From Iran Focus:

BAGHDAD (AFP) — A US general said on Sunday that the increasingly sophisticated attacks carried out by Shiite extremists in Iraq were evidence they were getting extra aid from Iranian groups in the country.

Major General Rick Lynch, commander of US forces in central Iraq, said rocket and mortar attacks by Shiite extremists were “more effective than before”. This he charged indicated a rise in Iranian help to the militants.

“We are seeing an increase in (Iranian) influence … the number of attacks that are directly attributed to Iranian influence have indeed increased,” Lynch said.

“The number of EFP (explosively formed penetrator) attacks have increased, the number of Iranian rocket attacks have indeed increased, the amount of Iranian weapons I am finding on the battlefield has increased. The amount of Shiite extremists who tie their training back to Iran have indeed increased.”

Lynch, whose area of operation in Iraq has a long stretch of border with Iran, also charged that his troops have found large numbers of caches of weapons and ammunition bearing Iranian markings.

Citing a recent example, the general said his troops found in one place “enough components for 1,100 EFPs directly traceable back to Iran.”

Iran denies supplying ammunition to insurgents, or training them.

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