Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Islamic State of Iraq releases video of attack on abducted U.S. soldiers
Security
(SITE) - The Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella insurgent group comprised of al-Qaeda in Iraq and others, and its official distributor and producer of multimedia, al-Furqan Foundation for Media Production, produced a 10:41 minute video of the planning and attack of an operation in southern Baghdad where three American soldiers were captured. The video was issued to jihadist forums on Monday, June 4, 2007.
Titled, “Clash and Capturing Three Americans in the Governorate of Baghdad”, the video presents itself as a propaganda piece aimed at showing the failure and alleged refusal of the American military and U.S. President George W. Bush to care for the blood of its soldiers. Three American soldiers, Pvt. Byron Wayne Fouty, Spc. Alex Ramon Jimenez, and Pfc. Joseph Anzack, were captured following a clash between the Mujahideen of the Islamic State and an American patrol in al-Mahmoudiya on May 12, 2007; one of the soldiers, Anzack, was confirmed killed when his body was discovered in the Euphrates Rivers.
Narration speaks condescendingly of the American military and its refusal to heed the warnings of the Islamic State of Iraq to cease their search for the soldiers, else they would be killed, and explains that the soldiers conducting the search abused Muslims. Thus, the narrator explains that the soldiers were announced dead to end the search.
Other portions of the video include the field commander of the brigade explaining the plan of attack, footage of the nighttime attack, and the response of the U.S. military in conducting a search for the captured as reported by al-Jazeera Arabic television. Items allegedly taken as plunder and personal effects from the soldiers from the scene of the attack include a pistol, VISA and Mastercard, fifty-dollar bills and Iraqi currency, clippings, and other identification. The final scene shows the identification cards of Pvt. Fouty and Spc. Jimenez with text written above reading: “Bush is responsible for the captured”. The status of the two captured soldiers, Pvt. Fouty and Spc. Jimenez, could not be verified.
Narration speaks condescendingly of the American military and its refusal to heed the warnings of the Islamic State of Iraq to cease their search for the soldiers, else they would be killed, and explains that the soldiers conducting the search abused Muslims. Thus, the narrator explains that the soldiers were announced dead to end the search.
Other portions of the video include the field commander of the brigade explaining the plan of attack, footage of the nighttime attack, and the response of the U.S. military in conducting a search for the captured as reported by al-Jazeera Arabic television. Items allegedly taken as plunder and personal effects from the soldiers from the scene of the attack include a pistol, VISA and Mastercard, fifty-dollar bills and Iraqi currency, clippings, and other identification. The final scene shows the identification cards of Pvt. Fouty and Spc. Jimenez with text written above reading: “Bush is responsible for the captured”. The status of the two captured soldiers, Pvt. Fouty and Spc. Jimenez, could not be verified.
Labels: Al-Furqan Foundation, Islamic State of Iraq, Mahmoudiya, Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, Spc. Alex R. Jimenez
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Round-up of violence across Iraq
Security
Roundup of Violence in Iraq -- Monday, 21 May 2007 - 08:37 AM EDT By Mohammed al Dulaimy, McClatchy Newspapers. In Baghdad, an IED killed three Iraqi soldiers. Twenty-four unidentified bodies were found. In Diyala, gunmen attacked a minibus, killing five, including a 4-year-old child.
(Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq at 1045 GMT on Tuesday:
* denotes new or updated item.
BAGHDAD - At least 25 people were killed and 60 wounded when a car bomb exploded near a popular market in the Amil district in southwestern Baghdad, police said.
* NEAR BAQUBA - Gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms at a fake checkpoint killed a family of six, including four children, in a town near Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.
BAGHDAD - At least four college students were killed and 25 wounded in a mortar attack at Ibn al-Haitham college in Adhamiya district in northern Baghdad, police said.
RIYADH - The bodies of two Arbil airport employees were found shot and tortured in the town of Riyadh, 60 km (40 miles) southwest of Kirkuk, police said.
