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| Iraq |
| U.S. Trying to ID DNA After Syrian Shootout |
| 2003-06-23 |
| EFL U.S. experts are trying to identify those killed and captured when an attack on a fleeing Iraqi convoy lead to the shooting of Syrian border guards, three defense officials said Monday. Shooting Syrians? Nobody told me. Working partly on information from previously captured Iraqi leaders, special operations troops attacked the convoy in western Iraq last week to stop what they believed were fugitives linked to the fallen regime of Saddam Hussein. It was unclear who shot first, but American forces engaged in a firefight with Syrian border guards and several guards were hit, one senior Pentagon official said on condition of anonymity. The guards were given medical treatment by U.S. forces on the Iraqi side of the border, and it was unclear how many were wounded and whether any had died, he said. Humm, I don't recall any Syrian calls for Dire Revenge(tm). Interesting that we didn't hear about this before. Two officials said they had no reason yet to believe that Saddam or his sons were among the fugitives. They didn't comment on whether Saddam was the intended target in the strike. The special Task Force 20 commando team was aided in the attack last Wednesday by fire laid down by an AC-130 gunship and other air support, one official said. Spectre, giving new meaning to "Death from Above". The convoy was traveling a known smuggling route near the city of Qaim. It was unclear whether smugglers were among casualties and how many Iraqis were captured or killed. But a third Defense Department official said forensics experts went to the site to collect evidence, possibly for DNA testing. U.S. intelligence has no knowledge of any request to identify remains from the strike through DNA matching, said a fourth U.S. official, also speaking on the condition of anonymity. "No comment" Saddam and his sons are the top three on the U.S. list of most-wanted officials in Iraq, and coalition officials say the lack of evidence about their fate is fueling resistance to the occupation within Iraq. There were multiple reports over the weekend that Saddam's top aide, captured a week ago, had told U.S. interrogators that Saddam and his two sons survived the war and escaped to Syria and other reports that they were then forced to return to Iraq. Interesting. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 Becky's been on a roll on this one. The Syrian intervention, along with the heavy attack method and DNA collection leads me to be an optimist...But I'll believe it when the DNA proves it.....hope they bagged all of the boys |
| Posted by: Frank G 6/23/03 10:07:14 AM |
| #1 More details: US military sources said the strikes were launched after the interception of a satellite telephone conversation involving either Saddam or his sons. The convoy was struck near the Iraqi border town of Qaim, while the operation involved the US air force and ground troops of the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment. |
| Posted by: Steve 6/23/03 10:02:46 AM |