just in: Spanish and US troops as hostages?

[Soulhunter]

as reported by Spiegel (german), el mundo (spanish) and Aljazeera right now:

Apparently Shia milita have take some coalition soldiers as hostages in the city of Kufa. A speaker for al-Sadr, Amer al-Husseini, told reporters they want the release of Mustafa Jacubi, one of their leaders who got captured on saturday.

It's a developing story ... waiting for CNN or FoxNews to pick it up or confirm

[Soulhunter]

it may be the same rumor though as in the other thread. my apologies for the double posting if it is.

[Soulhunter]

the spanish ministry of defense is denying the report ... well, we have to wait and see I guess. too many rumors around in recent days.

[seruriermarshal]

I think , need more messages about these news .

[seruriermarshal]

This message :

Spain denies troops being held hostage in Iraq


MADRID, April 8 (*******) - Spain's Defence Ministry denied on Thursday that any military personnel were being held hostage in Iraq by a Shi'ite militia.
Fighters of the Mehdi Army militia led by firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr have swept onto the streets of Shi'ite cities across Iraq this week.

An aide to Sadr told a news conference in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf on Wednesday that soldiers from the U.S.-led coalition had been captured in fighting.

Asked on Thursday about media reports that Spanish soldiers were being held hostage by Sadr's militia, a Spanish defence ministry spokesman said: "It's a lie."

Foreign Ministry officials declined immediate comment on whether any Spanish civilians might have been abducted in Iraq.

This week's intense fighting in Iraq has killed 35 U.S. and allied soldiers and several hundred Iraqis. It has elicited U.S. assertions of resolve, but prompted signs of nervousness among some other countries with troops in Iraq.

[rafaelcb]

According to the Spanish ministry of defense, no soldier from the 'Plus Ultra' brigade is missing. This should include all the spanish-speaking troops in Irak, so it seems the claim is totally false.
But I think the Shiites are really looking to get some hostages.
Tonight there was very heavy fighting in Nayaf once more. 10 militiamen were killed with no spanish casualties. It seems that the myth of Legionarios being excellent shooters is proving true.

Best regards,

Rafael

[seruriermarshal]

I don't know , now Nayaf still have gunbattle ?

[seruriermarshal]

No Foreign Troops Captured by Iraqis in Najaf -U.S.

BAGHDAD (*******) - No foreign soldiers have been captured by members of a radical Shi'ite militia in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf, a U.S. army general said on Thursday.



Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of operations for the U.S. army in Iraq (news - web sites), said all coalition soldiers stationed in Najaf were in their bases on the fringes of the town.


Followers of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who launched an uprising on Sunday and have clashed with foreign troops in Shi'ite areas of Iraq, have said they have captured foreign soldiers and want to exchange them for Shi'ite prisoners.


Spain's Defense Ministry earlier denied media reports that any of its military personnel in the U.S.-led force in Iraq had been taken hostage.