BAGHDAD - U.S. forces detained 15 suspected insurgents, including two alleged insurgent cell leaders, during raids around Iraq targeting al-Qaeda, the U.S. military said.
NEAR GARMA - U.S. forces killed nine insurgents in a ground and air attack and freed 12 hostages held near the town of Garma, about 50 km (35 miles) west of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.
MAHMUDIYA - One person was killed and five wounded, all from the same family, by a mortar round in the town of Mahmudiya, about 30 km (20 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.
HAWIJA - A roadside bomb killed one person and wounded another near the town of Hawija, 70 km (40 miles) southwest of Kirkuk, police said.
BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb exploded near a police station, killing one person and wounding three others in Zayouna district in eastern Baghdad, police said.
BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb wounded five people in Mansour district in western Baghdad, police said.
BAGHDAD - The bodies of 24 people were found shot in different districts of Baghdad on Monday, police said.
BAGHDAD - Two people were killed and 15 wounded by a mortar round in al-Shurta al-Rabiae district in southwestern Baghdad on Monday, police said.
BAGHDAD - A car bomb killed one person and wounded five in al-Iskan district in western Baghdad on Monday, police said.
BASRA - One British soldier was killed when gunmen attacked a military fuel truck on Monday in Basra, 550 km (340 miles) south of Baghdad, the British military said.
* denotes new or updated item.
BAGHDAD - At least 25 people were killed and 60 wounded when a car bomb exploded near a popular market in the Amil district in southwestern Baghdad, police said.
* NEAR BAQUBA - Gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms at a fake checkpoint killed a family of six, including four children, in a town near Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.
BAGHDAD - At least four college students were killed and 25 wounded in a mortar attack at Ibn al-Haitham college in Adhamiya district in northern Baghdad, police said.
RIYADH - The bodies of two Arbil airport employees were found shot and tortured in the town of Riyadh, 60 km (40 miles) southwest of Kirkuk, police said.
BAGHDAD - U.S. forces detained 15 suspected insurgents, including two alleged insurgent cell leaders, during raids around Iraq targeting al-Qaeda, the U.S. military said.
NEAR GARMA - U.S. forces killed nine insurgents in a ground and air attack and freed 12 hostages held near the town of Garma, about 50 km (35 miles) west of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.
MAHMUDIYA - One person was killed and five wounded, all from the same family, by a mortar round in the town of Mahmudiya, about 30 km (20 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.
HAWIJA - A roadside bomb killed one person and wounded another near the town of Hawija, 70 km (40 miles) southwest of Kirkuk, police said.
BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb exploded near a police station, killing one person and wounding three others in Zayouna district in eastern Baghdad, police said.
BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb wounded five people in Mansour district in western Baghdad, police said.
BAGHDAD - The bodies of 24 people were found shot in different districts of Baghdad on Monday, police said.
BAGHDAD - Two people were killed and 15 wounded by a mortar round in al-Shurta al-Rabiae district in southwestern Baghdad on Monday, police said.
BAGHDAD - A car bomb killed one person and wounded five in al-Iskan district in western Baghdad on Monday, police said.
BASRA - One British soldier was killed when gunmen attacked a military fuel truck on Monday in Basra, 550 km (340 miles) south of Baghdad, the British military said.
Labels: Adhamiyah, Amil, Baqouba, Basra, car bomb, Garma, gunmen, Hawija, hostages, Mahmoudiya, Mansour, mortar rounds, Riyadh, roadside bombs
Friday, May 18, 2007
U.S. military says suspects have been detained
Security
(LA Times) - The military said Wednesday that it had detained people believed to be "directly linked" to a weekend assault in which attackers ambushed two Humvees, killing four U.S. soldiers and their Iraqi interpreter, and leaving three others missing and presumed captured. The commander of the region where the attack occurred, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, offered details Wednesday of the ambush that portrayed the attackers as coordinated, swift and brutally effective.
