As-Saliyah (Qatar): Seven US soldiers captured by the Iraqis were freed by Marines
on April 13 and taken for medical treatment, with two suffering gunshot wounds,
officials and news reports said.
They included the two-men crew of an Apache helicopter shot down and five members of
the 507th Maintenance Company, one a woman, caught in an ambush, both on March 23,
US Central Command said.
US President George W Bush welcomed news of their release, saying, "I'm really
pleased."
"We still have men missing in action in Iraq, we will continue to look for them,"
Bush told reporters on the White House lawn.
Brigadier-General Vincent Brooks hailed the development at the Central Command
headquarters at Camp As-Saliyah.
"It is good news," Brooks said, adding, "They are under observation right now
medically."
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in an interview with NBC television, "They
are in good health. Two have gunshot wounds but basically they are in good
shape."
Rumsfeld said US Marines were approached by Iraqis South of Tikrit and told where
the Americans were.
The finding of the seven means the Pentagon no longer has any troops recorded as
prisoners of war, though seven are listed as missing, a category that generally
means it is not definitely known if they are dead or captured.
