The Hindu : 7 U.S. soldiers traced in good shape

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 14, 2003

International

International

7 U.S. soldiers traced in good shape

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington april 13. The Pentagon has said that Iraq has released seven American soldiers as U.S. troops were entering the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit.

Six soldiers of the 507th Maintanence Company had been listed as Prisoners of War; and one other soldier has not been immediately notified.

The soldiers "are in good shape'' according to the Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, though two have gunshot wounds. According to Mr. Rumsfeld, the Iraqis had told U.S. Marines that they could find the seven missing soldiers at a location some 5 or 6 km south of Tikrit. "They said `You should go get them' and they did'', Mr. Rumsfeld said. Earlier in the day, Gen. Tommy Franks said that coalition forces had found six U.S. troops previously classified as missing; and that the six appear to be in a helathy condition.

Gen Franks, the overall war commander, on various talk shows this morning, argued that he was reluctant to pass on more information for he wanted to be sure if the six troops had been listed as missing or were part of seven who were listed as Prisoners of War.

"They appear to be healthy,'' he told ABC News Senior civilian and military officials at the Pentagon had been consistently making the point that tracking down soldiers still listed as missing or held as Prisoners of War was a top priority; and the spectacular rescue of Private First Class Jessica Lynch from a hospital was meant to underscore the determination of the military authorities.

"For sure we are going to take care of our own. This is very good news,'' Gen Franks remarked on CNN.

The news about the missing soldiers from Gen. Franks came at a time when the U.S. forces are closing in on Tikrit, the hometown of the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, and that there was resistance in and around the town.

The United States Air Force has been softening the ground in Tikrit over the last several days carrying out intensive operations in a bid to weaken if not totally demoralise the remnants of the Republican Guard and other die-hards loyalists of Mr. Hussein. There are conflicting versions on whether or not Tikrit has fallen.

According to one version reaching here, the U.S. troops have secured control with little to no resistance from any armed forces loyal to Mr. Hussein.

Information on Tikrit is hard to come by as most major television media have no presence in that part of the country; and word is that a CNN team that tried to reach the town came under fire and had to withdraw. At least, two members of the travelling part are said to be slightly injured. U.S.officials here are maintaining that the prospect of a long and lasting battle in Tikrit appeared unlikely as there have been large scale desertions and the area has been extensively damaged as a result of the sustained air strikes.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is not saying much on the surrender of Hussein's top scientific advisor,Amer Al Saadi,but privately administration officials here are quite happy that a one time top regime hand has turned himself in.

Mr.Al Saadi continues to say that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction,but officials here are making the point that what he says in public could be substantially different from the de-briefings in private. At the height of the showdown over Iraq in the United Nations,the Bush administration pointedly took on Mr.al Saadi on his role during the weapons inspections. ''

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