Lynch said the eight troops in two Humvees were attacked after they had set up a position, guarded by rolls of razor wire, near a crater caused by previous bombings. The blast site, on a road about 12 miles west of Mahmoudiya, had become a favorite spot for insurgents to plant bombs. Additional soldiers were at a patrol base about 1,500 feet to the north, Lynch said. Evidence indicated that the attackers used grenades and other hand-held explosives, and converged from several directions, he said. Drag marks leading to tire tracks showed that the missing men were pulled from the area to vehicles about 45 feet away.
The military is trying to determine whether the two Humvees were sufficient to guarantee the troops' protection and whether the patrol had taken necessary precautions. Those precautions would include not being positioned at a spot previously used by U.S. troops, Lynch said.
Lt. Col. Randy A. Martin, a military spokesman, said 679 people were being held for questioning but did not disclose how many of them were suspected of having direct links to the attack. The Islamic State of Iraq, an insurgent coalition loyal to Al Qaeda, has claimed it is holding the soldiers, but has not provided proof. Terrorism experts have said the group may be attempting to stretch out the agony of its adversary.
"Like all the best terrorists … they seek to maximize the most effect of an act of violence," said Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at Georgetown University. "It's not just putting the knife in, but twisting it slowly." Psychological warfare is a crucial tactic to insurgents in Iraq, where the battle is aimed at undermining the U.S. occupation and heightening tensions between Iraqi civilians and American troops, said James Phillips, a Middle East analyst at the Heritage Foundation.
Phillips said Al Qaeda groups knew that an ambush leading to the capture of soldiers could attract more attention than merely killing troops in a bombing. "It is possible that all of the people were killed and that they took some of the bodies so they could use them as a psychological counter," he said. "From their point of view, it's more useful to get their message across that they are still a force."
The four soldiers killed in the attack were from the 10th Mountain Division in Ft. Drum, N.Y. Their bodies arrived Tuesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. At a news conference on the base Wednesday, spokesman Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick said searchers were operating under the assumption the missing are alive, "and are either under the control of extremists or, possibly, may be attempting to evade. Either way, our premise is that we assume they are alive unless proven otherwise."
Lynch said the eight troops in two Humvees were attacked after they had set up a position, guarded by rolls of razor wire, near a crater caused by previous bombings. The blast site, on a road about 12 miles west of Mahmoudiya, had become a favorite spot for insurgents to plant bombs. Additional soldiers were at a patrol base about 1,500 feet to the north, Lynch said. Evidence indicated that the attackers used grenades and other hand-held explosives, and converged from several directions, he said. Drag marks leading to tire tracks showed that the missing men were pulled from the area to vehicles about 45 feet away.
The military is trying to determine whether the two Humvees were sufficient to guarantee the troops' protection and whether the patrol had taken necessary precautions. Those precautions would include not being positioned at a spot previously used by U.S. troops, Lynch said.
Lt. Col. Randy A. Martin, a military spokesman, said 679 people were being held for questioning but did not disclose how many of them were suspected of having direct links to the attack. The Islamic State of Iraq, an insurgent coalition loyal to Al Qaeda, has claimed it is holding the soldiers, but has not provided proof. Terrorism experts have said the group may be attempting to stretch out the agony of its adversary.
"Like all the best terrorists … they seek to maximize the most effect of an act of violence," said Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at Georgetown University. "It's not just putting the knife in, but twisting it slowly." Psychological warfare is a crucial tactic to insurgents in Iraq, where the battle is aimed at undermining the U.S. occupation and heightening tensions between Iraqi civilians and American troops, said James Phillips, a Middle East analyst at the Heritage Foundation.
Phillips said Al Qaeda groups knew that an ambush leading to the capture of soldiers could attract more attention than merely killing troops in a bombing. "It is possible that all of the people were killed and that they took some of the bodies so they could use them as a psychological counter," he said. "From their point of view, it's more useful to get their message across that they are still a force."
