defendamerica.mil 03/30/03

BAGRAM, Afghanistan, March 29, 2003 — One U.S. Special Operations Forces soldier and one U.S. airman were killed, and one Special Forces soldier was wounded when their four-vehicle, mounted reconnaissance patrol was ambushed in the vicinity of Geresk at approximately 4 p.m. today, U.S. Central Command officials said.

Geresk is located in south central Afghanistan in Helmand province. The service members’ names are being withheld pending next of kin notification.

Earlier in the day, a small group of U.S. Special Forces soldiers, observing Afghan Militia Forces near Khakrez in Kandahar province this morning, came under fire, U.S. Central Command officials said.

The U.S. soldiers attempted to break contact and called in air support. Two Apache helicopters responded which were engaged by enemy ground fire. The Apaches returned fire; close air support was called and 4 GBU-12s were dropped by two European partners air force F16s.

Officials said there were no coalition casualties and no assessment as to the results of the engagement on the enemy.