said Navy Capt. Vic Beck, MNF-I spokesman. “We will relentlessly pursue any terrorist leader who tries to deny the Iraqi people a future of their choice.”

Nice going.