Monday, June 04, 2007
Al Qaeda-linked sites to show abduction video of U.S. soldiers
Security
(AFP) - The US military vowed on Monday to continue searching for two soldiers captured in Iraq, amid reports that the Al Qaeda militant group has released a video about their seizure. The SITE Institute, which studies violent extremist groups, said it had received a 10-minute video dealing with the planning and aftermath of the May 12 attack, in which four US solders were killed and three abducted.
Meanwhile, the CNN television network showed images of what appeared to be the military identity cards of Private Byron Fouty and Specialist Alex Jiminez, the two missing soldiers, which they said had been posted on the Internet. A spokesman for the US military in Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Garver, told AFP that commanders had expected a video to surface since the Al Qaeda front group claimed responsibility for the attack.
‘Ever since the first statement by the Islamic State of Iraq that if we wanted to see the soldiers alive we should stop looking, we have been expecting this, knowing that it’s a scare tactic by insurgent groups,’ Garver said. ‘We’ll look at it, and see what we can get out of it. ‘The search is still continuing, with 6,000 troops including Iraqi forces. We’re still using aircraft and other assets to continue the search. We are going to keep looking for our soldiers,’ he added.
On May 12, insurgents wiped out a small patrol of US soldiers manning a temporary observation post in Qarghuli, near the town of Mahmudiyah, 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Baghdad. Four American soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were killed on the spot, and three more troops were dragged off by the attackers, who destroyed two Humvee transporters and laid roadside bombs to delay a US rescue attempt.
The next day, large numbers of US and Iraqi troops began searching palm groves and irrigation canals in a violent agricultural region south of Baghdad known as an insurgent stronghold dubbed the ‘Triangle of Death’.
Two days after the attack, the Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility and issued a warning. ‘Your soldiers are in our hands. If you want them safe, do not search for them,’ the group said in an Internet statement.
On May 24, the military confirmed that Iraqi police had found the body of Private First Class Joseph Anzack floating in the Euphrates river. Police said he had execution-style gunshot wounds to the back of his head. In the weeks since the attack at least 100 more Americans have been killed in Iraq, some of them during the search for the missing troops, but the fate of the hostages nevertheless remains of vital importance for the US mission.
Commanders have repeatedly stressed the importance they and their troops attach to the ‘The Soldier’s Creed’, a set of principles which states that US forces never leave a dead or injured comrade behind in combat.
Meanwhile, the CNN television network showed images of what appeared to be the military identity cards of Private Byron Fouty and Specialist Alex Jiminez, the two missing soldiers, which they said had been posted on the Internet. A spokesman for the US military in Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Garver, told AFP that commanders had expected a video to surface since the Al Qaeda front group claimed responsibility for the attack.
‘Ever since the first statement by the Islamic State of Iraq that if we wanted to see the soldiers alive we should stop looking, we have been expecting this, knowing that it’s a scare tactic by insurgent groups,’ Garver said. ‘We’ll look at it, and see what we can get out of it. ‘The search is still continuing, with 6,000 troops including Iraqi forces. We’re still using aircraft and other assets to continue the search. We are going to keep looking for our soldiers,’ he added.
On May 12, insurgents wiped out a small patrol of US soldiers manning a temporary observation post in Qarghuli, near the town of Mahmudiyah, 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Baghdad. Four American soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were killed on the spot, and three more troops were dragged off by the attackers, who destroyed two Humvee transporters and laid roadside bombs to delay a US rescue attempt.
The next day, large numbers of US and Iraqi troops began searching palm groves and irrigation canals in a violent agricultural region south of Baghdad known as an insurgent stronghold dubbed the ‘Triangle of Death’.
Two days after the attack, the Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility and issued a warning. ‘Your soldiers are in our hands. If you want them safe, do not search for them,’ the group said in an Internet statement.
On May 24, the military confirmed that Iraqi police had found the body of Private First Class Joseph Anzack floating in the Euphrates river. Police said he had execution-style gunshot wounds to the back of his head. In the weeks since the attack at least 100 more Americans have been killed in Iraq, some of them during the search for the missing troops, but the fate of the hostages nevertheless remains of vital importance for the US mission.
Commanders have repeatedly stressed the importance they and their troops attach to the ‘The Soldier’s Creed’, a set of principles which states that US forces never leave a dead or injured comrade behind in combat.
Labels: Furqan Institute, Islamic State of Iraq, Missing U.S. troops, Private Byron Fouty, Private First Class Joseph Anzack, Specialist Alex Jiminez
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Iraqi police find two more bodies in U.S. military uniform
Security
(Voices of Iraq) - Babel police said two more bodies believed to be of the kidnapped U.S. soldiers were found on Wednesday near a bank of the River Euphrates in al-Masayeb area. “Babel police patrols today found two bodies believed to be from the two kidnapped U.S. soldiers near the Euphrates bank in al-Masyeb area,” the source, who asked not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
He added, “the bodies bore marks of torture with their heads smashed. They wore the U.S. military-style uniform.” The source said “the two bodies were handed over to the U.S. forces at the location where they were found.” U.S. forces immediately cordoned off the area, he also said.
