Baghdad, Iraq – Iraqi forces backed by U.S. helicopters swept through a Shiite slum in the capital Saturday, searching for Iraqis seized in kidnappings that have shaken confidence in Iraq’s government and security forces.
Search efforts also were underway in southern Iraq for four Americans and one Austrian seized Thursday when the supply convoy they were guarding was ambushed by gunmen in Iraqi police uniforms near the border with Kuwait, British and Iraqi officials said.
North of the capital, a string of clashes involving U.S. forces, Iraqi police and gunmen in the fractious city of Baqubah sent residents fleeing for cover. At least 15 people were killed, bringing the number of Iraqi deaths reported to at least 69.
A group calling itself the Islamic Mujahedeen Companies claimed on Al Alam, an Iranian Arabic-language satellite news channel, that it was holding the five captive foreigners. The group offered no evidence to back its claim. A man with his face wrapped in a checkered scarf was shown reading a statement, which the anchor said demanded the release of Iraqi prisoners from U.S. and British prisons. No audio was broadcast.
A British security contractor was killed and another injured in a separate attack on a civilian convoy that took place farther north Friday, said Capt. Tane Dunlop, a British military spokesman.
Contrary to initial reports, U.S. and British forces were not involved in the incident, he said. But he said British forces later collected the dead man’s body and rescued four British survivors, one of whom was treated for injuries suffered in the attack.
In Baghdad, residents reported fierce gunfire as Iraqi commandos with U.S. advisers raided at least two houses in Sadr City, a stronghold of the Mahdi Army militia, which is loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
The U.S. military said intelligence indicated an armed group there was holding people kidnapped last week.
The raid followed an assault Tuesday on a building belonging to the Higher Education Ministry in which as many as 150 people were abducted. Dozens of gunmen wearing police commando uniforms participated in the attack and were seen driving their victims toward Sadr City.
Sunni Arab leaders said dozens of men were still missing Saturday, but the Interior Ministry maintained all the hostages had been released.
