Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20061212-10

Dec. 12, 2006

NOTE: This release is an update to MNCI Press Release 20061211-09.
Iraqi Troops Free 23 Kidnap Victims

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Soldiers, with the support of coalition forces, found 23
hostages and arrested six kidnappers when conducting ongoing operations in a western
neighborhood of the Iraqi capital Dec. 11.

The 4th Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division team observed two
vehicles that had stopped a local national bus, forcing the passengers off the bus at
approximately 10:40 a.m.. The Iraqi Army Soldiers pursued the suspects who got back
into the two vehicles and drove off in separate directions.

The Iraqi Army soldiers stopped one of the fleeing vehicles west of an
established checkpoint in the area. One kidnapper was killed and two others wounded
due to the small arms fire used by the Iraqi soldiers to stop the fleeing car. In the trunk
of the stopped vehicle, one kidnap victim was found.

The other car, a white Daiwoo, was also followed from the location where
passengers were forced from a bus. The Iraqi Army pursued this vehicle until it stopped
in front of a house nearby. Two additional kidnap victims were freed from the trunk of
the vehicle and 20 more kidnap victims were found inside the house. Six kidnappers
were detained from this incident.

After further investigation, most of the kidnapped victims are believed to be Shi’a
and predominately from Abu Ghraib and Ramadi. Some of the victims showed signs of
abuse; they had been badly beaten.

All 23 rescued victims have been transferred to the 4/1/6 IA Headquarters and
are receiving medical treatment.

The kidnappers have been identified as Sunni’s. The kidnapping cell leader, a
Syrian named Abu Mousan, escaped capture.

The incident is still under investigation.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION – BAGHDAD
PUBLIC AFFAIRS NCO IN CHARGE, MASTER SGT. DAVID LARSEN BY E-MAIL AT:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; OR BY PHONE AT COMMERCIAL: (914) 822-8174, OR
IRAQNA: 011-964-790-192-4675.