WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2009 - Iraqi security forces and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers discovered an improvised explosive device yesterday while conducting daytime operations in the Mansour district of northwestern Baghdad, military officials reported.

An Iraqi army explosive ordinance disposal unit, along with U.S. soldiers, secured and safely disarmed the IED in the Yarmouk neighborhood.

In operations Feb. 14:

-- Iraqi army and U.S. soldiers detained two suspected criminals for terrorist activities using Baghdad Operations Center warrants from two different neighborhoods in the Shurta community of southern Baghdad's Rashid district. The patrol transported the suspects to a nearby joint security station for processing.

-- In the Saydiyah neighborhood of southern Baghdad, Iraqi and U.S. soldiers confiscated 11 AK-47 assault rifles, one SKS assault rifle and two pistols while conducting neighborhood clearance operations. The patrol delivered the weapons to a nearby joint security station for safekeeping.

-- Iraqi security forces, partnered with Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers, detained a suspected criminal while conducting operations in southern Baghdad's Rashid district. Police officers from the 2nd National Police Division, conducting combined clearing operations with soldiers of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, arrested one man using a Baghdad Operations Center warrant in the Abu T'Shir community. The patrol delivered the suspect, wanted for financing terrorism and producing fake passports, to a nearby Iraqi police station for processing.

-- Iraqi security forces witnessed an individual moving an IED while conducting operations in the Ameriya neighborhood of northwestern Baghdad. Upon seeing the joint patrol, the individual dropped the IED and fled the scene. Iraqi army and U.S. soldiers recovered the IED and searched the area for the individual. An Iraqi explosive ordinance disposal team responded to the site and disarmed the device.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)