Centcom Press Release - Mar 17

AFGHAN CITIZEN TURNS IN IED CACHE
Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), assisted by Coalition forces, conducted a security patrol that found and disarmed an improvised explosive device (IED) cache turned in by a local Afghan citizen to Provincial Police Chief Juma Gul in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan, on March 10th. The Afghan National Police Chief notified the Afghan National Army they had secured an IED cache site in the middle of a heavily travelled road during the operation. The ANA provided the outer cordon while a specially-trained ANP search and disarm team swept the area for additional IED material. One canister was identified, and the ANP began digging it up. The device was deemed too hazardous to recover and was destroyed in place. "The mission was managed and executed by the ANSF," said Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman, a Coalition forces spokesperson. "The destruction of the IED cache sends two strong messages; the Afghan civilian trusted the ANP, and the superior training of the ANSF led to saving Afghan lives."

IRAQI TROOPS RECOVER WEAPONS CACHE
A Hillah Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics team recovered a weapons and munitions cache in Al-Iskandariyah as the result of a tip from a local citizen on March 13th. Following up on a call from a citizen to the ISWAT tip line, a Hillah ISWAT team conducted an Iraqi-only operation and recovered what they believe to be an al-Qaeda in Iraq weapons cache for use against Coalition forces bases in north Babil. The cache consisted of nine 122mm rockets, two 122mm artillery rounds with detonation cord, one 152mm artillery round with detonation cord, and four artillery fuses.