No word has been heard so far from the U.S. army on the incident. Earlier on Wednesday, Babel police found a body believed to of a kidnapped U.S. soldier. Last week, a U.S. vehicle patrol was attacked just south of Baghdad where six soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were killed and the three service members were kidnapped.
He added, “the bodies bore marks of torture with their heads smashed. They wore the U.S. military-style uniform.” The source said “the two bodies were handed over to the U.S. forces at the location where they were found.” U.S. forces immediately cordoned off the area, he also said.
No word has been heard so far from the U.S. army on the incident. Earlier on Wednesday, Babel police found a body believed to of a kidnapped U.S. soldier. Last week, a U.S. vehicle patrol was attacked just south of Baghdad where six soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were killed and the three service members were kidnapped.
Labels: Missing U.S. troops, Mussayab
Body of missing U.S. soldier identified
Security
(AP) - Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops fanned out across the fields of southern Iraq in scorching temperatures Thursday as the military said it remained determined to find two missing U.S. soldiers after the body of a third was pulled from a river. The military confirmed Thursday that the body found a day earlier in the Euphrates River south of Baghdad was that of Pfc. Joseph Anzack Jr., who had been missing since militants ambushed his unit nearly two weeks ago.
A commanding officer identified the remains recovered from the river, but DNA tests were still pending, military officials told Anzack's family. Anzack, 20, vanished along with the two other soldiers after their combat team was ambushed May 12 about 20 miles outside Baghdad. Five others, including an Iraqi, were killed in the ambush, subsequently claimed by al-Qaida.
"We can confirm that we have recovered the remains of Pfc. Anzack," Lt. Col. Josslyn Aberle, a military spokeswoman, said Thursday. Aberle denied reports that a second body had been found and was being examined to determine if it was that of another of the missing soldiers. "The reports of a second set of remains being found is a false report," she said.
Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi forces have been involved in the search for the soldiers ambushed and captured May 12. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the chief U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, said the remains, later identified as those of Anzack, were recovered by Iraqi police. Witnesses said police using civilian boats searched for other bodies on the river in Musayyib, about 40 miles south of Baghdad, and U.S. troops intensified their presence on a nearby bridge as helicopters flew overhead, witnesses said.
Hassan al-Jibouri, 32, said he saw the body with head wounds and whip marks on its back floating on the river Wednesday morning. He and others then alerted police. The remaining missing soldiers are Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19.
A commanding officer identified the remains recovered from the river, but DNA tests were still pending, military officials told Anzack's family. Anzack, 20, vanished along with the two other soldiers after their combat team was ambushed May 12 about 20 miles outside Baghdad. Five others, including an Iraqi, were killed in the ambush, subsequently claimed by al-Qaida.
"We can confirm that we have recovered the remains of Pfc. Anzack," Lt. Col. Josslyn Aberle, a military spokeswoman, said Thursday. Aberle denied reports that a second body had been found and was being examined to determine if it was that of another of the missing soldiers. "The reports of a second set of remains being found is a false report," she said.
Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi forces have been involved in the search for the soldiers ambushed and captured May 12. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the chief U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, said the remains, later identified as those of Anzack, were recovered by Iraqi police. Witnesses said police using civilian boats searched for other bodies on the river in Musayyib, about 40 miles south of Baghdad, and U.S. troops intensified their presence on a nearby bridge as helicopters flew overhead, witnesses said.
Hassan al-Jibouri, 32, said he saw the body with head wounds and whip marks on its back floating on the river Wednesday morning. He and others then alerted police. The remaining missing soldiers are Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19.
Labels: Lt. Col. Josslyn Aberle, Missing U.S. troops, Mussayab, Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, Spc. Alex R. Jimenez
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Iraqi police find body in U.S. military uniform in Euphrates
Security
(AP) - Iraqi police found the body of a man who was wearing what appeared to be a U.S. military uniform and had a tattoo on his left hand floating in the Euphrates River south of Baghdad on Wednesday morning, and one Iraqi official said it was one of three missing American soldiers. The man had been shot in the head and chest, Babil police Capt. Muthana Khalid said. He said Iraqi police turned the body over the U.S. forces.
The report of the body found was confirmed by a senior Iraqi army officer in the Babil area. He told The Associated Press that the body found in the river was that of an American soldier. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. The discovery of the body in Musayyib, about 40 miles south of Baghdad in Babil Province, came as U.S. troops and Iraqi forces continued their massive search for the three soldiers abducted May 12 in an ambush on their patrol near Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad.
The U.S. military said in an e-mail that it was looking into the report, but could not confirm it. In an interview with the Army Times newspaper last week, Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said he believed at least two of the missing soldiers were alive. "As of this morning, we thought there were at least two that were probably still alive," he said in the interview, which was posted on the newspaper's Web site on Saturday. "At one point in time there was a sense that one of them might have died, but again we just don't know."
