A U.S. Marine was killed in action in Anbar Province, west of Baghdad, while conducting "security and stability operations" in the province, the SU military said. As of Tuesday, 891 U.S. service members have died since military operations in Iraq began in March 2003, according to the U.S. Defense Department.
Meanwhile, a Filipino truck driver held hostage in Iraq had been released on Tuesday.
Angelo De la Cruz's release ended over two weeks of captivity and followed the complete pullout of the Philippine humanitarian contingent in Iraq.
De la Cruz, a father of eight, was freed after Manila met his captors' demand to withdraw its troops from Iraq. The captors had threatened to behead him.
Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo grinned during a nationally televised address in the Philippines. "We must rejoice at the good news, but our happiness must be tempered by the awareness that we live in dangerous times, and that we must work to create a more peaceful world," Arroyo said.
It should be recalled that an Egyptian hostage captured in Iraq earlier this month was freed Monday. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
