Published July 07, 2011
Associated Press
BAGHDAD -- A roadside bomb killed two U.S. soldiers Thursday outside the main American military base in Baghdad in what U.S. officials said appeared to be another attack by Shiite militias hoping to drive U.S. troops out of Iraq.
The attack follows the deadliest month for U.S. troops in Iraq in two years. Fifteen U.S. soldiers died in June, nearly all in attacks by Shiite militias.
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Thursday's bomb, which was detonated near a checkpoint outside Victory Base Camp, was a powerful armor-piercing explosive known as an EFP, according to two military officials with knowledge of the attack.
EFPs typically are designed and outfitted in Iran, and are a trademark of the Shiite militia headed by anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
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Two soldiers of the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team killed in Iraq
The Department of Defense said Spc. Nicholas W. Newby, 20, of Coeur d’Alene, and Spc. Nathan R. Beyers, 24, of Littleton, Colo., who lived in the Coeur d’Alene area before being deployed, died July 7 in Baghdad, Iraq.
The men died of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked their convoy using an improvised explosive device. Newby and Beyers were assigned to 145th Brigade Support Battalion, 116th Cavalry Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Post Falls, Idaho.
“This is an extremely sad time for the Citizen Soldiers and Citizen Airmen of the Idaho National Guard,” said Maj. Gen. Gary L. Sayler, commanding general of the Idaho National Guard. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of these fine Idaho Citizen Soldiers, and we will work to help and support these families with many types of assistance over the coming days, weeks, months and years.”
Beyers leaves behind his wife Vanessa Beyers and his daughter, born on Veterans Day, Nov 11, 2010. Vanessa Beyers released a statement:
“Nathan was proud of his job and serving our country. He died doing something he loved and was such a brave person. We just had our first child and Nathan had a chance to visit us when he was home on leave in January. I told him I knew he was going to be a wonderful father. We are going to miss him.”
Newby leaves behind family members including his mother Theresa Hart, father Wayne Newby, brothers Nathan and Ryder and many other family members and friends in the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho area and Connecticut.
Photo provided by the Beyers family
Spc. Nathan R. Beyers, 24, of Littleton, Colo. Beyers died in Iraq on July 7.
Photo provided by the Newby family
Spc. Nicholas W. Newby, 20, of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Newby died on July 7 in Iraq.