|
WASHINGTON, June 20, 2005 – Two U.S. servicemembers died in recent days in operations in Iraq, military officials in Baghdad said.
A soldier with 1st Corps Support Command died today of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during a combat logistics patrol northeast of Tal Afar. The soldier's name is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification. A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), was killed June 18 by small-arms fire. The incident took place during Operation Spear, a combat operation in Karabilah. The Marine was identified today as Lance Cpl. Adam J. Crumpler, 19, from Charleston, W.Va. Task Force Baghdad soldiers captured 24 terror suspects during early-morning combat operations in the capital today. Most of the suspects were seized at 3:30 a.m., when a unit working in southern Baghdad saw a curfew violator run into a house. When the soldiers investigated, they found 17 men and 12 AK-47 assault rifles in the house. The men were taken into custody for questioning and the weapons were seized. Twenty minutes later, a U.S. patrol in northern Baghdad came under a terrorist small arms-fire attack. The soldiers were able to identify which house the gunfire was coming from, and they set up a perimeter and investigated. When the soldiers searched the house, they found 25 people inside, including seven military-aged males. They also found an AK-47 assault rifle, five rifle magazines and spent shell casings on the roof. Six of the seven men were taken into custody for questioning. "We are collecting better information on these people in order to capture them," Army Lt. Col. Clifford Kent, a Task Force Baghdad spokesman, said. "Task Force Baghdad is committed to helping the Iraqis in Baghdad build a secure and peaceful future with a representative government based upon the rule of law." Elsewhere in Iraq, five Iraqis were killed and 19 were wounded today in an attack near an Iraqi police station west of Doura, military officials in Baghdad said. The incident began when a Task Force Baghdad patrol exchanged gunfire with terrorists near the station. When an Iraqi police patrol responded to the incident, terrorists detonated a car bomb, killing four Iraqi policemen and wounding four others. A ninth policeman is missing. Iraqi security forces also responded to the attack, and Task Force Baghdad sent in air and ground assets. An additional Iraqi servicemember was killed and 15 wounded in the responding unit. No U.S. casualties from the incident have been reported. In other news, the Georgia National Guard's 48th Brigade Combat Team took over primary support and security missions south of Baghdad June 17, transferring authority from the 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. "This transfer of authority demonstrates the resolve that the United States has to the continued support of the growing democracy in Iraq," Army Brig. Gen. Stewart Rodeheaver, 48th BCT commander, said. "Coalition forces will continue to work with the interim Iraqi government and the local district leaders in an effort to assist the Iraqi people in bringing stability to their country. Coalition forces will also continue operations against any force that seeks to disrupt the democratic process that the Iraqi people deserve," Rodeheaver said. (Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Task Force Baghdad news releases.)
|
