Troops Seize Anti-Aircraft Weapons, Find IED

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070104-05


2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) Public Affairs

YUSUFIYAH, Iraq — Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, “Polar Bears,” 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) captured and extracted two anti-aircraft systems during a combat operation here Jan. 1.

The operation, dubbed ‘Polar Pounce,’ was intended to seize anti-aircraft weapons identified by aircraft earlier in the afternoon.

The two 57mm anti-aircraft weapons were found. The weapons systems were evacuated from the area by Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd BCT.

During the same operation Soldiers of Task Force Iron Claw, 2nd BSTB, discovered an improvised explosive device made from a 120mm mortar, a bottle of homemade explosives and a crushed wire initiator as they were clearing the route for the crane and trucks to load and extract the guns.

The guns were taken to Patrol Base Yusufiyah.