Missing US troops in area where many live in fear By Michael Georgy
Sun Jun 18, 8:56 AM ET
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Two U.S. soldiers missing in Iraq since Friday disappeared into a lawless al Qaeda stronghold where residents describe being terrorised by unknown militants.
Military helicopters and divers are combing the rural Euphrates river area south of Baghdad for the troops who went missing after an attack on their checkpoint near the town of Yusufiya killed another U.S. soldier.
Most people in the Sunni Arab region resent the presence of the U.S. troops. But even if they wanted to help the two soldiers, doing so could be fatal.
"We live in fear. Gunmen always go to people's houses asking about who works for the Iraqi army or police or the Americans," taxi driver Abdullah Jassim told Reuters by telephone.
"If they find out you have any ties with the Americans or the Iraqi government they will certainly kill you."
Yusufiya is in an area some Iraqis call the "Triangle of Death" for its frequent attacks by insurgents who carry out bombings, shootings and kidnappings as part of a campaign aimed at toppling the Shi'ite-led, U.S.-backed government.
It has been one of the most difficult areas for U.S. troops to root out rebels because of the landscape. The triangle lies on a direct route from the guerrilla bastion of Ramadi, which offers a steady supply of fighters and weapons.
And its numerous orchards, complicated network of canals from the Euphrates and thick grass offer ideal hiding places.
Residents say bearded Iraqi militants as well as foreign fighters, believed to be al Qaeda militants, have become more and more powerful in the area.
"We try not to go out too much. When we go to the market we do it very quickly," said Jassim.
In their traditional flowing Arab robes with checkered red and white headdresses or wide black pants and shirts with black ski masks, insurgents freely roam the streets, residents say.
People don't know who the bearded militants are. They think most are Iraqi but are afraid to ask.
"We cannot say anything to these people. We are afraid that if we open our mouths they will just shoot us," said local council employee Muhammad Amaar. "They do what they want and no one dares question them."
Iraqi army troops and police are especially vulnerable. Their convoys are often ambushed or blown up by roadside bombs along the main road through the triangle, one of the most dangerous in Iraq.
Police officials said it's not an environment the two U.S. soldiers could likely survive if they fell into the wrong hands.
"We still don't know their fate. But these people kill anyone associated with the Americans," said a police official in Yusufiya, who asked not to be named for his safety.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&e=2&u=/nm/20060618/ts_nm/iraq_missing_dc
7 U.S. Troops Wounded Looking for Comrades
Jun 19, 7:47 AM (ET)
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The U.S. military said Monday that seven American troops have been wounded, three insurgents have been killed and 34 detained during an intensive search for two missing American soldiers.
Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, a spokesman for U.S. forces in Iraq, said fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles and dive teams had been deployed to find the two men. The men went missing Friday during an attack on their checkpoint in the volatile Sunni area south of Baghdad that left one of their comrades dead.
"We have surged intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms and employed planes, boats, helicopters and UAVs to ensure the most thorough search possible on the ground, in the air and in the water," Caldwell said in a statement issued Monday.
He did not comment on reports that the two men had been seized by insurgents, saying only that they were listed as "duty status and whereabouts unknown." He said seven other U.S. service members had been wounded in action during the search efforts that began Friday night.
The Defense Department identified the missing men as Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, and Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore. It said Spc. David J. Babineau, 25, of Springfield, Mass., was killed in the attack. The three were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Caldwell said more than 8,000 U.S. and Iraqi troops were participating in the search.
"While searching for our soldiers, we have engaged in a number of significant actions against the anti-Iraqi forces," he said, adding that three insurgents had been killed and 34 taken into custody.
He also said the military had received 63 tips and had launched 12 cordon and search operations, eight air assaults and 280 flight hours were logged.
"Approximately 12 villages have been cleared in the area, and we continue to engage local citizens for help and information leading to the whereabouts of our soldiers," he said, without elaborating.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060619/D8IB8TSG3.html