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The search for the soldiers missing since an ambush in Mahmoudiya twelve days ago faced a troubling development on Wednesday, with reports emerging that at least one body, though possibly three, have been retrieved from rivers in Babel province.
Multiple media outlets have confirmed through US military and Iraqi police sources that one body found Wednesday in the Euphrates river, reportedly with Western features and wearing US-issue military pants, has been turned over to US authorities.
The independent Iraqi news agency VOI is reporting that Iraqi police forces in Babel province have found two more bodies.
"“Babel police patrols today found two bodies believed to be from the two kidnapped U.S. soldiers near the Euphrates bank in al-Masayab area,” the source, who asked not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
He added, “the bodies bore marks of torture with their heads smashed. They wore the U.S. military-style uniform.” The source said “The two bodies were handed over to the U.S. forces at the location where they were found.”
The US military has made no comment on this report.
A police source earlier reported to VOI about the first body recovered on Wednesday. "Babel police forces today found a body, believed to belong to one of the three U.S. soldiers who were kidnapped last week in al-Mahmoudiya region, south of Baghdad," the source, who asked not to be named, told the (VOI).
"The body bore a gunshot wound to the head, the hand had a tattoo and he wore U.S. pants," he added.
According to an Interior Ministry official, Iraqi civilians saw a body floating down the Euphrates River and notified police in Mussayab.
According to CNN, witnesses said the man looked "Western," had a tattoo on his left arm, and had gunshot wounds to the head and torso.
The Damien Cave and Jon Elsen also cite Iraqi police sources for AP, who also say the body was clothed in an American military uniform, had a tattoo and two bullet wounds to the head.
Ravi Nessman reports for the AP that Babil police Capt. Muthana Khalid said the man had been shot in the head and chest.
Cave and Elsen also report police sources who said the did not appear to have been in the river for a long time, indicating that the kidnappers might still be in the area.
CNN confirmed with a US military source that the body was clothed in US military-issue pants.
Maj. Webster Wright, an American public affairs officer, confirmed that one body was found and was being examined, but he declined to say where the body was found or under what circumstances.
“We are in possession of the body,” Maj. Webster Wright, an American public affairs officer, said today. “We have not identified the body. We will give the truth to the families first.”
Maj. Gen. William Caldwell confirmed in a press conference Wednesday that the Iraqi police had turned over to the US military the body of a man they believed to be one of the missing soldiers. Caldwell insisted American authorities had yet to draw the same conclusion, and would wait for conclusive identification before notifying the family, and finally notifying the public.
To limit the chance of rumors and information being sent back the United States, AP reports, military bases in the area have been put on an Internet blackout, preventing e-mail messages from being sent from the area.
Multiple media outlets are reporting that the body may be shipped back to the US for identification, with one CNN correspondent saying a military source has confirmed the body will be sent to Dover Air Force Base for DNA testing.
