Roadside Bomb Claims Soldier; Suicide Bomber Kills 19 Civilians American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2005 � A Task Force Baghdad soldier was killed today when a convoy he was riding in struck an improvised explosive device in eastern Baghdad, military officials said. The soldier's name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Also in eastern Baghdad today, at least 19 civilians were killed and 13 others were injured when a suicide bomber detonated a vest packed with explosives on a bus loaded with about 40 passengers, officials said. Soldiers from 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, secured the site and immediately began evacuating the wounded to local hospitals, officials said. Elsewhere, Iraqi soldiers detained two military-aged men Dec. 7 after local citizens pointed them out as being responsible for placing two hand grenades on the ground. Soldiers with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force, had surrounded a munitions site in central Fallujah when several citizens approached them about the men. The suspects are being detained pending further investigation by authorities. Based on intelligence reports, a man suspected of conducting attacks on coalition forces was detained Dec. 7 by soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, near Hit, officials said. Air Force officials reported today that coalition aircraft flew 62 close-air-support missions Dec. 7 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Also, Air Force Predator -- an advanced concept technology demonstration aircraft -- fired a Hellfire missile, destroying an enemy improvised explosive device location near Rawah, officials said. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons, Navy F/A-18 Hornets and an EA-6B Prowler provided close-air support to coalition troops near Ramadi. In other aerial action, 15 Air Force, Navy, and Royal Australian Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq. Also, Royal Air Force fighter aircraft performed in a nontraditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors. (Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq, Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq and U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward news releases.)