The four soldiers killed in the attack were from the 10th Mountain Division in Ft. Drum, N.Y. Their bodies arrived Tuesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. At a news conference on the base Wednesday, spokesman Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick said searchers were operating under the assumption the missing are alive, "and are either under the control of extremists or, possibly, may be attempting to evade. Either way, our premise is that we assume they are alive unless proven otherwise."
Labels: 10th Mountain Division in Ft. Drum, Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, Islamic State of Iraq, Lt. Col. Randy A. Martin, Mahmoudiya, Missing U.S. troops
Thursday, May 17, 2007
U.S. military offers rewards of $200,000 for information on missing soldiers
Security
(BBC) - The US military has offered rewards of up to $200,000 (£100,000) for information leading to the return of three of its soldiers missing in Iraq. Thousands of US and Iraqi soldiers are involved in the search for the men, who vanished after an ambush on Saturday. The Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella group of militants led by al-Qaeda, has said it is holding the soldiers.
Four US troops and an Iraqi interpreter were killed in Saturday's attack in the town of Mahmudiya, south of Baghdad. In an unverified statement posted on an Islamist website, the militant group claiming to hold the soldiers told the US: "If you want them safe, do not search for them."
Some 170,000 leaflets offering the reward of up to 250m Iraqi dinars have been distributed in the Mahmudiya area, the US military said. The four names in question are Sergeant Anthony Schober, 23, of Nevada, Specialist Alex Jiminez, 24, of Massachusetts, Private Joseph Anzack, 20, of California and Private Byron Fouty, 19, of Michigan.
Four US troops and an Iraqi interpreter were killed in Saturday's attack in the town of Mahmudiya, south of Baghdad. In an unverified statement posted on an Islamist website, the militant group claiming to hold the soldiers told the US: "If you want them safe, do not search for them."
Some 170,000 leaflets offering the reward of up to 250m Iraqi dinars have been distributed in the Mahmudiya area, the US military said. The four names in question are Sergeant Anthony Schober, 23, of Nevada, Specialist Alex Jiminez, 24, of Massachusetts, Private Joseph Anzack, 20, of California and Private Byron Fouty, 19, of Michigan.
About 4,000 US troops and 2,000 Iraqi troops have been searching the area where the ambush happened, known as the Triangle of Death because attacks by insurgents are so common, for the past four days. The US military has said it has "highly credible intelligence information" that the missing soldiers were abducted "by terrorists belonging to al-Qaeda or an affiliated group".
Major General Rick Lynch told the Associated Press news agency that he remained optimistic the three men would be found alive. "We're pursuing all intelligence," he told AP. "Some of those leads tell us that the soldiers have been taken out of the area but the majority tell us that they're still in the area." Last year, two American soldiers were kidnapped in the same area - their bodies were found several days later.
Major General Rick Lynch told the Associated Press news agency that he remained optimistic the three men would be found alive. "We're pursuing all intelligence," he told AP. "Some of those leads tell us that the soldiers have been taken out of the area but the majority tell us that they're still in the area." Last year, two American soldiers were kidnapped in the same area - their bodies were found several days later.
Labels: Islamic State of Iraq, Mahmoudiya, Major General Rick Lynch, Missing U.S. troops, reward
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Mahmudiya Residents: Gunmen In Military Uniforms Attacked US Patrol
Security
(Azzaman Newspaper) - 14 MAY - The US forces began search operations in orchards and villages near Mahmudiya after seven US soldiers and their translator were attacked, killing five of them and leaving three missing. Reuters reports that the patrol was attacked just before dawn near Mahmudiya, which is the same area Al Qaida kidnapped two US soldiers last year.
