Iraq army squeezes militants in Shi'ite south push

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iranian-made weapons were among a large cache of arms and ammunition found during operations in a Shi'ite militia stronghold south of Baghdad, the Iraqi army said on Monday.

Major-General Jamil Kamel al-Shimari, a senior officer in the 8th Iraqi Army Division, said the cache was the biggest store of weapons found since the launch of Operation Lion Pounce on Saturday.

The stockpile, which included roadside bombs, rocket-propelled grenades, mortar bombs and explosives, was uncovered in Diwaniya, 180 km (110 miles) south of Baghdad.

Four suspected militants were arrested at the scene, among 74 who have been detained since the operation began.

"All of their hands are bloodied," Shimari said.

"There are seven Iranian-made roadside bombs and nine anti-tank mines. These are a big danger threatening our forces," Shimari told reporters.

U.S. military officials accuse Iran of arming and training Shi'ite militias in Iraq, a charge Tehran denies.

Iran in turn blames the violence in Iraq, in which tens of thousands of Iraqis have been killed, on the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Some Washington and U.S. embassy officials in Iraq have noted recent improvements in Iran's involvement in Iraq but the U.S. military says Iranian weapons and components are still being found in Iraq.