Iraqi Police Free Kidnapped Female Iraqi Soldier

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 5, 2007 - Iraqi National Police rescued a female Iraqi army soldier who had been kidnapped yesterday by suspected extremist militia group members in the Bubasham area of Baghdad, officials in Iraq reported today. The woman, a nurse for the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, was kidnapped early in yesterday morning. Her kidnappers wore Iraqi National Police uniforms.

"She said they kidnapped her because she worked for the 'dirty group' and they wanted to 'clean her,'" said Army Capt. Thomas Vogan, a U.S. intelligence advisor for the 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Division National Police Training Team.

The woman and two other hostages were taken to an abandoned plastic factory in Bubasham.

After several hours of captivity, during which one of the other prisoners was severely tortured, their guard fell asleep and the three victims escaped.

While on the run, they split up to evade capture. The woman hid in the nearby house of a relative and phoned a brother-in-law who works at the Sadr City Joint Security Station. He relayed the information to coalition forces there, who immediately alerted the national police.

As many as four cars full of armed extremist militia members were searching through the neighborhood for the woman as she hid.

At nearly 2 p.m., a team from the 3rd Battalion 4th Brigade 1st National Police Division mounted a rescue operation, successfully finding her and taking her to a secure location.

"They showed a lot of skill and great compassion for the people in their community by carrying out this daring rescue," Vogan said.

(From an Multinational Division Baghdad news release.)