America's North Shore Journal

MNF-I

Coalition Forces discovered a complex cache site and underground bunker system inside a dense palm grove Jan. 12 near Esalwid, Iraq, during Operation Raider Harvest which is a division-level operation that is part of the countrywide Operation Phantom Phoenix.

Soldiers of Company I, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, found the 70-meter complex, which included a sleeping building, a building for storing food and a building for constructing improvised explosive devices, as well as two underground living bunkers.

Located at the site were numerous weapons and explosives, including various munitions, small arms, more than 10 IED cases, along with numerous other material for making IEDs, and various ammunitions and military gear.

Coalition Forces also found several log books containing AQI members with their assigned weapons and a map of IED locations.

A power line leading to the site was traced back to the home of a nearby villager, who was detained along with five of his military-age-male family members.

Again, AQ’s mysterious penchant for keeping detailed written records. Not a good habit for an underground terrorist organization.