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WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2005 – One U.S. soldier was killed and two wounded when their vehicle rolled over while conducting a combat logistics patrol at about 2:30 p.m. today near Trebil, Iraq.
The soldiers, both assigned to the 56th Brigade Combat Team, were taken to a coalition forces medical treatment facility. No further details were available. The name of the deceased soldier is being withheld pending next of kin notification. Elsewhere, coalition and Iraqi security forces came under fire in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad early this morning. Iraqi security forces were conducting a mission to capture three insurgents suspected of working in a kidnapping and torture cell. The three suspects were not found or captured, but missions to find them will continue, officials said. Iraqi security forces were ambushed at several locations while conducting the operation. Nearby coalition forces on routine patrols responded to reinforce the Iraqi security forces. Coalition and Iraqi troops returned fire and killed five to eight of the armed assailants, officials said. The engagement lasted about 90 minutes. No suspects were detained, and no coalition or Iraqi security forces were injured. Over the past year, coalition forces have been working closely with Sadr City leaders to establish a secure environment and to allow Iraqis to proceed with the constitutional referendum, scheduled for Oct. 15. "I am concerned about the events early this morning, but I do not believe this action reflects a pattern of change leading to more violence," U.S. Army Col. Joseph DiSalvo, commander of coalition forces in eastern Baghdad, said. "I am working with Iraqi leaders in Sadr City to keep the situation calm. "Terrorists in Sadr City or elsewhere have no safe haven," DiSalvo continued. "We will aggressively pursue all leads against the terrorists. My mission is to find the terrorists and keep Iraq safe, and that is what we will do." As DiSalvo drove through the city this morning, he found the situation calm, he said. "Iraqi security forces and the coalition will continue routine patrolling," he said. (Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Task Force Baghdad news releases.)
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