CENTCOM NEWS RELEASES

November 11, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

4TH ID SECURES LARGE CACHES OF ROCKETS AND MUNITIONS

TIKRIT, Iraq – In three separate incidents on Nov. 9, Task Force Ironhorse soldiers located large weapons caches that had the potential to be used against innocent Iraqis and Caoalition forces.

The 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor soldiers received a report from an AH-64 helicopter that identified a location south of Baji as a possible weapons cache site. They went to the site and discovered storage structures that contained approximately 800 BM 21 rockets. The site was secured and the rockets are scheduled for destruction.

In another find, approximately 150 rockets were confiscated from a cache located north of Tikrit.

An additional weapons cache of 1,500 rounds of 155mm artillery shells was located north of Balad. This discovery was the result of an observation made by crewmen in a 1st Battalion, 10th Cavalry Regiment helicopter. The munitions will be destroyed in place.


November 11, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOLDIERS, COMMITTEE MEET TO SOLVE BLACK MARKET PROBLEMS

ISKANDARIYAH, Iraq – Coalition Forces recently met with Iraq’s Fuel Committee to address the selling of fuel on the black market. Fuel vendors must now follow certain actions to receive and distribute their product.

Every fuel vendor has been assigned one fuel card per container. The vendors use these cards to receive fuel from the distributors. These must be turned into the council in order to get additional cards. Also, signs will soon be emplaced at each vendor location, displaying the proper price of propane.

The exact quantity of fuel being sold illegally is unknown, but reports show that it is great enough to have an impact on an Iraqi’s way of life. An Iraqi buying fuel on the black market is paying three to five times the normal price. By implementing these regulations, Iraqis can now spend their money on other essential items.

Local police, in conjunction with Coalition Forces, will conduct patrols to verify that vendors are in fact selling the fuel at the designated price.