US Troops Rescue Iraq POW Lynch

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, April 02, 2003

US Troops Rescue Iraq POW Lynch

American troops have rescued Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch, who had been held as a prisoner of war in Iraq since she and other members of her maintenance unit were ambushed March 23, the Defense Department announced Tuesday.

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Lynch, 19, of Palestine, W.Va., was part of the 507th Maintenance Company, which was ambushed near Nasiriyah after making a wrong turn during early fighting in the invasion of Iraq. Five other members of her unit were later shown on Iraqi television answering questions.

"Coalition forces have conducted a successful rescue mission of a U.S. Army prisoner of war held captive in Iraq," Brig. Gen Vince Brooks, Central Command's deputy director of operations, said early this morning. "The soldier has been returned to a coalition-controlled area."

General Brooks gave no further details. It was not clear whether the Special Operations forces had to engage Iraqi combatants to rescue the American soldier.

The Central Command official confirmed that the rescued soldier was Private Lynch and said he believed she was not being held with other American soldiers when she was recovered.

The rescue mission was launched at about midnight Iraqi time. It had been planned for the past several days after American intelligence learned where Private Lynch was being held. The operation was kept secret from all but a handful of top Central Command officers and members of the Special Operations forces who conducted the raid, the official said. The operation was recorded on videotape by a member of the rescue team, and the tape may be shown later Wednesday, the official added.

Lynch had been listed as missing in action but was identified by the Pentagon Tuesday as a POW. She was not among the seven U.S. soldiers -- including the five from the 507th shown on television -- formally listed as prisoners of war.

Source: Agencies

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