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FOB LOYALTY, Iraq, August 29, 2006 - Two Iraqi kidnap victims were freed Wednesday by US soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division in the Adhamiyah district of eastern Baghdad. US troops and Iraqi security forces are in the area as part of the expansion of Operation Forward Together. Describing the scene, soldiers from 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, said they observed an Iraqi man running from a house nearby their position. When they caught up to him, he said he and a friend were being held there against their will. The victim said he escaped when his kidnappers, hearing the sound of Coalition Humvees nearby, fled to the roof of the building in which he was being held. "The guy was running away, and we actually had to catch up to him," said SPC Kenneth Correa. "He said that his friend was still in the house." Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldiers surrounded the home. Inside they found the second victim, whose hands and feet were bound. The criminals fled the scene before MND-B Soldiers were able to cordon off the building. The victims, a Shiite and a Sunni, told the Soldiers that they had been riding motorcycles and had just crossed the A' Iamma bridge going into Adhamiyah when they were surrounded by the four armed kidnappers, who were also on motorcycles. The criminals took them to a transfer point south of the Abu Hanifa Mosque. At that point, the victims were forced into the back of a vehicle and taken to the home where soldiers found them. Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment have located and freed 10 kidnap victims in the past two weeks. "Over the last couple of months, (kidnapping) has been one of the focuses," said LTC Brian Winski, commander, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment He said both COL Thomas Vail, the 4th BCT commander and MG James D. Thurman, commanding general, MND-B, have increased measures to stop the sectarian violence in east Baghdad. Although many kidnappings are motivated by sectarian tensions in the area, it is unlikely this particular incident falls into that category, Winski said. Soldiers questioned civilians living nearby about the incident and an investigation is ongoing. The victims were released to Iraqi police in their home neighborhood of Khadamiyah.  Department of Defense photo by PO1 Keith W. DeVinney (Mass Communication Specialist, US Navy)
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