Sunday, May 27, 2007

42 Iraqis Rescued From Al Qaeda Torture Hide-Out



U.S. forces rescued 42 Iraqi civilians Sunday from an Al Qaeda hide-out northeast of Baghdad, including some who showed signs of torture and broken bones, a senior U.S. official said... Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the top U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said it was the largest number of detained Iraqis ever found in a single Al Qaeda hide-out. Some among the 42 had been held as long as four months, he said...
Read the rest of the story at FOXNEWS.com

DoD Photo
The MNF-I website has this take on the story...

Monday, May 28, 2007
Iraqi army and Coalition Force Soldiers conducted a raid based on a tip from a local citizen, and discovered 41 individuals at a suspected prison camp six miles south of Baqouba, Iraq May 27.

During the raid on Imam Ways, Soldiers from 5th Iraqi Army Division and 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discovered the men, who claimed to have been held captive by al-Qaida. Some claimed to have been held as long as four months.

A joint air and ground operation, lead by the 5th IAD, was launched to locate the alleged prison camp after receiving information from a local citizen.

The individuals, who were living in a small, concrete and mud compound located approximately one half mile west of the village, were sleeping in cramped rooms on dirty blankets and pillows, according to CF present at the site.

Soldiers also described the individuals’ surroundings as having rotting food inside the building and outside on the ground.

The men were transported by CF to a nearby combat outpost for further medical evaluation. The individuals were provided with food and water and questioned about their captive’s whereabouts.

This incident remains under investigation.

(Taken from press release #20070528-01 by Multi-National Corps-Iraq - Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory)

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