Another US unit heard an explosion near the US patrol but was unable to contact them. The US Army said that a UAV observed burning vehicles. An hour later when US troops arrived at the location of the incident they found five bodies. Local citizens said that the US forces began a huge search operation using helicopters and UAVs. They are searching creeks, orchards, and buildings.
They set up checkpoints trying to prevent the gunmen from escaping. Local citizens of Mahmudiya reported they saw gunmen wearing Iraqi Army uniforms stopping a US patrol that consisted of three Humvees at a fake checkpoint. When the patrol stopped, the gunmen attacked them. Finally, a group from Al Qaida said that they “arrested” the soldiers and described them as crusaders.
Labels: Iraqi Army uniforms, Mahmoudiya, Missing U.S. troops
Missing U.S. soldiers named, abduction believed to be 'planned'
Security
(CNN) - U.S. forces searching for three soldiers abducted in a Saturday attack south of Baghdad believe the troops were kidnapped in a "planned snatch," involving at least 10 insurgents, a senior U.S. military official said. Insurgents targeted a "stationary observation post" -- where troops looked for people planting bombs, the official said.
The kidnapping was part of a "complex attack," meaning the attackers used many different weapons such as firearms and grenades, but the source wouldn't be specific on the kinds of weapons used. A nearby unit heard explosions early Saturday "and attempted to establish communications, but without success." Later, an unmanned aerial vehicle spotted two burning vehicles and coalition forces arrived within the hour.
Four soldiers also were killed in the attack in a region known as the Triangle of Death. Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi soldiers -- backed by everything from air support to dog teams -- are searching for the missing troops. Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said 11 people have been detained, and four of them are considered high-value targets. As of Monday, 460 people have been questioned since the search was launched, Garver said, and the military has received more than 50 tips from people.
The slain and missing U.S. soldiers -- all men -- were from Fort Drum in New York, and all have been identified as members of the 10th Mountain Division's Second Brigade. The families of the seven have been notified that their kin were involved. Three of the slain have been identified by the Pentagon. They are Pfc. Christopher E. Murphy, 21, of Lynchburg, Virginia; Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya, 19, of Vermontville, Michigan; and Sgt. 1st Class James D. Connell Jr., 40, of Lake City, Tennessee. The number of U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq now stands at 3,401, including seven contractors.
Four others -- three missing and one of the dead -- remain listed as "duty status whereabouts unknown." The military can't yet sort out precisely who is missing because one of the four bodies is so badly burned that it can't be immediately identified. The Department of Defense identified the four as Sgt. Anthony J. Schober, 23, of Reno, Nevada; Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts; Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, California; and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Michigan.
The military was performing a DNA test to determine the soldier's identity and hopes to have the testing completed by midday Wednesday. The bodies were to arrive on Tuesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
The Islamic State of Iraq -- a Sunni insurgent coalition that includes al Qaeda in Iraq -- issued a statement Monday saying it is holding the troops and is warning the U.S. military to call off its search. CNN cannot independently verify the claim, posted on Islamist Web sites.
The kidnapping was part of a "complex attack," meaning the attackers used many different weapons such as firearms and grenades, but the source wouldn't be specific on the kinds of weapons used. A nearby unit heard explosions early Saturday "and attempted to establish communications, but without success." Later, an unmanned aerial vehicle spotted two burning vehicles and coalition forces arrived within the hour.
Four soldiers also were killed in the attack in a region known as the Triangle of Death. Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi soldiers -- backed by everything from air support to dog teams -- are searching for the missing troops. Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said 11 people have been detained, and four of them are considered high-value targets. As of Monday, 460 people have been questioned since the search was launched, Garver said, and the military has received more than 50 tips from people.
The slain and missing U.S. soldiers -- all men -- were from Fort Drum in New York, and all have been identified as members of the 10th Mountain Division's Second Brigade. The families of the seven have been notified that their kin were involved. Three of the slain have been identified by the Pentagon. They are Pfc. Christopher E. Murphy, 21, of Lynchburg, Virginia; Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya, 19, of Vermontville, Michigan; and Sgt. 1st Class James D. Connell Jr., 40, of Lake City, Tennessee. The number of U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq now stands at 3,401, including seven contractors.
