The 4th Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division team observed two vehicles that had stopped a local national bus, forcing the passengers off the bus at approximately 10:40 a.m.. The Iraqi Army Soldiers pursued the suspects who got back into the two vehicles and drove off in separate directions.
The Iraqi Army soldiers stopped one of the fleeing vehicles west of an established checkpoint in the area. One kidnapper was killed and two others wounded due to the small arms fire used by the Iraqi soldiers to stop the fleeing car. In the trunk of the stopped vehicle, one kidnap victim was found.
The other car, a white Daiwoo, was also followed from the location where passengers were forced from a bus. The Iraqi Army pursued this vehicle until it stopped in front of a house nearby. Two additional kidnap victims were freed from the trunk of the vehicle and 20 more kidnap victims were found inside the house. Six kidnappers were detained from this incident.
After further investigation, most of the kidnapped victims are believed to be ShiÂ’a and predominately from Abu Ghraib and Ramadi. Some of the victims showed signs of abuse; they had been badly beaten.
All 23 rescued victims have been transferred to the 4/1/6 IA Headquarters and are receiving medical treatment.
The kidnappers have been identified as SunniÂ’s. The kidnapping cell leader, a Syrian named Abu Mousan, escaped capture.
The incident is still under investigation.