Al-Qaeda group claims it holds 3 missing soldiers as thousands continue search

Iraqi soldiers take up positions yesterday while searching for three missing U.S. soldiers in the Shibaiya palm grove area near the town of Yusufiya 9 miles south of Baghdad

Baghdad — An al-Qaeda front group announced Sunday it had captured American soldiers in a deadly attack the day before, as thousands of U.S. troops searched insurgent areas south of Baghdad for their three missing comrades...

Troops surrounded the town of Youssifiyah and told residents over loudspeakers to stay inside, residents said. They then methodically searched the houses, focusing on possible secret chambers under the floors where the soldiers might be hidden, residents said. The soldiers marked each searched house with a white piece of cloth.

Soldiers also searched cars entering and leaving the town, writing “searched” on the side of each vehicle they had inspected. Several people were arrested, witnesses said.

Read the rest at the Globe and Mail

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