Four others -- three missing and one of the dead -- remain listed as "duty status whereabouts unknown." The military can't yet sort out precisely who is missing because one of the four bodies is so badly burned that it can't be immediately identified. The Department of Defense identified the four as Sgt. Anthony J. Schober, 23, of Reno, Nevada; Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts; Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, California; and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Michigan.
The military was performing a DNA test to determine the soldier's identity and hopes to have the testing completed by midday Wednesday. The bodies were to arrive on Tuesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
The Islamic State of Iraq -- a Sunni insurgent coalition that includes al Qaeda in Iraq -- issued a statement Monday saying it is holding the troops and is warning the U.S. military to call off its search. CNN cannot independently verify the claim, posted on Islamist Web sites.
Labels: 10th Mountain Division's Second Brigade, Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Mahmoudiya, Missing U.S. troops, Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, Sgt. Anthony J. Schober, Spc. Alex R. Jimenez
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
11 detained in search for missing U.S. soldiers
Security
(AP) - U.S. troops have questioned hundreds of people and detained 11 in the search for three American soldiers feared captured by al-Qaida during a weekend ambush south of Baghdad, the military said Tuesday. For a fourth day, jets, helicopters and unmanned surveillance aircraft crisscrossed the skies over the sparsely populated farm area near Mahmoudiya, 20 miles south of Baghdad to search for the missing soldiers. U.S. and Iraqi troops — backed by dog teams — searched vehicles and pedestrians. Other teams peered into crawl spaces and probed for possible secret chambers in homes.
"We have conducted more than 450 tactical interviews and detained 11 individuals" as of Monday night, U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said. Garver said the Americans were also turning to the local population, which he said "continues to be helpful in providing tips."
On Monday, the Islamic State of Iraq warned the U.S. to halt its search by about 4,000 troops, and the Pentagon acknowledged for the first time that it believes the soldiers are in terrorist hands. Last June, al-Qaida claimed responsibility for the deaths of two U.S. soldiers whose mutilated bodies were later found in the same area.
If all three soldiers now missing are taken hostage alive, it would be the biggest single abduction of U.S. soldiers in Iraq since March 23, 2003, when Pvt. Jessica Lynch and six others were captured in an ambush near Nasiriyah in which 11 Americans were killed. The three were last seen before a pre-dawn ambush Saturday that destroyed several Humvees in a U.S. convoy and killed four Americans and an Iraqi soldier traveling with them.
Al-Qaida has been active for years in the string of towns and villages south of the capital, a mostly Sunni region known as the "triangle of death" because of frequent attacks on U.S. and Iraqi forces as well as Shiite civilians traveling to shrine cities in the south. During the search Monday, U.S. and Iraqi forces exchanged fire with gunmen near the town of Youssifiyah, killing two and injuring four, an Iraqi army officer said.
On Tuesday, an Iraqi interpreter working with the U.S. soldiers said the coalition's search was focusing on rural areas outside Mahmoudiya and that life was proceeding as normal in the city. But he also said Iraqi civilians being stopped for questioning by U.S. forces appeared nervous that they could be attacked by insurgents later, if they were seen cooperating with the coalition. The interpreter spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for his own security.
The area around Mahmoudiya has long been especially volatile because Saddam Hussein recruited members of Sunni tribes there into his elite Republican Guard and intelligence services. Many of them were believed to have joined the insurgency after Saddam's regime collapsed in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. U.S. officers also say extremists have fled Baghdad for surrounding areas to escape the three-month Baghdad security crackdown.
"We have conducted more than 450 tactical interviews and detained 11 individuals" as of Monday night, U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said. Garver said the Americans were also turning to the local population, which he said "continues to be helpful in providing tips."
