Task Force Liberty Soldiers Rescue Hostage

[darrels joy]

Task Force Liberty Soldiers Rescue Hostage
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, March 17, 2005 ? Task Force Liberty soldiers rescued a hostage and detained two Iraqi men during a raid near Bayji, Iraq, late March 16. Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team conducted the raid to rescue the kidnap victim. Officials provided no other details.
Also on March 16, an Iraqi citizen found a silver-tipped mortar round and led Task Force Baghdad soldiers to the improvised explosive device to which it was rigged. The 130 mm round was one of four IEDs discovered. Task Force Baghdad soldiers also discovered a 60 mm round, as well as 155 mm and 120 mm artillery shells. Explosive ordnance disposal teams detonated three of the IEDs and took the fourth to a holding area. Task Force Baghdad soldiers found a vehicle riddled with bullets March 16. The unit searched a nearby house, finding a wire connected to a circuit board being prepared for an IED. The unit detained one person in the search. During the dismounted patrol, there was an explosion in a nearby house. There were no injuries reported.

Elsewhere in Iraq, a Polish patrol from the 2nd Battle Group came under machine-gun fire March 16 about 12 miles west of Diwaniyah. When notified of the attack, the 2nd Battle Group commander responded by deploying his quick-reaction forces. No one in the group was wounded or killed.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)