The report of the body found was confirmed by a senior Iraqi army officer in the Babil area. He told The Associated Press that the body found in the river was that of an American soldier. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. The discovery of the body in Musayyib, about 40 miles south of Baghdad in Babil Province, came as U.S. troops and Iraqi forces continued their massive search for the three soldiers abducted May 12 in an ambush on their patrol near Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad.
The U.S. military said in an e-mail that it was looking into the report, but could not confirm it. In an interview with the Army Times newspaper last week, Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said he believed at least two of the missing soldiers were alive. "As of this morning, we thought there were at least two that were probably still alive," he said in the interview, which was posted on the newspaper's Web site on Saturday. "At one point in time there was a sense that one of them might have died, but again we just don't know."
Labels: Missing U.S. troops, Mussayab
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
News Of The Killing Of The Three US Soldiers
Coalition
(Al Bayyna Newspaper AR.) - 20 MAY - Eyewitnesses in Yousifiya say that they believe that the three US soldiers have been killed by their kidnappers. A Nahrain network reporter stated, “Eyewitnesses confirmed to him that a group of citizens from the agricultural area in Yousifiya discovered two human heads in a creek in their area. According to these people, the features of the faces of the heads, which were slightly decomposed, appeared to be that of non-Iraqis. It is possible that these are the heads of two of the kidnapped US soldier’s heads.”
On the other side, an Iraqi Voices reporter confirmed that local citizens informed the US forces and the US forces quickly retrieved the heads from the river. The US forces also began to block the water flow and began to search for the head of the third soldier. Finally, 6,000 US soldiers, with the assistance of Iraqi forces, have been searching in Yousifiya and in the vicinity of the old Russian power station in the hopes of finding the three US soldiers who were kidnapped last Saturday. The two heads that were found confirm that two of the soldiers have been killed.
COMMENT: Al Bayyna is a pro-Shiite, anti-Coalition newspaper. Al Bayyna - “The Truth” - is published weekly in Baghdad. It is owned by Hezbollah in Iraq. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Missing U.S. troops, Youssifiyah
Search continues for missing American soldiers
Security
(AP) -- U.S. soldiers raided suspected safehouses near the Euphrates River south of Baghdad on Monday in their search for three captured comrades but found them empty after the militants apparently were tipped off and fled, a military spokesman said. It was the latest in a series of frustrations for exhausted U.S. troops hunting for any sign of the trio missing since a May 12 assault on an outpost by insurgents linked to al-Qaida. Four other Americans and an Iraqi soldier died in the attack.
Maj. Webster Wright, a spokesman for the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, said 27 airborne operations had been staged during the widespread search the last nine days, dropping off soldiers to gain the element of surprise and avoid bomb-studded roads. But he said the insurgents were catching on to U.S. tactics and had fled ahead of raids near the river Monday.
Maj. Webster Wright, a spokesman for the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, said 27 airborne operations had been staged during the widespread search the last nine days, dropping off soldiers to gain the element of surprise and avoid bomb-studded roads. But he said the insurgents were catching on to U.S. tactics and had fled ahead of raids near the river Monday.
He said planners were looking at targets to the west of the division's area of operations. He wasn't more specific, but that would likely include volatile Anbar province, a vast desert area that stretches to the borders of Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Anbar is considered a key smuggling route for insurgent groups including factions linked to al-Qaida.
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of U.S. troops south of Baghdad, said in a CNN interview that 4,000 American soldiers and 2,000 Iraqis were involved in the search. He expressed "cautious optimism" that the three missing men - Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif.; Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.; and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Mich. - were still alive.
"We won't stop until we find our fallen comrades," he said, adding that the military was following up 249 intelligence reports, the majority of which said the three soldiers were still alive. "We're pursuing all leads with a passion, but right now we believe our soldiers are still alive," Lynch said. "Each day that passes when we don't see proof of life, it causes us concern." Lynch said more than 1,000 people had been detained for questioning, and two had confessed to taking part in the May 12 attack. "So they're giving us actual intelligence and we continue to follow through," he said.
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of U.S. troops south of Baghdad, said in a CNN interview that 4,000 American soldiers and 2,000 Iraqis were involved in the search. He expressed "cautious optimism" that the three missing men - Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif.; Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.; and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Mich. - were still alive.
"We won't stop until we find our fallen comrades," he said, adding that the military was following up 249 intelligence reports, the majority of which said the three soldiers were still alive. "We're pursuing all leads with a passion, but right now we believe our soldiers are still alive," Lynch said. "Each day that passes when we don't see proof of life, it causes us concern." Lynch said more than 1,000 people had been detained for questioning, and two had confessed to taking part in the May 12 attack. "So they're giving us actual intelligence and we continue to follow through," he said.
Labels: Al Anbar, Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, Missing U.S. troops, Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, Spc. Alex R. Jimenez
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
