Roadside Bombs Claim Three Soldiers' Lives in Iraq

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

05.12.2005

Courtesy Story

Defense.gov         

Three U.S. soldiers were killed today in separate roadside bomb explosions in Iraq, military officials in Baghdad reported. A Task Force Baghdad soldier died from wounds suffered when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb in eastern Baghdad at about 1 p.m.

Near Samarra, a Task Force Liberty soldier was killed and another was wounded when an improvised explosive device detonated next to a combat patrol at about 2:45 p.m. No report was available on the wounded soldier's condition.

A soldier assigned to the 155th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), died when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations about nine miles east of Musayib. The 155th BCT is an Army unit assigned to the 2nd MEF in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The soldiers' names are being withheld until their families are notified.

Task Force Baghdad soldiers continued offensive operations today, capturing 20 terror suspects and confiscating a weapons cache in Baghdad.

One of the suspects taken into custody was specifically targeted for his role in planning and carrying out terrorist attacks against Iraqi civilians and coalition forces. Later, a Task Force Baghdad unit found a weapons cache buried in southeastern Baghdad. The cache contained TNT, hand grenades, rocket-propelled grenades, and AK-47 assault rifles.

In eastern Baghdad, a car bomb exploded near the new Baghdad Iraqi police station at about 1 p.m., killing 14 Iraqi civilians and wounding 56 more. A few minutes later, another car bomb blast in the Sumer al-Ghadier neighborhood wounded three civilians.

"We will not be intimidated by attacks like this," said Army Col. Joseph DiSalvo, commander of U.S. forces in eastern Baghdad. "While my prayers go out to the injured soldiers and civilians of today's attacks, my focus remains on working with the Iraqi security forces to defeat the terrorist threat to bring peace and stability to Iraq."

The colonel appealed to the local Iraqi population to notify authorities when they become aware of terrorist activity. "The terrorists who drove the car bombs in today's attacks are now dead," he said, "but we need the full cooperation of the Iraqi people to find the terrorists who are making the car bombs. It is the responsibility of all freedom-loving Iraqis to turn in terrorists.

"These types of attacks are unconscionable," he continued. "The terrorists are bringing nothing but tears and fear to the people, while the government is offering hope for the future."

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Task Force Baghdad news releases.)

Story by American Forces Press Service

• Date Taken: 05.12.2005
• Date Posted: 07.04.2025 01:15
• Story ID: 531335
• Location: WASHINGTON, US