FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – National Police officers rescued a kidnapped 12-year-old Iraqi boy and seized a weapons cache while patrolling the New Baghdad security district of eastern Baghdad June 18.

Policemen from 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st National Police Division, answered a child’s calls for help while conducting a cordon-and-search mission of Muhalla 759 in the Kamaliyah area of New Baghdad, according to a National Police Transition Team report.
Upon investigating the source of the screams, National Policemen entered a house and found a 12-year-old Iraqi boy claiming to have been kidnapped. The NPs immediately detained an adult Iraqi man in the house and detained another adult male after questioning neighbors about the incident, the report read.

While in the first suspected kidnapper’s house, National Policemen found and seized a sizeable weapons cache. The cache contents included four explosively formed penetrators, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers with seven rounds, an anti-tank mine, 17 AK-47 rifles, four bolt-action rifles, four SKS rifles, one hunting rifle, a 9mm pistol, a 60mm mortar round, a 120mm mortar round, C-4 explosives and an undetermined amount of TNT with blasting caps.

“We commend the National Police for their initiative and professionalism in saving this young child of Iraq and capturing his kidnappers,” said Maj. Joey Sullinger, spokesperson for 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. “These desperate criminals know National Police, and all Iraqi Security Forces, are coming after them and their tools of terror with eyes on a more peaceful and productive future.”