Troops rescue terror hostages

2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) PAO
Multi-National Division – Center

LUTIFIYAH, Iraq — Three men were rescued east of Lutifiyah by Coalition and Iraqi forces Aug. 12.
Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., and 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, were conducting Operation Eagle Dive III and found the men in a house about four kilometers east of Lutifiyah.
The house was discovered through a patrol prompted by local resident tips. Residents in the area said al-Qaeda-allied fighters fired shots every day from a series of buildings in the area. One resident volunteered to accompany the Soldiers to identify the perpetrators.
A house near the objective had been reduced to rubble. Upon investigation, the troops found a small shack next to it.
Inside the shack the soldiers found three Sunni men. Two said they had been captive for “a few days.” The other said he had been kidnapped about 10 days ago.
The men all said they had been taken captive by al-Qaeda allied terrorists for cooperating with Coalition Forces, and had been awaiting the al-Qaeda judge, who was expected to behead them that day.
The Soldiers found an al-Qaeda leaflet praising the killing of Coalition Forces, and “God bless the mujahedin” was written on the wall. There were also pieces of electronic equipment and a rusted-out mount for a heavy machine gun.
The former hostages were treated for their wounds and taken to Forward Operating Base Lutifiyah, where they continued to provide information about their captors to Coalition and Iraqi troops.