By Gerry J. Gilmore<br />American Forces Press Service<br /><br />WASHINGTON, March 29, 2003 -- The remains of American<br />troops have been discovered in southern Iraq near where<br />paramilitary forces loyal to Saddam Hussein have been<br />accused by the Pentagon of executing U.S. service members<br />after they'd surrendered.<br /><br />U.S. Central Command spokesman Air Force Maj. Gen. Victor<br />Renuart told reporters today in Qatar of the situation<br />developing in the vicinity of Nasiriyah. He said a U.S.<br />mortuary affairs team is en route to the site. He said he<br />couldn't tell reporters whether the remains belonged to<br />troops who'd been involved in the March 24 engagement in<br />and around the city.<br /><br />Several service members are listed as missing after that<br />action, in which Saddam-aligned irregular forces attacked a<br />U.S. supply convoy that had gotten lost. The Iraqis quickly<br />paraded some U.S. captives on state-run television. The<br />videotape also showed some dead American troops, who'd been<br />positioned for the camera.<br /><br />Some senior Pentagon leaders who'd viewed the tape,<br />including Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of<br />the Joint Chiefs of Staff, believe it's possible the dead<br />troops were executed with shots in the head after they'd<br />surrendered.<br /><br />The mortuary team "will conduct normal levels of<br />investigation," Renuart noted. "We will also approach it<br />from the aspect to ensure that there were no war crimes<br />committed that may have caused their deaths. We'll have a<br />full forensic evaluation as well."<br /><br />The Iraqis currently hold five U.S. prisoners of war taken<br />from the March 24 action, plus two American helicopter<br />pilots seized in another incident.<br /><br />_______________________________________________________<br />NOTE: This is a plain text version of a web page. If your e-mail program<br />did not properly format this information, you may view the story at<br />
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