On Monday, the Islamic State of Iraq warned the U.S. to halt its search by about 4,000 troops, and the Pentagon acknowledged for the first time that it believes the soldiers are in terrorist hands. Last June, al-Qaida claimed responsibility for the deaths of two U.S. soldiers whose mutilated bodies were later found in the same area.
If all three soldiers now missing are taken hostage alive, it would be the biggest single abduction of U.S. soldiers in Iraq since March 23, 2003, when Pvt. Jessica Lynch and six others were captured in an ambush near Nasiriyah in which 11 Americans were killed. The three were last seen before a pre-dawn ambush Saturday that destroyed several Humvees in a U.S. convoy and killed four Americans and an Iraqi soldier traveling with them.
Al-Qaida has been active for years in the string of towns and villages south of the capital, a mostly Sunni region known as the "triangle of death" because of frequent attacks on U.S. and Iraqi forces as well as Shiite civilians traveling to shrine cities in the south. During the search Monday, U.S. and Iraqi forces exchanged fire with gunmen near the town of Youssifiyah, killing two and injuring four, an Iraqi army officer said.
On Tuesday, an Iraqi interpreter working with the U.S. soldiers said the coalition's search was focusing on rural areas outside Mahmoudiya and that life was proceeding as normal in the city. But he also said Iraqi civilians being stopped for questioning by U.S. forces appeared nervous that they could be attacked by insurgents later, if they were seen cooperating with the coalition. The interpreter spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for his own security.
The area around Mahmoudiya has long been especially volatile because Saddam Hussein recruited members of Sunni tribes there into his elite Republican Guard and intelligence services. Many of them were believed to have joined the insurgency after Saddam's regime collapsed in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. U.S. officers also say extremists have fled Baghdad for surrounding areas to escape the three-month Baghdad security crackdown.
Labels: detainees, Islamic State of Iraq, Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Mahmoudiya, U.S. troops
Monday, May 14, 2007
Islamic State in Iraq claims capture of U.S. soldiers
Security
UPDATE: (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Monday it believed that three U.S. soldiers missing in Iraq were abducted by al Qaeda and the Islamist militant group demanded an end to a massive search as the only way to secure their safety.
"At this time, we believe they were abducted by terrorists belonging to al Qaeda or an affiliated group and this assessment is based on highly credible intelligence information," chief military spokesman Major-General William Caldwell said.
"Your soldiers are in our grip. If you want the safety of your soldiers then do not search for them," the Islamic State in Iraq said in a statement posted on a Web site. The group did not elaborate but its statement implied the soldiers were still alive. The posting did not carry pictures of the soldiers, make demands for their release or say what their fate would be.
In a statement recorded before al Qaeda's demand for an end to the search was posted, Caldwell said the American soldiers were classified as "whereabouts unknown". He said the U.S. military was "using every asset and resource available to the United States and our Iraqi allies in these efforts". "The operations to locate our soldiers are ongoing, and we would not want to do anything that would jeopardize these efforts," Caldwell said.
"At this time, we believe they were abducted by terrorists belonging to al Qaeda or an affiliated group and this assessment is based on highly credible intelligence information," chief military spokesman Major-General William Caldwell said.
"Your soldiers are in our grip. If you want the safety of your soldiers then do not search for them," the Islamic State in Iraq said in a statement posted on a Web site. The group did not elaborate but its statement implied the soldiers were still alive. The posting did not carry pictures of the soldiers, make demands for their release or say what their fate would be.
In a statement recorded before al Qaeda's demand for an end to the search was posted, Caldwell said the American soldiers were classified as "whereabouts unknown". He said the U.S. military was "using every asset and resource available to the United States and our Iraqi allies in these efforts". "The operations to locate our soldiers are ongoing, and we would not want to do anything that would jeopardize these efforts," Caldwell said.
(AP) - U.S. and Iraqi forces exchanged fire with suspected Sunni insurgents on Monday, killing two and wounding four of them during a massive search for three missing American soldiers in a volatile area south of Baghdad, the Iraqi army said. An al-Qaida front group, the Islamic State in Iraq, claimed Sunday that it had captured U.S soldiers in a deadly attack on a U.S. convoy the day before in Sunni area south of Baghdad that is known as the "triangle of death", a longtime al-Qaida stronghold.
Meanwhile, 4,000 U.S. troops backed by aircraft, intelligence units and Iraqi forces were scouring the farming area around Mahmoudiya and the nearby town of Youssifiyah for the third day, as the military promised to make every effort available to find the missing soldiers. Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said the military could not verify the claim by the Islamic State of Iraq but "it would not surprise me if ... al-Qaida in Iraq is involved in this because there are similarities to what they've done before."
He pointed out that the terror network also had claimed responsibility for killing two U.S. soldiers whose mutilated bodies were found after they went missing in the same area last year. The Islamic State in Iraq offered no proof for its claim on Internet that it was behind the attack Saturday in Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad, that also killed four U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi translator. If the claim proves true, it would mark one of the most brazen attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq, a coalition of eight insurgent groups, including al-Qaida in Iraq.
Meanwhile, 4,000 U.S. troops backed by aircraft, intelligence units and Iraqi forces were scouring the farming area around Mahmoudiya and the nearby town of Youssifiyah for the third day, as the military promised to make every effort available to find the missing soldiers. Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said the military could not verify the claim by the Islamic State of Iraq but "it would not surprise me if ... al-Qaida in Iraq is involved in this because there are similarities to what they've done before."
He pointed out that the terror network also had claimed responsibility for killing two U.S. soldiers whose mutilated bodies were found after they went missing in the same area last year. The Islamic State in Iraq offered no proof for its claim on Internet that it was behind the attack Saturday in Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad, that also killed four U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi translator. If the claim proves true, it would mark one of the most brazen attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq, a coalition of eight insurgent groups, including al-Qaida in Iraq.
Early Monday morning, U.S. and Iraqi forces exchanged fire with gunmen near Youssifiyah during the house-to-house search operation for the missing American soldiers, killing two suspected insurgents and injuring four others, a top Iraqi army officer in the area said. He said the fighting began at about 3:30 a.m. and lasted for about 30 minutes. The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said the coalition's search operation in the region has detained more than 100 suspects. The U.S. military did not immediate comment on the report.
In Mahmoudiyah, residents complained on Monday that coalition forces had searched through their homes, and AP Television News footage showed on one apartment that appeared to have been ransacked in the search. One resident also said three residents in the area, including two guards at a local mosque, had been detained by coalition forces, but that could not be immediately confirmed.
In Mahmoudiyah, residents complained on Monday that coalition forces had searched through their homes, and AP Television News footage showed on one apartment that appeared to have been ransacked in the search. One resident also said three residents in the area, including two guards at a local mosque, had been detained by coalition forces, but that could not be immediately confirmed.
Labels: Al Qaeda in Iraq, Islamic State in Iraq, Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Mahmoudiya, U.S. troops, Youssifiyah
Saturday, May 12, 2007
U.S. soldiers missing after attack
Security
(CNN) - Four American troops and one Iraqi army interpreter have been killed and three American troops are missing after an attack on Saturday morning 12 miles west of Mahmoudiya -- a city south of the capital in Babil province, the U.S. military said. The coalition team of seven Americans and the Iraqi interpreter was attacked before dawn, the military said. A nearby unit heard explosions, and 15 minutes later, a drone aircraft spotted two burning vehicles, according to a U.S. military statement. "Coalition Forces are currently using every means at our disposal to find the missing Soldiers, and we will continue these efforts until all are accounted for," the statement said.
Labels: Mahmoudiya, U.S. troops
